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March 29, 2024, 11:02:07 am

Author Topic: Has school/uni made casual reading less enjoyable for you?  (Read 4579 times)

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Joseph41

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As the title suggests.

I struggled with this through uni, I think - I was doing so many uni-related readings that I couldn't find as much motivation to pick up a book to read for pure enjoyment. I've been reading more recently, and I honestly don't think it's coincidental that I'm no longer doing uni readings.

Really interested in others' perspectives here, and also strategies you might use to avoid losing the love for reading.

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K888

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Re: Has school/uni made casual reading less enjoyable for you?
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2018, 01:15:56 pm »
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So much. I got the HP boxed set for Christmas and powered through the first 4 and half of the 5th before uni started, and since then I've barely read. I'm not even necessarily doing heaps of readings or whatever for uni, I just almost feel bad I guess if I read for enjoyment, because I could be doing something uni related instead. It's so much easier to procrastinate by watching a TV show or movie instead and I find it doesn't make me feel as guilty, probably because I don't get as involved if I'm watching something, whereas I'll really get into reading a book and I'll get invested in it.

appleandbee

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Re: Has school/uni made casual reading less enjoyable for you?
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2018, 01:38:44 pm »
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With fiction novels (or even creative non-fiction, although still easier and more enjoyable), yes. I'm just unable to focus on actively understanding/forming links and interpretations in storylines and plots because I'm either not in the mindset to do so or don't have the patience. I don't really have issues reading non-fiction stuff on topics that I'm interested in like extracts from Global Health law textbooks, Developmental economics or Neuroscience book (which aren't related to my university studies). I'm find that I'm better at taking in knowledge and information nowadays (which can probably be attributed to studying at university).

For fictional stuff, I really enjoy TV shows (currently binging on Suits, I also enjoy screenwriting and creative non-fiction writing as well) because it takes significantly less effort to make links between events and characters (and I just have better memory when I see things). Because I don't have to do as much active understanding what is happening, I can focus on emotionally responding and relating to the characters (which is what I'm better at doing) as well as interpreting grey areas (I like having to do so a bit but I'm don't enjoy having to do a lot of it in fiction novels) .
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sweetiepi

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Re: Has school/uni made casual reading less enjoyable for you?
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2018, 01:56:15 pm »
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(Excuse my probably imcomprehensible babble- my morning classes drained me out haha)
Honestly, uni/school hasn't deterred me, yet. I can't study all the time without having some downtime as well, and reading has always been my go-to for that.

Sometimes I feel guilty, but then I remember that I need a breather, and I just want to have the thrill of getting absorbed into a good book, in contrast (for me at least) indulging in a movie or TV series is reserved for only if I have absolutely nothing better to do.
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Re: Has school/uni made casual reading less enjoyable for you?
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2018, 02:00:26 pm »
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For me decreased reading has been a function of having competing priorities for time and not knowing when to fit it in

Calebark

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Re: Has school/uni made casual reading less enjoyable for you?
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2018, 02:10:28 pm »
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Reading for school was certainly less enjoyable than casual reading, but it hasn't made casual reading less enjoyable for me. I see them as two completely different things. It's like the difference between passing somebody something by tossing it at them and throwing a baseball during a game.
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cat_m4

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Re: Has school/uni made casual reading less enjoyable for you?
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2018, 03:10:05 pm »
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100% has, I love reading but I struggle to just read a book without it being tiring or a chore now. Some of my favourite books have been ruined by studying them at school.
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Re: Has school/uni made casual reading less enjoyable for you?
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2018, 04:36:22 pm »
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Books that I’ve studied at school I can’t read for pleasure but everything else hasn’t changed. I have to consciously switch between reading for school and reading for pleasure though, otherwise I’ll be halfway through a book and still pondering why the author made the curtains blue in the first chapter...
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Joseph41

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Re: Has school/uni made casual reading less enjoyable for you?
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2018, 04:38:09 pm »
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Books that I’ve studied at school I can’t read for pleasure but everything else hasn’t changed. I have to consciously switch between reading for school and reading for pleasure though, otherwise I’ll be halfway through a book and still pondering why the author made the curtains blue in the first chapter...

I was a bit like this for a while. I first read Animal Farm for school, but I've since re-read it and enjoyed it a lot (I didn't like it much at the time). I reckon temporal distance from school will help with this.

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