Summer 2024

How And Why You Should Read More

By Victoria Munoz

Have you ever wondered how some people manage to read so many books in a month or even a year? Or why on earth would they want to read so much? Most people think of reading and immediately associate it with school, or think of it as something tedious and boring.  

You might be thinking “Why would I want to read when I can just watch tv.” Well don’t worry I’ve got you covered. First let’s talk about the benefits of reading, and why you should be reading.  Reading is known to reduce stress and help you relax, it’s a great way to wind down before you go to bed. Instead of getting lost in a show, why not get lost in a book!

Everyone knows how important it is to stay healthy with exercise, but keeping your brain healthy is just as important. A great mental exercise is reading. Reading can improve your memorization and concentration. Depending on the books you read, it could also help expand your vocabulary. In turn a more extensive vocabulary could help you improve your writing. The more you read the more writing styles you encounter, for writers it is important to be exposed to as many different writing styles as possible. You can’t improve if you’re not open to new ideas.

I’ve found that reading has also taught me many things from fun facts, to life lessons. So if you're looking to learn something new maybe pick up a book. I’m a firm believer that any genre can teach you something as long as you go into it with an open mind.

Now that we’ve covered why it's important to read, let's talk about how to get into reading. If you're a beginner who hasn't read a book since elementary school, then take a look at your favorite shows or movies. For example if you like thrillers like sharp objects (hulu), then I would suggest reading the books. This goes for any genre. If you like a movie or show then make sure to check if it's a book first.

If you're not all that into shows or movies then I would suggest short stories to get started. This is especially helpful if you have a short attention span. In turn you’ll end up feeling more accomplished. When reading short stories it is also much easier to get exposed to many different writing genres and styles at a much faster pace than if you were reading a novel.

 Some people might have a relatively easy time getting into a book, while others have a hard time getting interested in the plot of a book. So make sure you pick a book that you're actually interested in. You might be compelled to read a book based on a tik tok, or a post you saw, but I wouldn't recommend that unless you have already gotten into the habit of consistently reading everyday.

In order to get into this habit I suggest you start with short stories and slowly work your way up to bigger books. A short book I loved is The Picture Of Dorian Gray, my lovely friend Stone recommends Schoolgirl by Dazai Osamu.

If you struggle with getting into fiction then try out non fiction. Non fiction is great if you want to learn more about a certain topic or if you want to research something specific. If you're looking for something that feels like a story being told, I recommend memoirs. I find whenever I'm reading a memoir it feels like one of my friends telling me a story.

While reading may come easy to some it's important to remember it isn't easy for everyone. 🐾