About 16 weeks ago, I wrote my first column on making more time to read this semester.
Even before really starting my classes, I knew it would be a tough endeavor to balance with homework, clubs and a social life.
To be honest, it was really hard.
This semester was without a doubt the hardest one in college so far, and more than a few times my looming deadline to finish a book and review it seemed like a chore more than the opportunity to explore new literature.
But hey, thanks to this column, I’m now confident in my ability to start and finish a full-length novel within 48 hours.
Even if I struggled a few times to commit to finishing a book or couldn’t find the right words to describe my thoughts on it, reading and writing about literature this semester was one of the more valuable experiences I have had at IU.
During weeks where I had time to really savor a book, I looked forward to sitting on my couch and shutting out other responsibilities for a few hours.
I didn’t love all the books I read, but there were a few I couldn’t put down and now I have some new authors to explore this summer.
Researching news in the literary industry, something I didn’t spare a second thought toward before this year, ended up educating me on how any type of book can influence our culture.
Writing about the importance of chick lit or religious themes in fiction allowed me an outlet for the thoughts that have been brewing in my head for a while, and in the process, I realized how significant a small decision by an author can be to the reader.
I took time to think about how literature had shaped my childhood and how it still affects me today as an adult, and I realized how necessary it is as a book-lover to reflect on how books can change you.
Most importantly, this column offered me the chance to express my love for books in a new medium and to a new audience.
Telling your dad about how much you love “Bridget Jones’s Diary” doesn’t garner much of a reaction, but telling your friends about your new review of a book adapted into a popular movie does.
Every time someone told me they would look up my column for a book recommendation or requested a summer reading list, I felt how a shared love of books bring people together.
I also looked at other literature more critically in other classes with assigned readings.
Even though I set out with the original goal of making more time to read books not assigned in class, I found myself enjoying them more and consequently able to discuss them on a deeper level.
Now that I’m in the habit of reading about one book every two weeks, I can’t wait to get to summer and read at least one book a week.
Besides, what’s more perfect than laying out in the summer heat with a good book?
rarosens@indiana.edu @rachrosenstock
