I’ve always loved reading. I distinctly remember the day in 4th grade when I finished my first book that was over 300 pages. Since then, I’ve read millions of pages of stories that have made me laugh, made me cry, enlightened me, educated me, or inspired me. In elementary, middle, and even into high school I used to read multiple books a week. The librarian at the school library always let me check out more than the allotted number of books. Every summer, I participated in my library’s summer reading challenge and finished it in record time.

Unfortunately, as I’ve grown older, it’s become harder and harder to find time for pleasure reading. In high school studying for AP tests always trumped the latest Hunger Games book. Now, don't get me wrong, because I loved the books I read in English classes, but four books a year was laughable in comparison to my past habits. In college, it’s even more difficult. I’ve been reading Hanya Yanagihara’s

A Little Life since the end of the spring semester and it’s currently the fall. After reading a 40 page article in preparation for a class discussion, I’m simply too tired to read anymore.

So, I decided that I should join a book club. I had never known reading to be a social activity, because it was always something I had done for myself. I loved the idea that I could share my love for reading and my passion for literature outside of a classroom setting. Here are some reasons why you too, should join a book club.

Motivation to read

Being in a book club has definitely helped motivate me to make time for reading. Having a set timeline that I have to read a book helps to get me in gear. With a realistic goal of one book a month, I don’t feel stressed about getting the book read but rather motivated to spend my free time reading instead of scrolling through social media.

Diversifying your shelf

Our book club has people with a wide variety of interests. When each person suggests a book for the next month, it’s almost always something that I’ve never read before. While I’ve gotten to read books that I’ve always wanted to read, I’m also reading books I’ve never even heard of before, books I would have never even thought to pick up. It’s great to take a break from the Dead White Man canonical literature that is so often read in literature classes.

New skills

Usually when I read a book for pleasure, I don’t really read closely like I do for class. I simply read it for the story and try to get through it as quick as possible. Being in a book club has helped me to slow down a bit in my reading and to really take notice of everything that is going on in the story and in the writing. While I’m not necessarily reading as closely as I would for a class, I’m learning to take in more detail in less time.

Like-minded people

Although everyone in your book club probably has diverse interests, it’s beautiful to see people coming together over something they love. It’s truly a lesson in the connectedness of mankind. Although each of the members in our book club has a different major, different favorite TV shows and different hobbies, we are all affected by the book in similar ways. It’s really opened my eyes to the fact that there, you can find like-minded people who are not exactly the same as you.

Food!

Every book club should have food. I mean, what goes together better than books and snacks? (hint: nothing). You could get creative and try to have your snacks match your book of the month. Or, you could simply trade off and have each person bring their favorite snack to share each meeting.

Fun

There’s nothing a bibliophile loves more than discussing and arguing about books. A book club gives you a monthly outlet for all of your passion about the characters in your story. You may be thinking, but can’t I just do that in my literature classes? Sure, you could. But the discussion that happens in book clubs is so much more organic and often times so much more heated than it could ever be in a literature class.