Reading for fun is an underappreciated hobby. Photo courtesy of pexels.

TESSA HAMILTON | OPINION COLUMNIST | tehamilton@butler.edu 

After growing up reading “Lord of the Flies”, “The Great Gatsby” and “Romeo and Juliet” for high school literature classes, many young students take an aversion to reading any more classics. Even outside of classics; however, college students are reading less than ever before. 

Considering the number of novels coming out each year, the amount of young readers should be growing alongside them, with a book to fit each niche part of a reader’s personality.

So why do college students scorn the idea of reading outside of class?

With more and more screen time taking up the average college student’s day, less time for hobbies presents itself. Phones are glued to our sides constantly, each buzz creating dopamine. However, reading tweets and listening to TikToks doesn’t allow for the same intellectual growth as reading books.

College students are busier than they’ve ever been, with clubs, jobs, classes and homework taking up most of their day. After spending so much time working, students don’t always want to spend their little leisure time reading, opting again for an easier time on their phones.

The constant fidgeting and restlessness of the average young adult does nothing to help the decline in reading at our age. Most young people can’t stand to be bored for more than a few minutes, constantly requiring stimulation. Slowing down and reading a book feels impossible with this mindset.

Mindy Smith, a junior supply chain and economics double major, discussed her affinity for audiobooks for this exact reason.

“I have a hard time sitting and focusing on the page,” Smith said. “I’ll have to reread multiple times to really gather it, where I feel like [with] an audiobook, I can multitask and listen to it.”

Reading so often for class is an additional reason why people may avoid reading for fun. From elementary school through college, required reading can suck the enjoyment out of reading for many young students.

Junior finance major Thomas Niemeyer explained how his dislike for reading stemmed from being required to read when he was younger.

“The majority of books remind me of [literature] class and school and how I was forced to read,” Niemeyer said. “I feel like that took a lot of the enjoyment out of it.”

Despite these issues, reading does seem to be surging on social media. Is reading just trending, or is it actually making a comeback?

Platforms like “BookTok” on TikTok and “Bookstagram” on Instagram can sometimes appear to only share trending books, sponsored posts and random book gadgets. On the other hand, they also show books that users are truly passionate about, interviews with smaller authors and genuine reviews for others to consider when planning to read a book. The rise in platforms like these could just be what brings back reading into pop culture.

Maythazin Minthu, a junior public health and sociology double major, discussed her reading Instagram page. 

“It’s a way for me to talk about my favorite books,” Minthu said. “[I get] to meet friends online that [I] might not otherwise meet in person, post about my favorite books [and] write my reviews.” 

Furthermore, celebrities walk around carrying memoirs and modern classics, being caught by paparazzi while halfway through their reading. Whether or not these books are for display only, could these pictures influence young fans to pick up the same book? 

Intellectualism in culture appears to be making a resurgence in its own way, with millions of people joining Substack, watching video essays and choosing to play brain games every morning on The New York Times app. Using the internet as a tool for sparking our brains instead of the typical “brainrot” could be the way back to hobbies that inspire creativity and intellectualism.

Obviously, reading is good for you. It does more than just expand vocabulary and encourage critical thinking. Studies show reading helps with sleep, decreases loneliness, helps with anxiety and depression and helps prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia, just to name a few benefits. Plus, it’s enjoyable!

“I think [I enjoy] the escapism of it all,” Minthu said. “Just transporting yourself where you can experience new things and learn about whole other worlds and languages…without ever having to leave the spot that you’re sitting in is always fun.”

Reading is seeing a decline when people enter into their teenage and young adult years, but influence online may just be what brings it back. 

“I just think everyone should go pick up a book, whether it’s today or tomorrow,” Minthu said. “It’s always good to find out who you are when it comes to the things you like to read … it’s always good to be a reader.”

Reading is a great way to keep ourselves entertained and cure the twinge of boredom we so often feel during our time on the Internet. Pick up a book today and enter a brand new world!