I must have been four or five when I fell in love with reading.
Since then, I read everywhere, from bus rides to recess, even in my bed when I was supposed to be sleeping, my wide eyes, engrossed by the world of fiction, illuminated by the dim glow of my night light. I loved reading about the various worlds and experiences that books explored, and in my head, I was a part of my favorite books. Even now, I treasure the times when I can curl up with a book before bed for fun.
However, this is not the case for many high school students around the nation. As the modern technology era began to take shape, many teenagers traded books for cell phones, opting to scroll on social media instead of reading. Approximately 40 percent of students across the nation cannot read at a basic level, according to the National Literacy Institute.
According to Steven Minz, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, the greatest cause of our decreased reading rate is distractibility. The rise of short-form content has taken a toll on our attention spans, which has decreased from 12 seconds to 8 seconds since 2000, according to a study by Microsoft.
It’s easy to be distracted by the constant activity of the online world, but it can be helpful to your physical and mental health to read.
Reading has been proven to increase your focus, attention span, concentration, and to improve memory, according to Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience. Also, it comes in many different forms and is very accessible. With electronic books and audiobooks as an alternative to paper books, there are so many ways to start reading.
If reading a book seems daunting, it can be easy to pick up any piece of printed material. Whether it is a car repair manual or a memoir of your favorite celebrity, any type of reading will allow you to disconnect from the Internet and increase your focus.
South’s library is also a great resource to find information and books. With your student ID, you can check out any book you want from the library, and it also provides access to many online resources, such as The New York Times.
So, if you are ever looking for an escape from the digital world, try reading, because it can benefit your attention span, reading comprehension, and more.