Before I went to college, I used to read so much. Books were my vice, I could remember staying up with a flashlight and straining my eyes to read the latest Twilight book that I had no business reading in fifth grade. I could read up to three books a week and throw myself into the magical world of fiction.
Â
Then, I went to college.
Â
I brought all my favorite books, expecting to read them on whatever downtime I had and I even bought some new novels that were recommended to me by mentors. What I didn’t expect was denounce reading all together.
Â
As an English major, each class I take requires at least three books for a semester. Imagine stacking about fourteen books on top of your desk in a menacing tower you wish you could push over and forget completely. As more professors gave us required readings, the less I wanted to read in my free time. I mean, who wants to read during the weekend when you just spent a whole school week doing the same thing by force?
Â
So slowly, I stopped enjoying the feel of finishing a novel and it soon became a chore. This year though, one of my New Year’s resolutions is to get back into reading. As a writer, I feel that reading helps improve writing style, and I was right. Reading helped me finally uncover my writer’s block, and made my own editing process a breeze. According to the BookRiot.com (https://bookriot.com/2018/02/27/does-reading-make-you-smarter/), studies even show that reading improves factual knowledge, emotional intelligence, and brain connectivity. It engages and tests your learning, which in turn, makes you smarter.
Â
So whenever you’re having trouble with a blank page, or just need to de-stress: read. Visit your local library or bookstore and find an interesting book. You don’t have to finish it all in a week, and it could even take months, but words stimulate the mind.
Â
As a nuanced take on an old saying, a page a day keeps the doctor away.