I’ve always considered myself a big reader, and I was, but I’m beginning to realize that might not be as true anymore.

My love for books, on the other hand, has probably increased. I stock up on books. More bluntly put: I horde them. I have almost filled my built-in bookshelf in my apartment, not to mention the two bigger ones in my room back home, with books I find interesting, or I tell myself that I will read.

If you were to ask me why this change happened, the simplest answer I could give is college.

It’s no surprise that classes and homework have gotten in the way of certain hobbies. This certainly isn’t the first case of it doing so either. With homework posted online, reading required documents on my computer, and typing up papers, I am on my computer a lot.

I don’t think I could get through a day without it at this point. The same goes for my phone. The strain from these screens has made it so that reading books and documents on paper is harder than before. So, when I’m not actively working on homework, I have the tendency to find entertainment through, you guessed it, screens and technology.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with using technology, but I have never been good with moderation, so, I binge watch videos and/or play games on my computer a lot.

I’m a writer who doesn’t read; it’s embarrassing.

It is also completely possible that this stems from a sense of laziness. It takes little effort to read a book, but it takes even less to switch on Netflix or YouTube.

I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I also hate dragging something out, especially a book. When I do read, I usually finish soon after starting. Since reading is a time-consuming hobby, it might actually make sense that I don’t feel like I can commit the time need to finish a book when I have other work, and (dry) assigned readings, to do.

The more I think about this change, the sadder it is to me. I remember the joy of escaping to another world or reality. The sense of accomplishment I got after finishing a 500-page book in a couple days is like a high to me. I even love the uncertainty of what I will read next.

So, I am going to challenge myself, and anyone reading, to start reading books more often than watching shows or videos. I’m not saying remove all screens from your life, that’s basically impossible these days, but try to spend the extra hour you might have with a good book instead of the next episode of a seemingly endless show.

No matter how much I rely on my computer or my TV in my life, nothing beats the feeling of holding and reading a book.

I know that since the beginning of this article, nothing drastic has changed. You still have college, a job, or a countless amount of other responsibilities, but try to make time, or re-assign your time, for a worthwhile experience.