Auburn sophomore Zach Bell said he enjoys a good book, but it’s hard to find time to read for fun in college.
"Your time is spent reading class assignments and studying,” Bell said.
He, like many others, like to read but finds little time to delve into a book that he enjoys. Classes, homework, friends and other everyday activities cut into time that could be spent with a good book, and reading falls to the wayside, he said.
Nonetheless, reading can be a binifical hobby . Reading for fun benefits the reader in ways that few other things do, said Dr. Rajiv Mohabir, assistant professor of creative writing.
The obvious thought here, Mohabir said, is that nonfiction books of course offer benefits to readers. There is much to learn from nonfiction books which are treasure troves of knowledge, he said, but fiction is beneficial too.
“You can still learn a lot from reading fiction,” Mohabir said. “[Many] fiction writers spend a lot of their time researching their topics, the places, and the people from the time they write about.”
Mohabir said from these efforts, readers gain insight into history, different cultures, and different professions that are written about.
“Reading also increases empathy by allowing the reader to literally embody the characters that they are reading about,” Mohabir said. "Being thrust into their viewpoints and reading their thoughts constantly throughout the course of a book really mandates that the reader experiences what the character experiences, and this translates into an increase in real world empathy."
Further books are an extension of an ancient tradition, Mohabir said.
“Telling stories to one another is a primal act," Mohabir said. "It’s how we learn about the world and how we become human beings with common understandings.”
Even books that display deplorable values and viewpoints like misogyny, racism or others can be constructive to the reader, Mohabir said.
“Books containing these ideas can sharpen your critical tools against these jagged boulders,” Mohabir said. “You can learn the strategy of bad and upsetting arguments and learn how to take them down.”
Mohabir said just like anything, there is such thing as too much reading.
"If your reading habits prevent you from taking care of your body then it is probably too much,” Mohabir said.
Regardless of whether there is a point that one can call too much, Mohabir encourages everyone to take time to read for themselves.
“I suggest that everyone read as widely as they can," Mohabir said. "Reading can help your own voice grow.”
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