Written by Claire Keenan

Thumbnail Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

The school year is often filled with heavy workloads, busy schedules, and a seemingly insurmountable number of academic papers to read. As a result, it’s easy to get wrapped up in school deadlines and responsibilities and decide that any downtime be dedicated to Netflix or otherwise. However, this article is going to focus on the importance for students to take time for leisure reading, even throughout the school year.

I think most students can relate to the guilt of attempting to read a book for fun and then glancing over at the stack of textbooks and required readings you’ve yet to do for class. However, I want to challenge you to consider leisure reading as a necessary part of your week, one that will help you get through those class readings in the long run. Reading creates better students, better cognition and memory, a better vocabulary, and support neuroplasticity – among many other benefits. Similarly, though it’s tempting to purchase ebooks on your phone, reading a physical book can be a nice change of pace when everything else is on screen. There are many advantages to scheduling time off-screen. Reading a physical book (or an e-reader with no blue light) allows you to ease eye strain, get better sleep – especially when reading before bed, and reaffirm the intentional act of dedicating time to yourself through leisure reading.

We live in a society that operates at an absurdly fast pace, and this speed often translates to difficulty focusing on just one task. Whether you can only watch a movie while also scrolling through Instagram, find yourself online shopping during class, or rarely make it to the end of a TikTok, many of us have become accustomed to never truly completely slowing down and concentrating on one thing at a time. The thought of getting into leisure reading can certainly be daunting, but even just starting with a few minutes every day can quickly lead to increased focus and concentration, which can then become helpful when applied to school and work tasks.

Reading dares you to grow and challenge yourself, and this isn’t just limited to academic articles. Regardless of the genre, if you read with a purpose, connect to the characters, and pause and reflect, there is often more to take away from a book than you might expect. That being said, sometimes all you need is a light summer read for the beach, and those are just as important! You can learn a lot about yourself by being open and willing to explore different writing styles and what characters you connect with. Switching up the style and content of what you read will help reading remain a positive experience and not simply something you dread due to only ever reading for class.

A final argument for incorporating more leisure reading into your schedule is considering the overall mental health benefits. For example, taking a break to dive into a well-written world-building novel or a light, contemporary read can help to reduce stress. Even more so, establishing a routine that includes a few minutes of reading before bed will naturally lead to planning ahead and getting tasks done to make time for reading – just don’t stay up too late in the process! If you’re able to schedule reading time and honour it like any other commitment, it will become routine in no time. Leisure reading also presents a wonderful opportunity to learn more about mental health and practices to find balance within your life. A few to check out are Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski.

So, if you’re looking to get back into reading or wanting to expand your TBR (to be read) list, I’d recommend checking out some local bookstores or libraries! Set a small goal for yourself, be it to read five books in 2021 or just to put time aside at least once a week solely dedicated to reading. There are many apps available if you want to track your habits, such as Bookly or TheStoryGraph if you’re itching for the sense of accomplishment of reaching your goals. You can also keep up with the SMU Journal for local and seasonal recommendations! However, for many, learning how to love reading comes with letting go of expectations, which means letting go of the idea of how much or what you’re supposed to read. Start with a book of poetry, manga, or a short novella, and you might be surprised by how much you enjoy it. Put your phone on airplane mode, set a 10-15-minute timer and just read.

The Importance of Prioritizing Leisure Reading

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