I have never seen a University student read a book for pleasure. I have also never seen a University student check a book out of a library.
Both of these truths are rather unsettling. There are many students that read for fun and many students that check books out of our libraries, yet I set out to prove a disconcerting point: that not enough University students are reading for pleasure. In fact, a National Endowment for the Arts report stated “nearly half of all Americans ages 18 to 24 read no books for pleasure.” Not a single book.
Although much of the report’s results could be blamed on the introduction of the Internet, social media, and smart-phones, there has also been a lack of effort at colleges to change the current situation. University courses pile on work that don’t allow students much time to read, students would rather do other activities than read, and colleges as well as their libraries show little initiative to encourage reading for pleasure. It’s time to once again encourage college students to reap the benefits of their University resources and read for enjoyment.
Most of the benefits of reading — including increasing reading proficiency, brain development, and overall knowledge — are already well known. Yet, many don’t know that reading novels or poetry can actually reduce stress and improve mood. A study by Mindlab International at Sussex University found that “tested against other forms of relaxation, reading was proved 68% better at reducing stress levels than listening to music…300% better than going for a walk and 700% more than playing video games.”
The National Endowment for the Arts report adds that, regardless of income, lower reading levels correlate with a lower likelihood of an active “civic and cultural life, most notably in volunteerism and voting.” Though this does not necessarily mean that those who read more for pleasure are more active in their community, there is definitely some tangible contribution that reading makes to civic engagement.
Setting empirical research aside, reading also comes with many unquantifiable benefits. A well-written book can capture the imagination. Novels can make you laugh and cry, and they are almost always better than their movie depictions. Although reading novels in class may provide many of these benefits, students may be less committed to these books because they are required to read them. For instance, students may rush through a story to catch up on work; thus, they would not only stress themselves out in the process but also be unable to fully appreciate the novel. Furthermore, students may just not find in-class reading assignments to be as interesting as something they would choose themselves.
Unfortunately, many of the problems start before college. Research released last year by the U.S. Department of Education showed that daily readers drop from 53 percent of 9 years olds down to 19 percent of 17 year olds. The challenge, then, for Universities and college students is to promote reading-for-fun habits that are largely nonexistent. This is a tough task, however, one that may be very rewarding for those students who wish to start reading more.
There must be an attempt at the University to foster a motivation for student reading. This could be as straightforward as certain ENWRs requiring that first-years read a book of their choice throughout the semester. This may defeat the purpose of reading for “fun,” but the incentive has to start somewhere. Another option is increasing literary events, such as author speaker series, and advancing the creation of more reading groups on grounds. This, however, may only attract current reading enthusiasts instead of adding new ones. Nevertheless, it is crucial that the University encourages more students to read outside of their required curricula.
Libraries can also contribute to the cause by serving as more than just a source of student study space and research, as is evident from both a trip to the library as well as a trip to the University library website. With hundreds of novels available to students, even an initiative to create a “top 20 favorite Wahoo books” may result in an increase in student reading interest. The libraries can also encourage more students to check out books, perhaps through a “library introduction” for first-year students on the process and easy accessibility of library resource use.
What many students fail to realize is that reading for fun is not limited to 500-page (or longer) novels. Reading for pleasure can involve short stories, magazines, articles, newspapers and more. Although these sources of reading may not provide as extensive benefits as reading longer books, they serve as an alternative for students that already read hundreds of pages of “non-pleasure” reading and would rather not read even more. Nevertheless, I maintain that if students have the time and patience, they should choose a fiction novel because of its ability to truly engage the imagination and mind.
Books can change people’s lives, yet students go through all of college without realizing the multitude of novels at their disposal. Many students will forever retain a negative view toward reading for pleasure, simply because they were “forced” to read books throughout their educational experience. Therefore, it is the job of the University and libraries to work to change this preconceived notion, and it is the responsibility of students to find that perfect book out there for them.
Jared Fogel is an Opinion Columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at j.fogel@cavalierdaily.com.
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