Why You Stopped Reading (and how to start again)

When you were younger you used to read all the time. You would come home from school and read maybe two books in one day! My personal favorites were the rainbow fairy books of which the library seemed to have an endless supply. But flashforward to now and you haven’t actually finished a book in a long time. Does this sound familiar? If so, here’s why.

We stop reading for four main reasons. 

1. You stopped because you don’t have time. 

College is time for exploration, but it is also notoriously a very busy time where we are having to juggle school, work, friends and often being independent and away from home for the first time. Finding time to read for pleasure becomes a daunting task when balancing all these other responsibilities and obligations. 

2. You stopped because you don’t have the energy. 

We aren’t born with the ability to read and reading is surprisingly more complicated than most people believe. We see some random scribbles on the page and associate those with words. Those words then build a larger story that we must connect to our experiences and understanding of the world around us. The act of reading takes focus and energy that many of us severely lack when we are dealing with things like stress or anxiety. 

3. You are out of practice.

Like most things in life, reading is something that must be practiced in order to be good at it. With the advent of social media, our brains have become accustomed to instant gratification and short-form video content. Reading involves both more commitment and time. 

4. You stopped because you are simply reading the wrong books. 

We have all been forced to read something in school that we despise or found incredibly boring. Perhaps, after that bad reading experience, you were discouraged from picking up another book. 

I assume for most of you reading this article it is a combination of the above reasons. We as a culture view reading as an intellectual activity and have a certain notion in our minds of what reading should look like. Perhaps you want to start reading again but are waiting for the perfect moment. A calm day. An image of a rainy day and cozy blankets with a warm cup of tea in our hands and a deliciously free afternoon. 

Only problem is that this day will never come. 

To start reading again we must expunge this ideal reading day image, albeit pretty, from our minds. For most of us busy with work and school, having a free day to just read for pleasure is a luxury. 

Therefore, we must squeeze in intentional reading time whenever possible. So here are my top tips on how to start and keep reading again. 

1. Read narratives. 

Narrative stories read much faster than nonfiction or speculative literary fiction. When we are first getting back into reading our brains will resist the action and we will have the tendency to get distracted. Therefore, quick reads are the best way to finish books and lend you a sense of accomplishment. 

2. Take advantage of audiobooks and ebooks. 

Audiobooks read much faster and with both these methods of reading, you don’t have to have the hassle of carrying around a physical book. The San Jose Public Library has a great selection of ebooks and audiobooks and the Libby App allows you to check out high-quality audiobooks! 

3. Read whenever you have some free time. 

Whether I am waiting in line in the Student Union or have a few minutes before my next class, I pull out my phone and headphones and start listening to my book!

Reading builds empathy, allows for escape and is overall a great hobby to have. If you just endeavor to finish one book every 4 months then that is a great start! Tell us what books you are making time for @HerCampuSJSU. 

• books
• fiction books
• reading
• selfcare
• youngadultfiction