The Ultimate Guide To Pleasure Reading During College/School/Work

The Ultimate Guide To Pleasure Reading During College/School/Work

I both hate and love this time of the year... You know the time! When back-to-school commercials are constantly playing on the television, stabbing you with the realization that we must go back to school. Reading during the summer is so nice. We have so much time to just lounge around with our noses in a book, but once school or work rolls back around, it's hard to keep up our reading. So, I have complied some of my tips to pleasure reading (that is, reading because you want to read it, not because of school or some other prior commitment) during school or work!

1. Bring your book everywhere. Seriously. Shove it in your purse, book bag, backpack, whatever. You'll never know when the opportunity will arise when you can take out your trusty paperback and just start reading. Maybe there's a long line at the local Starbucks, maybe you got off your shift a couple minutes early, or maybe now you can tackle some pages on the bus instead of paying the Kim Kardashian game (c'mon, I know you play it... and you should be ashamed). 

2. Download e-books. This is particularly useful because you can just pre-load your iPhone/tablet/ect. with whatever books you want, and when you get bored of Snapchatting, you can flip through a book. Do this often enough, and you'll find you're breezing through books. 

3. Stop reading. What? To read more you have to stop reading? Yes. If you aren't enjoying your book (that is meant for pleasure reading), then, dude, stop reading! If you drag yourself through a book and hate it, it'll just become a chore, and that's not what pleasure readings' about. Take a break from a book if it's not doing you any good. 

4. Prioritize. Obviously, you have to do your schoolwork and your actual work. Set aside a time for reading. Even reading during meals could be your reading time. For example, instead of just sipping a cappuccino and eating a cream cheese bagel, you could also be flipping through a book. I personally like reading on the bus to school and before bed.

5. Audiobooks. School and work are tiring. So download a good audiobook, fill up your tub, lean back, and relax. Audiobooks, to me, are like cheating. Someone is reading a book for you! I mean, how great can that be? Especially if it's Stephan Fry or Neil Gaiman that's crooning in your ear. Or, you can plug some earbuds in and tackle some household chores and while you're deep into Coraline or something.

And finally, if all else fails, then just look at yourself in them mirror, take your book of choice, and hurl it at your reflection, all while screaming:

 

Have an awesome school year, and keep reading!