Summer is coming to a quick end with the return of classes, but that doesn’t mean University of Maryland students need to quit one of the most rewarding leisure activities: reading.
One of the best parts of summer break, besides the warm temperatures, is the free time. Three months with zero class often allows students to reclaim reading as a leisure activity, rather than a class requirement.
It can be difficult for students to maintain their hobbies such as reading at the start of a new semester, and busy schedules can often make it impossible to pick up a new book. Here are some ways students can best incorporate reading into their schedules during the school year and save books from being a forgotten relic of summer break.
The first thing to keep in mind is that quantity is objective. One can read 10, 100, or even just one page per day and still make the most of their time. One of the most creative ways students incorporate reading into their routines is by bringing a book to the gym.
Senior policy and statistics major Rebecca Navarro often reads on the treadmill when she doesn’t feel like working out to music. When she wants a quick walk after a workout, it’s “pretty easy” for Navarro to open the Kindle app and dive into her current read.
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“It’s a nice way to pass the time,” Navarro said. “No injuries, no problem, no complications.”
As a frequent gym-goer myself, I often see people reading on the treadmills, bikes and StairMaster. Reading on the treadmill can be both easy and entertaining.
Audiobooks are a great way to multitask while reading and allow people to finally finish those books they’ve been dying to read. Throw on some headphones and listen while walking to class, cooking dinner, or even at night while trying to fall asleep.
Another essential step in personal reading is to pick the right novel. Finding the right genre that interests you is an important step toward actually enjoying a book.
“Whatever you’re reading needs to be like catnip,” said Ross Angelella, a senior lecturer in this university’s English department and director of the Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House. “It needs to be something that makes your brain just wild that you can’t wait to get back to it.”
Entertaining genres to read in the fall include thrillers and dramas. Those books tend to be shorter, which allows readers to quickly get invested in the plot and stay invested in the story. One thriller that has gotten a lot of attention on TikTok is “The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden, a fast-paced story of how a mistreated housekeeper protects herself against the twisted family she works for.
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Sometimes, it’s easier and more practical to dive into shorter novels. Abby Jablonski, a junior journalism and public policy major, highly recommends “Normal People” by Sally Rooney, which she said does a great and realistic job at talking about relationships. The book is a quick read, but one Jablonski really enjoys.
Angelella recommends graphic novels, short stories, and comedies because they’re light and simple. He makes sure to save heavier reading material for when he has more time to spare.
“I’m going to choose things to read that are low stakes,” Angelella noted. “I’m not trying to read ‘War and Peace’ in a month.”
While school will keep students busy this semester, everyone can find time to settle into the season, cozy up on the couch and add some new or old books to their reading lists.
