I have loved reading ever since I was little. There was one summer, around sixth grade I believe, that my best friend's mom reached out because I kept canceling plans with her daughter to stay home and read. It was bad... but also good! Because reading has become a very important part of my life — it allows me to meet people I could never meet and travel to places I could never go in real life. And because it led me to my major and minor (journalism and English lit, yaaaaa).
But as I've grown older, and the amount of reading I have to do for class has increased, I've been really bad about making time to read something other than textbooks. When I get home at the end of the day, I have started the bad habit of turning onto the TV and transforming into a vegetable or staring at my phone until my brain melts. BUT, as a senior about to graduate, I have decided to adopt healthier habits and am back on a reading kick. And I think all college kids should make an effort to do the same.
1. Books are like free education.
Or at least much, much cheaper than the five credit class about the Russian Revolution you were thinking about taking... Let Barnes and Nobles be your new classroom.
2. Books teach you about tolerance.
My mom always told me I am able to remain calm and collected in heated political and intellectual conversations because I read so much as a kid. Whether it's as simple as feeling sympathy (and maybe a small crush) on Draco Malfoy or understanding the complexity of Judas' betrayal of Jesus in the Bible, reading allows you to see things from others' perspectives — perspectives you may not get a chance to see outside of a literary world.
3. You've already seen every episode of "The Office" 11 times.
Might as well try something new.
4. Books are better for your eyes.
We've all read the 8 million studies showing the blue light from phone and TV screens does all types of black magic on your sleep schedule. Try a book instead.
5. Reading helps you write better.
One of my English professors sophomore year of college forced his students to look up and write down the definition of every word that we couldn't easily define while reading. And then he quizzed us on it. We were reading Gilgamesh... Which was written in 2000 BC... I had to look up hecka words and it sucked. BUT, my vocab skills increased exponentially and helped my writing in the future.
6. It's a sure fire way to keep people from speaking to you on the bus.
Better yet, a book aaand headphones.
7. Books are hecka fun to read.
They are like watching a movie except better. You don't have to be constantly irritated by actors' physical/character traits. Bothered by Toby Maguire's turtle-like grin in "The Great Gatsby"? Shoulda just read the book. Could have picked your own Nick Carraway.
8. You feel smarter than everyone else.
Walking through campus with reading material other than a textbook is a very empowering feeling. Like, yeah, I have enough free time to read FOR FUN. Suck it.
9. Safer bath time entertainment.
Replacing a book is a li'l cheaper than your iPhone 7.
10. You can be the giver of spoilers rather than the receiver.
Whether it's watching "Game of Thrones," "The Walking Dead," or you somehow find a human that hasn't seen all the Harry Potter movies (OK, must be an alien, all humans should have seen HP by now), there is a certain sense of power knowing you can ruin what happens next for a non-reader. I'm not saying you should do it, but it feels good to know you can.
11. You can read "50 Shades of Grey" in public but you really can't watch "50 Shades of Grey" in public.
I beg to differ, E.L. James...
