Most of us are familiar with “Twilight” by Stephanie Meyer. If not, here is a recap: Edward is a vampire, Bella is a human and they fall in love. It’s not the best piece of fiction out there; it’s tween trash, but I love it.
I have read hundreds of books, some for school and some for fun, but “Twilight” will always have a special place in my heart because it is the book that got me into reading.
There is a stigma that in order to be a “reader” you must be trained in the classics. The stigma comes from those who believe classic literary books are all that counts when defining oneself as a reader. As someone who has spent their entire college career focused on dead white guys like Shakespeare, that’s not true at all and can be incredibly boring.
What teachers don’t tell you is that books like “Twilight”, comic books, graphic novels and others gravely enhance the mind alongside the classics.
Reading takes time, but you should take the time to read because the benefits of reading improves quality of life.
Reading improves mental capabilities, increases vocabulary levels and helps the body and mind relax. These are some reasons why I think people should read a little bit everyday.
Reading books is a downtime that people need to spend more time on. People should read more because the benefits of reading greatly outweigh the only unfavorable thing about reading- it takes time.
From what I have heard, the lack of time is the reason most people don’t read books.
If time is an issue, the easiest way to find time to read is to read before bed.
Not only is this when we have the most down time, but reading before bed helps the mind relax. In an article, Mayo Clinic reported reading before bed helps you relax more than staring at a phone or computer screen.
Whether it’s a couple chapters or just one, reading can significantly boost your mood and help you relax. Students, in particular, should make time for reading because school can be overwhelming and stressful and reading can help.
Sure, we all fall into the trap of playing cell phone games before bed, me included, but that can be stressful, especially if you just lost a game of Mario Kart Tour.
Sussex University researchers conducted a study in 2009 that showed reading may reduce stress by as much as 68%.
When you find the right book and the right genre, reading becomes fun. Find a genre you enjoy and take the time to read it. No matter what you read, reading will enrich your life, mind and body.
Many people say they don’t read or don’t like to read because they haven’t found the right book. Before I read “Twilight” in middle school I hated reading. I would lie to my teachers, read Sparknotes and guess on quizzes. After I read “Twilight”, I never stopped reading and I have a Bachelor’s degree in English literature to prove it. Schools use the same boring dead white guy curriculum it has used since the dawn of time and in order to get students to enjoy reading, schools need to implement a better reading curriculum.
In 2018, the Pew Research Center released a report saying about 24% of American adults say they haven’t read a book in any form in the past year. The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that 32 million adults in the United States are illiterate.
In order to control the literacy crisis, as a society we need to focus more on getting people to read in whatever form they choose and whatever style of book they wish. We also need to rethink the way we teach and incorporate more inclusive books in curriculum and encourage students to read more in their free time which will create better habits for them as adults. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reports that 50% of U.S. adults can’t read a book written at the eighth-grade level.
There are other ways to digest a book other than reading a physical copy which makes it easier to find the time to read. The Pew Research Center reported a decline in how many American adults are reading print books noting that 12% of Americans reported listening to audiobooks.
Audiobooks are extremely beneficial for those who claim they don’t have time to read. The listener’s mind is absorbed in the story with music and voice actors. Easily available to listen to anywhere, listeners can delve into a story no matter where they are.
A regular amount of reading can increases mental capabilities, helps the body and mind relax, intensifies mood and above all creates an environment for the imagination to expand and escape from everyday life. Adults and children need to find time everyday to read whatever they want to enhance their mind and better society as a whole. Now, as Nacho Libre once said, “Go away, read some books.”
