When every week involves reading lists, deadlines, and academic criticism, is it possible to enjoy reading anymore?
Before arriving at university, picking up a book would often be the first thing I would turn to when relaxing. Now, it’s often the last. This shift in reading which many students face when coming to university is no secret. When confronted with a huge and unknown excess of books and a heavily increased workload, it is undoubtedly hard to take the time to do the things that you love, especially if your pleasure is so intertwined with your work.
For me, a second year history student, I am faced with endless reading lists weekly, which often consumes my everyday life. Whenever I feel as if I have made progress on an assignment or successfully tacked my reading, the list for next week’s reading will appear. The disappointment created which disguises itself in these endless assignments is a newfound phenomenon which didn’t exist in my reality before last year.
This change has come from university altering what reading means to me. Reading before university was associated with relaxation and escapism from reality. Whereas now, this relaxation has been replaced with concentration and critical analysis. High level attention to detail is always necessary with every university assignment. This focused and ‘switched on’ approach to reading makes it difficult to treat reading as the distraction that it previously was. Therefore, after spending all day analysing articles, the concept of opening the novel beside my bed seems to be the least appealing of options.
The changing nature of reading for me alongside the guilt to constantly focus on my assignments are what has weakened the pleasure I have in reading. Yet, I believe there are many options to successfully reignite the pleasure I have recently lost in reading. Most importantly, we must remember the simplicity of reading. Reading doesn’t need to have an educational value or be intellectually challenging. Rather than focusing on what should be read, the books should be focused entirely for us and our own needs. The National Literacy Trust highlights the importance in personal choice. With a 36 per cent decrease in reading for enjoyment since 2005, having the freedom to pick up a book which meets our own personal needs can be the most significant factor in reclaiming reading.
Ultimately, the greatest challenges faced are not finding the time to read but rather the ability to differentiate our personal needs from assignments. Simplicity should be the main priority.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
