There is nothing better than reading a good book. In middle school and high school, I was the kid that read books all the time. It started with Percy Jackson and Twilight, and it will never end. I used to have a small bookshelf that was about three feet high, and now I have three six-foot-tall bookshelves that are packed full and starting to overflow.
I remember one time in high school I was reading a book that was the final part of a trilogy by one of my favorite authors. I was so scared because it was all going to end. It was one of those intense books where you knew someone had to die, and the author was known for killing off some characters. I was dreading getting to the parts where I knew something bad was going to happen. I was preparing myself and my friends for the aftermath that would be my emotions. I warned them that if things got too bad in the book I might start crying. One of my friends told me she would just laugh at me. I understood her point, but it was a very real possibility. I didn’t reach the sad part of the book until later when I was at home. I didn’t cry though. This was just an example of who I am with books.
I grew up loving to read. My parents read to me. I found novels that would capture my interest. It has stayed with me throughout my entire life. In middle school I could read at least three books a week. In high school I did not get to read quite as much because it was a different kind of work load. I still read a lot, it just varied at times. It could have also varied because the books I chose were getting longer. Now I’ve gotten to college, and sometimes I wonder if I even like to read anymore.
During my fall semester I read one book while at school. When I got to Christmas break I read three and a half books. At the beginning of spring semester I read one book because there was a snow day. Near the end of my spring semester I finally finished that book that I never finished at Christmas time. I was really weighed down with reading textbooks.
I understand why we need to read them for class, but when you put a textbook in front of someone that loves to read, and there’s no plot, no characters, and no big resolution, the reader gets bored. Textbooks are really just chronological statements of fact. There is nothing wrong with that. They are serving their purpose, but it kind of made me start to wonder if I was just in a gross reading slump or if I was starting to not enjoy books.
I didn’t really want to pick up a new book to read. I didn’t have the time, I didn’t have the energy to focus, but apparently I had enough love for books because I kept purchasing them at random intervals. I still had the desire to read though, even if I felt like I didn’t. I had a deep desire in the pit of my being that simply craved a good plot line and characters with fantastic development.
Now it’s summer and I picked up my first novel to read. I can barely stand to set it down. It’s like my brain has been woken up again. I’m not just staring at words that I will need to remember for a test. I am so excited to be out of the college reading slump. My summer is going to be packed full of books I have been wanting to experience for the first time, and books I want to re-experience. I look forward to the many adventures I am going to get to go on with so many new characters that I am going to meet.
