If you don't know me, you may not know that I read. A LOT. I've been a book devourer since I was in elementary school. Since I like to have a book in my bag at all times, my classmates at my university have picked up on this. Many of them, including my fellow creative writing majors, have said to me, "I wish I had as much time to read as you do." Yet, I'm taking the same amount of classes as most of them. I take a solid fifteen credits a semester, and I work anywhere from 8-15 hours a week, too. Plus, I sleep for around 8 hours a night. So where do they think I'm finding all this free time to read?

Here's a fun fact: I make time to read. I get my bag packed and my clothes laid out the night before, so I can read in the morning before class. I carry a book with me everywhere so I can read if I get to class or chapel early. I'm slowly trying to remind myself to read instead of scrolling through Pinterest or Tumblr or watching another episode of The Office. If I'm not the one driving, I'll read in the car. I'm fortunate to work two desk jobs where my main responsibility is just monitoring who enters and exits the building. This means I can read and do homework.

The average adult only reads five books a year. FIVE BOOKS A YEAR. In 2016, I read 222 books and, counting some rereads, I read an average of 25 books per month this past year. Wanna know why? It's like I said above. I make time to read. Of course it helps that I'm an unusually fast reader. But I know plenty of other book bloggers who make time to read, and they still read at least 50 or 100 books a year.

Reading means you can escape, for a short time, into another world. You can be someone else, someone who is braver, smarter, more creative, etc. Reading improves your memory and apparently reduces your stress levels (although I'm still a very stressed-out person so I don't know how much truth there is in that latter fact). It increases your ability to empathize and lengthens your attention span. Plus, it makes you smarter. You'll learn new things and new words.

So what's stopping you from reading? If you love words and books, you'll find a way to fit it into your schedule. Make it part of your bedtime routine - a nice cup of herbal tea and a well-worn book. Or read on your commute to work (if you drive, audiobooks are always a great option). Or wake up five minutes early every day. Form reading habits that'll last a lifetime, and you'll learn to prioritize what really matters.