Our Bookworms

Reading has been the lens through which I have discovered and learned about the world around me. Whether it’s long, complex novels or short, academic articles, reading has helped me understand and appreciate the different views and stories within my life. It shows that everyone lives and sees the world in a unique way, and I feel like it’s important to respect these different views of life.

Reading, whether it’s been fictional or non-fictional stories, has always given me a clearer idea of myself and the world. I think the greatest gift a story has is its ability to show readers that they are not alone, whether it be in their curiosities, fears, struggles, or experiences. Reading has always allowed me to briefly escape from any worries or questions I might have, and leave with a better understanding of them. I don’t see myself getting tired of that experience anytime soon.

Reading has created such an impact in my life that I decided to dedicate my studies to literature and how it reflects the world around us. Every book to me is inspiring in some way, and when I read the words of others, I think that this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. I want to write stories that help people either escape the world they’re in or understand the one around them. Reading has helped me find myself again in a time when everything seemed so lost. I want to help show others the power of books because they have helped me when I needed them the most.

I was lucky enough to have great teachers who would motivate their students to read from the time I was in second grade. Since then, I’ve been reading very regularly and have always befriended librarians at my schools, as I loved listening to their recommendations and reading anything they gave me. I’ve carried this love of reading with me throughout my life and still read regularly.

Reading has had an immense impact on my life, from when my father used to read me fairy tales to recentering my life through the novels I read now. Books let me explore without limitation and also give me the knowledge and courage to push past my limits in daily life. I don’t think I would have gotten this far without the influence of reading.

I have been reading my entire life. From checking books out of my school library, to weeknights spent in the public library to spending hours in bookstores, reading on the floor between the shelves, books have been a part of my life since childhood. In high school, I discovered poetry, and in college I got into non-fiction, and now I continue to read in this wide variety of genres.

When I think of how reading impacted my life, I always think of George R. R. Martin’s quote, a ‘reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.’ Reading has allowed me to explore so many places I never would have otherwise, from 1950s New York to Narnia. I could be sitting in a car, classroom, or wherever, open a book, and instantly be transported somewhere else – even another perspective. Reading is the only art form that allows you to step inside someone’s head and truly immerse yourself in their thought process. It has broadened my perspective and helped me understand other people and myself better.

My earliest memories of reading involve fairies and ballerinas painted on large hardcover picture books, Pinkalicious included. I still have many of those children’s books, and my parents still reference them frequently. My father used to read to me every night, so we both learned to love Rebecca’s American Girl Doll books and similar stories for young girls. Overall, what started out as a childhood hobby has become the focal point of my academic and professional goals. I am excited for that to continue.

I have always loved exploring new worlds and cultures through words on a page. Being able to travel to alternate worlds and experience different perspectives has truly shaped my empathy and imagination. Reading has and always will be a guiding force on how I view the world and how I create art myself.

 

As an English major, reading has truly impacted my whole life up until now. Most of my free time is spent reading or writing, many of my friendships began with a shared love of a book, and I hope to be an author one day. However, I think reading has changed me as a person by building my character in even more important ways. More than anything else, reading has taught
me empathy.

Reading has had a huge impact on my life. From a very early age, I was a big reader, and spent almost all of my free time reading as many books as I could. Reading so many books was what inspired me to start telling bedtime stories to my little sister, which in turn was what got me into writing my own stories. It is because of my love for reading that I am an English major now, and it is because of my love for reading that I became interested in creative writing.

I would not be where I am right now, sitting here in the midst of multiple English degrees in college and writing for a number of journalistic publications, without reading. As a kid, I’d call myself the “lean, mean, reading machine” because I’d read so many books. Reading is what drew me to my love of consuming and telling stories, and book series like Rainbow Magic and Thea Stilton inspired me to start writing my own novel in 6th grade. From there, I continued to read and write, eager to learn about writing techniques and immerse myself in magical worlds.

Reading has been a huge part of my life since I was young because both of my parents work in education. I started wanting to read books by myself very quickly because I loved stories that you could just immerse yourself in for hours at a time. Being able to choose from dozens of genres and thousands of books in my local library helped keep my love for reading alive and strong for many years. I especially appreciate reading now because no matter what has happened in my day or how I’m feeling, there’s always a book that I can sit down with and read that will improve my mood.

Being a teacher and huge bookworm, my mom would always read me to sleep as a child. This created a habit that stuck with me into adulthood — reading is an essential part of my daily routine. As early as first grade, it also inspired me to attempt to create my own stories as well. The world of literature opens so many doors, and has ultimately led me to my academic focus and future career path.

Reading has made me the person I am. When I first learned to read, I was instantly hooked. As I grew up, I found support, wisdom, and adventure within the pages of books. Seeing myself within characters in books was a great source of inspiration and comfort for me as I went through middle and high school. Now, as a college student, I can confidently say that my path has been forged by every book I’ve ever read.

Reading has kept my imaginary abilities sharp. It also enhances my analysis skills. Not only that, but reading allows me to escape reality and the stresses of my everyday life. This is crucial as it helps to calm me down by immersing myself in the story and clearing my mind.

Reading has impacted my life in myriad ways. It introduced my love for storytelling and learning and continues to serve as a constant spark of my imagination. Reading has helped me develop my skills as a writer, which is ultimately the career I want to pursue. I would not be in the position I am today if not for the benefits of reading.

Reading has impacted my life in so many ways. It gives me and other readers the chance to escape a little bit. It’s also a way that I have learned I can slow down in the crazy chaos of life. It is my goal to write a personal essay book in the future. It’s my favorite genre. Books have the power to make you feel less alone.

Whether it be exploring a deserted island or traveling through time, there are so many places that a person can be transported to through reading books. Growing up, having the ability to read about these different spaces in the world allowed me to imagine the endless possibilities of what my life can look like and instilled me with the confidence to dream big. I would not be the creative person that I am today if it was not for the endless amounts of stories that I read as a child.

The impact reading literature had on me was developing a love for language and vocabulary, an interest in creative writing, a curiosity about metaphors and archetypes (and how to use them), and intrigue at the many levels of meaning within texts and poetry.