Reader Tips: How to Read More (University Edition)

All of my undergrad textbooks

I read quite a bit despite being horribly busy. Currently I am a full time graduate student, dog mom, have a job (sometimes two), an internship, and even a bit of a social life. Last year I read a total of 71 books. How is that even possible?! If you're at all curious what I read last year, check out my Goodreads page here. Here are a few tips and tricks I've picked up along the way:

Undergrad:

Reading as an undergrad was definitely easier to fit in than it is now, but still took some planning. So here are some things I did:

1. Bring a book with you everywhere. Whenever I would get to class early or would be waiting for my professor to get a presentation together, I would read. If I was waiting on a friend or study group, I would read. Having a book with me made it easier to read during times I would normally just play on my phone or stare off into space.
2. Kindle! Or another e-reader app. I like my kindle because I can pick up books without having to run to the store and I had my books synched across my Kindle, phone, and laptop so I could read wherever I was (like tip #1). Convenience is key.
3. Pick a time to read every day! Making a schedule and planning it out makes reading so much easer and it feels like a priority. For me it was 100 pages every night before going to sleep. It helped me relax and sleep as well as finishing anywhere from 2-3 books a week when combined with tips 1 and 2.
4. Know what you like. Finding a genre or author that you really do enjoy or even a series that you can find yourself invested in will make the whole experience more fun. Don't force something just because you feel like it's what you should be reading. Be honest.
5. Take reading breaks. Whenever I had a lot of assigned readings for my various classes I would set a goal for myself. If I finished two journal articles, I would read a chapter from whatever fun book I was reading. This makes it feel like a treat and you'll enjoy it so much more!

Grad:

Alright, grad school takes a lot more time than undergrad ever did. I am working on papers, lectures,
research, and readings constantly. So in addition to the above tips, here are some that have helped me out recently.

Fun books!

1. Audiobooks. I could not stand audiobooks when I was younger. Now? They let me read so much more than I was able to before. Whenever I am driving back and forth or working out I can get a couple of chapters in without stressing.
2. Material. I love Leo Tolstoy but trying to read his books right now feels like a huge ordeal when I am constantly reading academic texts. So saving my heavier books for school breaks and just focusing on more fun material has really helped me. Cutesy romances or crazy horror novels fly by and feel like a vacation from work.
3. Reading apps/logs. Goodreads helps me keep track of what I am reading and books I want to read in the future.
4. Reading goals. I take part in the Goodreads reading challenge each year. It has been a great motivator to keep me going. While I read 71 books last year, I set this year's goal at 35. It is less stress for me if I hit a slump and even more exciting if I go over my goal.
5. BookTube. Whenever I have a reading slump I run to BookTube. Checking out my favorite reader and their recommendations always helps me find a new read. I started with Polandbananasbooks about three years ago and now I regularly check about fifteen different channels.

Bonus Tips:

So these are not necessary for reading but definitely help.

My fur baby!

1. Friends. I was lucky enough to have a best friend that reads. Talking about books or just hanging out and reading always was a great motivator.
2. SO. Also very lucky to have a boyfriend who loves books as well. When date night includes going to bookstores and reading together, you definitely up your page count.
3. Variety. My TBR pile is ridiculous. While this causes some people stress, I enjoy that I have a wide variety of book genres to choose from. No matter what mood I'm in I can find something to read.
4. Fluffy friends. Reading with my dog is the absolute best and I don't feel guilty for not spending time with her while reading. Plus she's happy to nap. It's really a win-win.

I hope this will be able to help some students out there (or even those not in school any more). Happy reading!