It’s understandable not to enjoy reading when every book a student has picked up has been tied to their education. Throughout elementary, middle and high school, students are told to pick up a book and read. Often, being told to do something can be discouraging, as though it’s a task to be completed. This is known as reactance, a resistance to persuasion when an individual feels their freedom is threatened. However, the benefits of reading are more important.
When watching movies, the audience has the luxury of knowing what every scene and interaction looks like. You also know exactly how each line of dialogue is said. The brain does little work. When reading, however, images are dependent on descriptions and imagination. The story can be imagined however the reader wants. The characters aren’t visually tied to an actor when you’re reading. The fine details are decided by the author, but the overall visuals of the characters are up to the reader’s imagination. Reading is a great way to put the imagination to use. The words describe a picture and the reader forms it in their mind. Through practice, the mind is strengthened. While the benefit of reading is imagination, the benefit of imagination is creativity and innovation. Creativity is beneficial in all aspects of life. From inventing the new best thing to solving an everyday problem, creativity broadens options.
Reading also reduces stress by easing muscle tension and the mind. The research of Dr. David Lewis suggests that reading can be more successful than music at reducing stress. Reading is also a way to escape the real world and focus on an imaginative world. While reading, the reader can completely forget about their stressors, even momentarily. Reading is more stress relieving than watching movies and listening to music primarily because the mind is more involved in the task. The mind cannot wander because it’s busy bringing the words to life.
Reading doesn’t just increase vocabulary and general knowledge. Readers may be better with sympathy and empathy because reading improves the ability to understand beliefs and opinions that aren’t one’s own. This may be because books are written from someone else’s point of view. As readers become familiar with how things are written, their own way of writing may also improve.
It’s safe to assume that when students are told to read, they picture a book from class that they aren’t interested in. Instead, students should look for books and genres that interest them. There’s fantasy, dystopian, thriller, romance, and realistic fiction. Then there are novels, graphic novels, comic books, and e-books. There’s something out there for everyone. Reading may not be fun for everyone, but it’s worth giving it a shot considering the mindful and academic benefits.
