If you’re like me as soon as you went to college, you dropped some of your side hobbies. Mine was reading. In high school and middle school I was the cliche bookworm. At some point, I used to read 3 or 4 books a week. Obviously reading 4 books a week while in college seems a little unreachable if you still want to have a social life and keep up with your classes.

One of my new years resolutions was to read more books and slowly I’ve found some tips and tricks that work best for me and maybe they will work for you too!

Decide To Read More Books

This step seems obvious but it’s an important step. Before you take action on anything, you have to set a goal. Don’t waste time wishing you could read more. Set yourself realistic goals that suit your lifestyle. Want to read one a month? That’s perfect! Maybe you want to read 50 in one year. That’s ok too.

Make a “TBR”

In the reading world “TBR” stands for “To Be Read” and it’s basically just a list of already published or unpublished books you want to read. Don’t overflow your list though. Looking at an endless list of books is discouraging and intimidating. Ask friends for recommendation, find an author you really like, or a longer series you can start so you know where to go from there.

Keep A Pile Of Books To Read

Physically or electronically, it’s always a good idea to have a book readily available to you. If you have the book in your sight and not tucked away you are more likely to pick it up instead of turning on the TV. Having electronic books is great too! It gives you something to read while on the bus or waiting for your class to start.

Set Aside Time To Read

Like I said, finding any free time in college is hard. It’s even harder when you want to dedicate that time to reading. It’s easier to find time that you know you already aren’t doing anything. Try and stay away from lunch or dinner times because you might be busy then. Try reading instead of scrolling on TikTok before you go to bed or listening to an audiobook while commuting.

Keep Track

This tip is optional but it definitely is the most satisfying. Seeing the list get longer and adding to it after you finish a book is so satisfying.

Goodreads is the most popular way to do this among readers. It lets you set goals, curate a “To Be Read” list and recommends you books based off what you’ve already read. You can also add your friends to see what they are reading so it’s also a great motivation tool.

Make it Easy

Most of the time, we feel that leaving a book unfinished is a personal failure and have trouble starting new books when we haven’t finished the previous one. Let me give you permission. If you don’t like the book, stop reading it. Don’t torture yourself with reading something you hate. Put it down and go find one you love!

Here’s another way to make reading easier: change your idea of what a “real” book is. There are not-so-nice readers out there that chastise people who only read young adult or graphic novels but who cares! If they sell it in a book store I think it counts. You don’t have to read all the classics and love them to be a “real reader” because honestly, there’s no such thing.

Just Start

Grab a book and finish the first page. Then finish the second. Then the third. Eventually, you will have finished the book. Go grab that book your friend is constantly recommending you read or one that you’ve had your eye on.

Just start one book.

And try to finish it.