Weisel: Here’s a novel idea: try reading for pleasure over the summer

With the summer sun finally starting to beat down over Oakland, it is time to put down that… With the summer sun finally starting to beat down over Oakland, it is time to put down that school textbook and pick up … another book. Yes, I said it. During all your free time this summer I’m suggesting you take a break from all the reading you do during the academic year and read books for pleasure.

Despite its many benefits, reading for pleasure has become decreasingly popular among young people over the past few decades. According to a study by the National Endowment for the Arts called “To Read or Not To Read,” the percentage of 18 to 24-year-olds who read a book not required for work or school decreased 12 percent between 1992 and 2002. The same study found that in 2006, 15 to 24-year-olds were only reading 7-10 minutes per day. In an equally surprising statistic, only 43 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds were reading literature in 2002 versus 60 percent in 1982.

There is a negative association between reading and boring schoolwork, especially for college students. Now, however, might be the time to increase those pleasure-reading percentages, as there are many benefits to reading casually that should be considered when choosing a summertime hobby.

Here are a few of those reasons:

1. Knowledge

Let’s be real here, we would not be required to read so much in school if we didn’t learn anything from it. Educational books can provide information on any subject we’re interested in to broaden our knowledge about the world. But even fictional books can expand our vocabulary or increase our storytelling skills. An awareness of the more popular works of literature can also deepen our conversational skills and allow us to discuss literary topics at a more educated level.

2. Relaxation and stress relief

During the summer, all we want to do is relax and blow off all the stress that has built up during the semester. What better way to do that than cuddling on a couch with a good book and lounging our days away? Instead of constantly moving around between places and activities, it serves us well to sit for a while and get lost in a book. The simple act of sitting still relaxes our bodies and minds, allowing us to to focus on only one story rather than on a variety of different things.

3. An escape

Along the same lines as relaxation, reading for pleasure can provide an escape from the monotonous stress of everyday life. Fiction books especially can transport their reader into another world, complete with richly colored places and events that are unlike anything we encounter in real life. Fictional worlds allow us to delve into a story for a while without bringing our real stresses and problems with us. Our imaginations grow wider when we allow ourselves to be taken in by a story and closely encounter the characters.

4. Entertainment

Books can offer the same gripping, exciting tales that we find in movies and on TV without the mind-numbing screen. Instead of destroying your eyesight by staring at the TV to get your fill of entertainment, why not pick up a book and save yourself from the physical damage? Reading also keeps your mind active while you’re being entertained rather than letting your mind sit idly while watching TV. Oftentimes, a book will also give a fuller and longer-lasting entertainment experience because there is more room for character development and intricate story lines in the pages of a book than in the limited time span of a movie or TV show.

5. Be part of a larger cultural world

Books connect readers to a larger community of people who have read the same books that they have, especially when the books have had a broad cultural impact. For example, all you have to do is mention Harry Potter in a college classroom and almost every student can launch into a discussion about the books and their childhoods. Even great older novels like “To Kill a Mockingbird” or plays like “Romeo and Juliet” can spark intelligent and intriguing conversation between those who have read them because of their impact on the world. Reading often and reading a variety of different types of literature automatically connects you to a community of like-minded and imaginative people with whom you can make a cultural impact.

Discover for yourself the many more reasons you should pick up a book or two this summer while you’re relaxing between semesters. Since the busy schedules of the academic year may not allow you time to read, take advantage of your free time during the summer and read a book. You’ll come back to school refreshed, renewed and ready to read a whole bunch more.