It happens to the best of us: One day you’re a middle schooler tearing through a book a day and averaging 10,000 pages per month… the next you’re a college student who’s forgotten what a recreational novel even looks like.
Busy schedules and active social lives often cause reading rates to slow and TBR piles to rise, much to the chagrin of formerly, very active readers. Luckily, there are ways for even the busiest college students to achieve their aspirational reading goals.
The best advice? Be lenient with yourself! You can still be a “reader” even if picking up a book doesn’t always find its way into your daily schedule. Not everyone is reading at the, frankly scary, speed of the average “BookTok-er.” Even reading for 10 minutes is an accomplishment.
In my case, I hit a nasty reading slump when I entered high school—partly because I was trying to elevate my reading and chose to focus on the dense classic A Tale of Two Cities (questionable decision), and partly because my English courses assigned six to seven books per school year… and I made sure to read every word.
Truth be told, I only read a handful of books “for pleasure” in the years encompassing high school and the start of my college journey… and I felt terrible about it. The days where I could read The Selection series in its entirety in one week seemed far behind me. Then, the summer after my sophomore year of college… everything changed.
For starters, I lived in a dorm building full of science interns for about 10 weeks, and man could those kids read. The first week, they set up a de facto library in the common area, and as the weeks went on, it became more and more common for me to join them in the evenings and read. This, and the fact that I was finally choosing books I actually wanted to read, allowed me to rekindle my love for turning the pages on a new story.
In the past couple of years, I have managed to sustain this new habit, and I’ve picked up quite a few supporting tricks along the way. Here are six tips to help you get out of your reading slump:
1. Surround Yourself With Readers
This simple act was the catalyst I needed to get out of my reading slump. For me, it happened organically—a matter of finding affordable housing for a summer internship. But, there are easy ways for everyone to find a group of people who will motivate and inspire them to get reading.
Many colleges and local libraries offer a variety of book clubs, which serve as both invigorating social events and great ways to set short-term reading goals. Usually, anyone can show up to these gatherings, and having the club marked on the calendar is sure to add some motivation to finding the time to read during the busy week. It’s easy to start your own book club as well—put up some flyers with your contact information, or do a little promotion on social media. You’d be surprised how many people are looking for a similar community.
For those who maybe aren’t looking to meet people or talk in person, the online book club app Fable is a great way to join a group of readers with similar interests and to contribute to an international book-y conversation. Additionally, some libraries offer a “Silent Book Club,” where participants gather to peacefully read together, without the stress of deadlines and having to contribute to a specific conversation. There are plenty of opportunities out there to find the group that’s right for you!
2. Switch Up Your Genres
I’ve made several reading mistakes throughout the years. For starters, I had a very strict rule for myself to only read one book at a time. Then, I chose difficult books to get through. The perfect recipe for a slump.
Recently, however, I’ve realized that I can read both the science books that have been on my list, and the fun fantasy books, at the same time. As soon as I switched up my genres and allowed myself to bring romance… and dragons back into my life, I’ve been a reading storm. When the history or natural science book gets too overwhelming, I’ll pick up the Throne of Glass series, which then gets me back in the mood to pick up that denser book again. This broadening has allowed me to read more books in total than if I had continued to limit myself.
3. Get a Book Tracking App
To be completely honest, sometimes I carve out time in my day to read simply because I want to increase my completion percentage bar on Goodreads.
Goodreads is a website and app linked to Amazon that allows readers to log, review, and discuss books with an international community. It is definitely the most commonly used book platform and is completely free. I love the features that allow you to track your reading stats over the years, and the “Year in Books” page generated each December is worth it in itself.
Another great tracking app is The StoryGraph, which is known for its high-tech statistical analysis of your reading habits. To see everything, however, you’ll need to purchase the Plus plan. I also use the TBR – Bookshelf app to display all of the books I physically own… in probably the most aesthetic format ever created.
4. Bring Your Book On the Go
Whenever I leave my house or dorm, I have one rule: Bring a book and a jacket. The jacket part is obvious for those who also live with the fickle New England weather… but the book is just as important. It’s crazy how many “down” moments you can find to pull out your book and bang out a couple of pages, whether in a restaurant or waiting for your professor to get to class. Also, as a rule, people reading in public always look hot. Trust me.
5. Discover or Create Themed Reading Playlists
This tip may not be for everyone, but I love listening to music while working or reading. Sometimes, when I don’t have the motivation to pick up the book I am reading, I’ll throw the title into the Spotify search bar and see what comes up. Usually, someone has made an oddly specific playlist that is exactly what I need to pick up the book—like this Six of Crows playlist.
Don’t be afraid to make your own playlists, as well! It’s super fun to pick out songs based on the vibes you’re feeling in the given moment. But be warned: it may make the atmosphere so perfect that you won’t want to put the book down.
6. Reward Yourself!
Everything is easier when there’s a treat at the end! Finishing a book is certainly an accomplishment, and if you choose a specific reward for yourself at the end of your reading goal, you will be that much more motivated to crush those pages. Sometimes, I tell myself that I need to read 20 pages of a more difficult book, but then I can switch to a fun romantasy. Or maybe, at the end of the novel awaits a fancy drink from your favorite café. Make reading fun!
I hope these tips are helpful for unblocking that reading flow and getting you out of a slump of any magnitude. Happy reading!