I used to read like a fiend in elementary school but I gradually drifted from it as high school approached. To be completely honest, I hated the long, boring textbooks. While it is important to at the very least skim through your textbooks, it is infinitely more important to read a book that interests you that is not required to be read for any reason apart from your own personal intrigue. Whether you're in K-12, college, or graduate school, you should try to squeeze in time for a book that interests you because of these 5 reasons!
- Reading will make you smarter! Reading a book that interests you will give you a fresh perspective on the topic and help to not only widen your viewpoint, but further develop your own thoughts on the subject. Even if you think you have a solid understanding of the topic, a good book will shake that foundation and give you a lot more to not only think about, but to apply to your interest or hobby!
- Books contain better information than the internet! Don't get me wrong, I read and enjoy several blogs and news sites, but when it comes to learning about highly specific or detailed aspects about a topic, the internet is often lacking. Online, random people (such as myself) can talk about whatever they like and post it for free with minimal effort (comparatively speaking; books are much harder to publish than a blogger post). Often, the same brief material gets recycled and paraphrased over a variety of websites. Books are long and filled with much more detailed content than say a Wikipedia article.
- Reading gives you a competitive edge! In your education, as well as life, people who read gain knowledge that people who do not read are unlikely to obtain. You can use this knowledge to write a better college application essay, to have interesting things to talk about, to get a better deal on a house or car (the 'Knowledge is Power" cliche is most evident in negotiations), or even to share ideas and concepts with your boss that may help your organization and get you a promotion! That's just a few of nearly infinite possibilities.
- Reading is a productive way to pass time! Ever have those awkward 15 minutes in your day where there's absolutely nothing productive you can do before rushing off to your next class or appointment? That's because you didn't have an interesting book to read! Carry one with you, and when you're riding the bus, waiting for study hall to end, or just plain bored, you'll have a means to productively use time that would have otherwise been wasted.
- It's free! If you don't already have it, go get your library card! Now. Well, at least after you finish reading this. I keep a log of all the books I read and the dates I finish them (it helps to motivate me when having to choose between things like The Colbert Report and Guerrilla Marketing) and looking at that log now, if I had to pay for each book I've read then I would have spent roughly $200 this month on books. Free is my favorite price for education and entertainment, wouldn't you agree?
If you'd like to share any other reasons to read, please do so in the comments!
