The Benefits of Reading
I want to share my thoughts on something truly powerful yet often underestimated: reading. In our fast-paced world dominated by social media, instant messaging, and on-demand entertainment, the simple act of reading might seem outdated to some. This way of thinking is harmful as it minimizes the numerous benefits of reading traditional literature. Reading is a vital part of growing as a person as well as developing critical thinking skills. Reading stimulates your mind and helps you absorb important information faster.
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Engaging with a book stimulates your brain, keeping it active and engaged. Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progression of cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer's. Each time you read, you're giving your brain a workout, which improves your memory, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Reading is a vital part of human wellness that is often overlooked; it is the superpower of any well-educated human being. Many people often forget that reading was often for the rich and powerful until the advent of the printing press in the 15th century. It is only recently that people are able to pick up a book of their choice and read it without fear of reprisal. Students especially should not take the ability to read and write for granted.
Books are more than just ways to enhance your well-being, they are a treasure trove of knowledge. Whether you're reading fiction, non-fiction, or even poetry, every page you turn teaches you something new. Reading broadens your understanding of the world, introduces you to new ideas, and expands your vocabulary. This is especially important for students like us, as it complements our formal education and helps us excel academically. Reading is especially important for increasing comprehension skills and vocabulary, both skills that are exceedingly more important in a growing global world. Reading also helps develop better writing and communication skills, in turn developing better soft skills overall.
The value of reading is significant and just taking a small part of your time in the day to read can benefit you immensely in growing your knowledge base, increasing your health, enhancing your vocabulary, and developing soft skills important for employment. Reading has largely been taken for granted, as reading was highly inaccessible for the average person up until the invention of the printing press. Overall, taking the time to develop your literary skills will in turn develop every other aspect of your life.
As a Western student, or part of our community, the Hay Library provides you several opportunities for free---magazines, books, research papers, and more! Here are just a few resources based on this blog post:
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