This past year, I experienced the longest reading slump of my life. What began as a simple hiatus from books to work on college applications quickly evolved into months without picking up a single book. Free time, once filled up by a good story, eventually turned into hours of mindlessly scrolling on my phone or day-long Netflix sessions. While I am not against a good internet session, I can confidently say that my life lacked something massive that only a good book could fill.
While the solution to a reading slump seems simple enough – just picking up a book – I can attest that that is easier said than done. I found myself attempting to pick up a book but grew bored or uninterested within a few pages countless times. It wasn’t until I intentionally applied a few methods to my life that I was able to escape my slump and relish the joy of reading once again.
Here are three ways I managed to escape my reading slump (and you can too)!
- Set a goal
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If you are unfamiliar with the wonderful website that is Goodreads, I urge you to go take a look. It is an awesome way to find new book suggestions and lets you set personal reading goals for the year. I’m a very competitive person, so this is a great motivation for me to pick up a book.
- Try something short
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This semester, I was in a short story and poetry class and absolutely fell in love with those styles of writing. Through short stories, I rediscovered how satisfying it is to uncover a story and new worlds through reading.
- Reread a favorite
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Before my reading slump, I was an avid reader for my entire life. My favorite book of all time is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, so when I picked this book up again, I devoured it. It reaffirmed in my mind the magic of reading.
Happy reading!