Many people struggle to get into reading. The idea of opening up a book and actually finishing it can be a daunting task to some, and the thought of reading multiple books for fun may seem unlikely to many people. However, reading can actually be incredibly enjoyable; it may be a hard hobby to pick up, but once you are hooked, it will be a valuable hobby to have.

Growing up, I was someone who read obsessively when I was in elementary school, but the older I got, the less I began to read. What was once my go-to hobby had become something I dreaded.  For years, I struggled to finish class novels, and I no longer read in my personal time, but this year I decided that I wanted to bring back my old hobby.

Many people looking to get into reading may have no idea where to start. With an endless option to choose from, the hardest part of getting into reading is beginning. My recommendation is to start by creating a to be read list. This can be done by looking online or asking friends for recommendations. Make sure to stick to books that actually sound interesting to you because the purpose of reading for fun is to enjoy what you are reading. Personally, I have found that using apps such as Goodreads helps you keep track of your to be read list. Using the sort by rating feature in Goodreads I was able to sort my to be read list to see what had the highest rating, and I used this as my starting point to begin. Even though a higher rating doesn’t necessarily correlate to a better reading experience, it shows the majority of readers enjoyed the book, and this may mean that you will enjoy it as well.

Even if you enjoyed the book you read, keeping the momentum going may be difficult. In order to solve this problem, I recommend setting reading goals for yourself. Good ways to do this may be to set a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly reading goal. A short term reading goal may be best when you first start since a long term reading goal can be overwhelming. Personally, I enjoy tracking the amount of books read using the StoryGraph app since the app can provide additional information based on your reading habits.

According to Analise Hopper (12) “Reading is so fun, and anyone looking to get into reading should definitely try it.” Reading doesn’t need to be the over-analytical task done in class. Reading as a hobby should just be something fun to destress with on your own time.