In a digital era where students spend most of their time on their phones or with endless to-do lists, reading has almost become a forgotten pastime.
Despite demanding schedules, senior Kate Floberg, senior Stephen McDaniel and junior Victoria Wile have found ways to carve out time to immerse themselves in a good book.
“I enjoy the escapism of reading,” Wile said. “To be able to take in a conscious stream of thoughts from someone else can often be therapeutic.”
For some, reading is a source of pleasure and for others a learning tool. Beyond that, reading can be a path to self-discovery and increase cognitive development and mindfulness.
“It’s my favorite thing to look forward to at night,” Floberg said. “Only counting my three years at Pepperdine, I’ve read 300 books.”
Personal Growth and Self-Discovery
These students said reading has played a pivotal role in their upbringing, serving as a powerful tool for learning and self-discovery. Through the stories they encounter, they have learned to navigate their own identities and understand the world around them.
Floberg said her love for reading came from her parents and sisters. Books have played a very important role in her family’s way of bonding with each other.
“My mom is an English teacher, my dad loves to read and my sisters also do,” Floberg said. “It naturally became integral to our household’s upbringing.”
McDaniel said at a young age, he was able to progress academically and emotionally through what he read. He went on a “reading kick” in middle school.
“When you read about other people’s experiences, it really broadens your perspective on how others think and live,” McDaniel said. “It definitely helped me grow as a person.”
Mia McGee, research and instruction librarian at Pepperdine, said reading pushes children to be curious and discover the world around them.
“It encourages children at a young age to ask questions and be insightful of the unknown,” McGee said.
Floberg said reading gave her the ability to understand people better, not only in books but in her day-to-day life.
“Reading all types of books from such a young age, I think it helped build my empathy,” Floberg said.
Students said reading reflects a willingness to learn from the experiences of others.
Floberg said it wasn’t hard to put herself in other people’s shoes.
“When you learn about someone else, you start understanding yourself more,” Floberg said. “You ask yourself, ‘What would you do in the other person’s scenario?'”
Wile said the beauty of books comes from the diverse narratives that exist.
“For me, it has become a journey of self-discovery,” Wile said. “To know what you like and what you don’t — because when you read, it’s for yourself, not anyone else.”
Stress Reduction and Mental Wellbeing
Reading is often related to academic work, which for most, creates stress. However, according to a National Institute of Health experiment in 2022, recreational reading leads to improvement in mental health.
McGee said for students, reading serves as a break from reality and gives their busy minds a rest.
“It’s a mental break from your reality and [reading] helps to walk away from it,” McGee said. “You come back from it refreshed and with a new perspective.”
Floberg said reading is her way of relaxing after a long day.
“I read before bed every night,” Floberg said. “Sometimes I stay up until 3 a.m. to read, it just relaxes me and takes me somewhere else.”
Students believe recreational reading is a time-consuming but money-saving pastime compared to hobbies that require an abundance of materials.
Escapism is a transformative process that allows the mind to immerse itself in other worlds.
Wile said her favorite genre, horror, might be stressful for most to read, but she enjoys the thrill.
“I get myself worked up on it [reading] but I enjoy the escapism of my reality and in a way relaxes all my senses,” Wile said.
Floberg said reading daily has reduced her anxiety.
“I struggle with anxiety,” Floberg said. “However, I’ve read about characters that have anxiety and it has helped me relate and not feel alone.”
Reading also requires time, determination and a personal commitment to gaining deeper knowledge.
Wile said spending less time on social media and more time reading has improved her mental health and attentiveness.
“If you have time to scroll on your phone, you have time to read,” Wile said. “Since deleting TikTok, I’ve replaced mindless scrolling with reading, and it’s far more rewarding.
McGee said for students who are always on their phone, putting it down might not be as easy.
“After 15 minutes, you will find it a lot easier to concentrate and to read instead of looking at your phone and have the need to see who is messaging you,” McGee said.
Floberg said she believes her attention span became shorter during her “TikTok era.”
“I’ve been reading my whole life and never had an issue with constantly reading,” Floberg said. “Because of TikTok, I’ve had to take ‘read breaks’ more often.”
McDaniel said scrolling through social media has now become muscle memory.
“I find myself just scrolling through social media on my free time,” McDaniel said. “I think reading is a good way to improve my attention span.”
Practical Ways of Incorporating Reading into Daily Life
Students said they recommended various practical ways of incorporating reading into their daily lives.
McGee said everyone can find a book that calls out to them.
“Reading is like music,” McGee said. “Like there is a song for every feeling, there’s a book for every feeling.”
Floberg and McDaniel both said they recommend reading before bed and keeping a routine.
“Before bed is the secret sauce,” Floberg said. “No matter if you have trouble winding down, reading provides exhaustion or sometimes keeps me up for a while.”
McDaniel said he found that reading helps him get a good night’s sleep.
“Reading for at least 15 minutes before bed helps me sleep better,” McDaniel said.
How Technology Can Complement Traditional Reading
Students have found ways to incorporate technology into their reading habits.
Wile recommended the Libby app, a mobile app that provides thousands of audiobooks and ebooks for free.
“The Libby app gives you access to every single audio and ebook you could want,” Wile said.
For both beginner and avid readers, keeping track of reading can feel overwhelming. However, these students discovered that book-tracking apps like Goodreads turn reading into a more rewarding and enjoyable experience.
Floberg said Goodreads has changed her whole reading experience.
“It has changed my life so much I even told my high school teacher about it,” Floberg said. “My favorite thing to do is go to a library, find a book I want to read and go on Goodreads to read the reviews.”
Wile said although a little outdated, she loves the concept of the website.
“I have an addiction to updating my Goodreads after binge-reading,” Wile said. “I feel like it definitely needs updates, but I love the satisfying experience.”
McDaniel said he finds technology very useful to have several books in one place.
In 2007, Amazon created the Kindle, a portable wireless electronic reading device. Its ability to have an entire library of books stored in one place made reading more practical.
“Kindles compliment reading very well these days,” McDaniel said. “For travel, especially in a long flight, it’s super nice having an ebook on a Kindle.”
Wile said her Kindle is her favorite reading accessory.
“Me and my Kindle are inseparable,” Wile said.
Technology has made reading more accessible, allowing stories to enrich lives. From reducing stress to self-discovery, students said books continue to positively impact them.
___________________
Follow Currents Magazine on X: @PeppCurrents and Instagram: @currentsmagazine
Contact Soliel Lara Aponte via email: soliel.lara@pepperdine.edu
