COLUMN: How to survive all the reading
I know the feeling. You walk into class, look at the syllabus and see the reading schedule and instantly want to walk back out. And, you would if it weren’t for the fact that this is a class you must take to graduate. The panic sets in, and even the crazies like me who love to read are overwhelmed by the work load.
Don’t give up. I promise you it can be manageable. Your attitude is half the battle. It may sound like something your mother would say, but if you go into your reading with a bad attitude, you will hate every minute of it. Just remember how much you like being in college and with a few simple tips even the most reluctant reader can survive.
1. Breathe: I know it may seem like a lot, but just staring at the page hoping those numbers will disappear isn’t going to do anything. I have found the best thing to do in this situation is: just sit down, breathe deeply, and convince myself it really is not that much reading. Grab a paper bag if it helps, just don’t let yourself get too worked up, or you’ll spend the amount of time it takes to read the material complaining about how it is too many pages.
2. Dive in: Talking about how much reading you have to do isn’t going to get it done any faster, so just dive in and commit yourself to getting it done. I also would set aside a longer chunk of time than you think it will take. Its better on the mood to get done earlier than you planned, rather than feeling depressed when you have no time left and 20 pages left to read.
3. Do not get behind: Failing to complete your reading with the attitude that you will make it up later never works, trust me. In three years of college English classes I have learned it is extremely hard to catch up once the pile begins building. As soon as you forget one day, your reading doubles. When you’re an English major like me and 100 pages a night becomes 200, you give up really quick.
4. If you do get behind, catch up: There are a few ways to do this. You can chug a liter of pop and stay up all night reading, although I would make sure you are in an area with a good restroom. Or if you are desperate, I have found a good trick for reading quickly and still understanding the material. Read the first paragraph of the chapter, and from then on read the first and last sentence of every paragraph. Then you can pick and choose to read the sections you don’t understand. That way you still know the general idea of what your teacher wanted you to study, and will do a little better on any surprise quizzes.
5. Highlight: Especially when reading a textbook, it really helps to highlight passages you may think are important. It doesn’t take much time, and you remember the passages better than if you just read right over them. It also helps when it comes time to cram for an exam because the highlighted passages stick out for easy reviewing.
See? Its not as bad as you think it is. Next time you look at your syllabus and begin to hyperventilate, remember to calm down, breathe and just start reading.
— Kellyn Neumann is a senior majoring in English literary studies. She spends every minute possible reading her Kindle. Her favorite books are classics and historical fiction. If you have any book suggestions you want her to read, email her at kellyn.neumann@aggiemail.usu.edu.