The Joy of Reading

Dear fellow college students,

While in college I have learned several things:
1) Wear shower shows
2) Uggs and shorts do not mix well
3) Wendy’s dollar menu is amazing
4) I study so much that I don’t have time to read anything I want to read.

I must admit that I was an avid reader until I got to college. Then text books took over and unfortunately they are not (typically) as enthralling as the things that I prefer to read for pleasure. Because of the intense reading lists that were delivered to me at the beginning of each semester, when I finally had the time to read for pleasure I didn’t do it because I didn’t want to see another word. Textbooks had burned me out on reading.

As a senior in my last semester, I made sure that I would have a pretty easy course load, and I do. I’m taking 9 hours and 3 of those are spent working on my thesis. So in the wake of a “lack” of things to read, I have found something amazing: free time. And with this free time I have begun reading for pleasure again and I’ve been surprised to find exactly how much I’ve missed it. It’s refreshing to to pick up a book and just read it for the hell of it. I don’t have to remember the plot, or the characters, or the theme, or what allegory is being portrayed this time. All I have to do is sit down and read. It’s that simple. 

So the next time you find yourself twiddling your thumbs because you “don’t have anything to do”, do yourself a favor. Instead of sitting on Facebook and actively looking for Bumper Stickers, go to the Fayetteville Public Library and pick up a book. You can thank me later.

Sincerely,
Bethany