182

Day One Hundred and Eighty-Two:  Reading

Jess’s Advice Series #3:  A Novice’s Guide to Efficient Reading

Since I was quite young I have loved reading.  I used to read short reading helpers, short stories, picture books all kinds when I was little to the extent where my parents would no longer send me to my room on time-out’s because I would just go there and read.  What a punishment, eh?  And so I started young, and by the time I was in third grade I wasn’t playing sports at recess but writing and reading.  I was in love with this book on this small pioneer faily (not Laura Ingells, I had already finished Little House on the Prairie by then) and had decided to write my own short story accompanying my reading.  I then started getting interested in anything ancient civilization, and then come fourth grade Harry Potter hit me like a tidal wave and it was all over from there.  By the time I was fourteen I had finished the entire series of HP, Lord of the Rings, an assorted various collection that included the Book Thief and Heir Apparent and was beginning my journey into Stephen King=dom.  At this level I was introduced to classics and read every one available to me, and by ninth grade I had also picked up the “girly summer read” genre, which included things from vacation-aways to Eat Pray Love.  I loved reading like I loved…wel, reading.  It’s hard to compare it to anything else since it was my life for so long.

So when it came time to choose what I wanted to do for university it was a little bit of a no-brainer.  I was already in advanced English, I had the comprehensive and reading time-ability of the same area, and I really did just love to read.  I applied, got in, and now I am embarking on my fourth year in Literature studies  And my advice for you is….to stick with reading for pleasure.

That’s the first part of this advice. Read what you like, don’t read because you have to.   Don’t get me wrong I have liked a third of the books I’ve read in uni so far, but I would have much rathered read the books on my growing to-read list that I cannot get to because I just have no time.  I do have the rest of my life to read, but at the same time that little reading girl inside of me is curled up in a ball as she’s only been given postmodern Canadian riffs or Shakespearean poetry for so long.  Read things that you see in magazines that look good, look it up on the internet ask friends do what you gotta do to find the books that you will enjoy most.  I love to just walk around bookstores until one pops out at me, but whatever you do read what you want to read.  Trust me, reading things that you don’t want to read ruins the art of reading altogether.

My second piece of advice would be to join a book club if you would like the motivation or conversation, but also read for yourself.  Reading the same book as other people is interesting when it comes to talking about idea’s, and sharing notes and having meaningful conversations with people.  I know for a fact that the moment I am graduated I will be joining a book club, because it just gives me a different purpose and people to share my thoughts with.  What I am trying to stress at this point is that reading a book independently is great too. It’s an experience where you are the only one in the world at this moment experiencing the text in the way that you are and that in itself is invigorating.  Trying this out will help you develop your own thoughts, and eventually develop your reading habits to become more flexible with others as you won’t be arguing with anyone, your thoughts are your thoughts and the thing about literature is that you can always be right…  Trust me.

My final piece of advice is to know where and how to read.  Know if it’s right to read on a busy drive to and from work, even though that drive is probably the perfect personal place for you to pull out the audiobook, are you really getting what you need from the text?  Also, focus on your driving for pete’s sake.  Is it only okay to read up at the cottage?  Or does the lunch break at work not count as down time as well?  That four hours of tv a night?  Is that really necessary?  Or could you cut it down to two, and snuggle up on the back porch or in an armchair and read a great novel.  When trying to figureout how to read I would suggest a few things.  Give yourself enough time to read what you want, read for yourself and don’t set unrealistic reading goals, and use reading to your advantage.  It’s a great way to escape a stressful work week or to accompany you on a long journey.

Enjoy reading, it’s there for you to do with it what you will.  It is one of those incredibly personal aspects of life that really is something to cherish, you have the ability to read these words, and with these words you can do what you’d like.  I’m going to go and finish my book now before I embark on a very busy Canada Day.

Take care,

x