In the digital age of smartphones, streaming services, and endless online entertainment, fewer college students are picking up full-length books. But here’s a head-scratcher—why are many top students at elite schools finding it hard to read entire books? We’re talking about folks who crushed AP exams and wrote killer essays. Now, they’re struggling to finish novels. What’s going on?
Let’s be real: with everything online, from SparkNotes to ChatGPT, reading full-length books feels unnecessary. Students are skimming articles, summarizing chapters, and relying on quick fixes instead of diving deep into a book. Need to write an essay? Copy, paste, tweak, done. Why dive into a book when a 10-minute podcast will summarize it for you? When students only rely on shortcuts, they miss out on the immersive experience that books provide.
This habit has seeped into academics, too. Instead of wading through a dense textbook or a Shakespeare play, students are Googling the highlights using summaries and podcasts and leaning on AI to spoon-feed them to grasp the basics. Reading a book? That’s starting to sound like an extra burden.
As a result, books – especially ones requiring careful, slow reading, feel out of sync with modern life. “It’s not that they don’t want to do the reading. It’s that they don’t know how. “Rose Horowitch’s article in The Atlantic emphasizes how the shift towards digital mediums and shorter texts has impacted student’s ability to engage deeply with traditional reading materials. Click here for the full article.
Burnout and Tech Distractions: The Two-Sided Struggle
College life is buzzing with assignments, social commitments, clubs, internships, exams, and extracurricular activities. Reading for pleasure feels like adding extra pressure to the to-do list. Books require sustained focus, something students increasingly struggle to provide. After busy college hours, would you like to binge a Netflix series or read a 200-page novel? The easy choice isn’t surprising. Let’s not forget the burnout from academic reading. When you’re analyzing dense texts all day, the last thing you want to do is crack open Moby Dick for kicks.
Screens are winning the battle for attention. Technology plays a massive role in reshaping reading habits. Notifications interrupt reading sessions, and the temptation to check social media becomes hard to resist. That kind of distraction makes it tough to really get into a book. Plus, the format of online reading encourages speed over comprehension. Skimming blog posts or scrolling through news feeds trains the brain to grab the gist and move on, making it harder to vibe with complex ideas found in books. Sitting with a novel or a complicated book feels like running a mental marathon we’re not ready for.
It isn’t just a personal struggle; it’s a cultural shift. As students spend less time reading deeply, they may lose critical thinking and reflection skills essential for personal and professional growth. Books force us to slow down, process, and analyze—skills that can’t be replaced by speed reading or skimming. Without these abilities, students risk losing an edge in both academics and the workplace.
Books help develop empathy, critical thinking, and creativity. When students lose these skills, they risk becoming less adaptable in the workplace and less insightful in their personal lives. By skipping over them, students might shut the door on transformative experiences. The Atlantic article noted, “According to the neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf, so-called deep reading—sustained immersion in a text—stimulates a number of valuable mental habits, including critical thinking and self-reflection, in ways that skimming or reading in short bursts does not.” When students miss out on that, they miss more than just stories; they lose a key part of their education.
Why Reading Feels So Extra
Reading a book feels like a big ask these days. First, it takes time—most students feel like they don’t have it. Between classes, assignments, part-time jobs, and endless notifications, who has hours to sit down with a novel? Second, the culture has shifted. Screens are the MVP of entertainment now, with TikTok, Netflix, and YouTube hogging all the attention. Books? They’re on the bench, collecting dust.
On top of that, life is a pressure cooker. Stress and comparison are everywhere. Social media constantly shows us the best parts of other people’s lives, making us feel like we’re falling short. After a day of juggling responsibilities and trying not to spiral, most people just want to relax. Watching videos feels like an easy escape compared to the effort of reading.
And here’s the kicker—even videos are starting to feel too much. Attention spans are shrinking. People skip 10-minute YouTube clips for bite-sized TikToks. If long videos feel like a drag, how is anyone supposed to spend hours on a book? It’s like asking for a marathon when you’re already winded from a sprint.
But here’s the thing: books are like the mind-expanding tools. They let you see life through someone else’s eyes, unpack big ideas, and just slow down in a world that’s always on 10. Skipping that experience? You’re kind of leaving the good stuff on the table.
Why It Matters in the Classroom
Professors are already noticing the shift. Students struggle to analyze texts or engage in meaningful discussions about literature. You can’t fake deep understanding if you haven’t put in the time. Engaging with books allows students to wrestle with complex ideas, building intellectual growth that cannot be replaced by quick summaries or AI tools. The classroom experience becomes richer when students bring their own interpretations and questions rather than simply ejecting pre-digested information.
It’s not just about passing an English class—it’s about learning to think, argue, and make sense of the world. It isn’t just about reading for pleasure; it affects comprehension and communication skills. How can students articulate complex ideas without grappling with them?
Some educators adapt by assigning shorter texts or breaking readings into manageable chunks. Others integrate group discussions and creative projects to make reading a more interactive and engaging process. Encouraging students to connect themes in literature to real-world issues or their personal experiences can also make the material feel more relevant. But even with these efforts, it’s clear that fostering a love of books requires more than tweaking syllabi.
The article from The Atlantic wraps up with the powerful statement, “To understand the human condition and to appreciate humankind’s greatest achievements, you still need to read The Iliad—all of it.” It highlights the enduring value of engaging deeply with classic literature to understand its timeless insights into humanity.
Can We Bring Back Books Reading Culture?
We can’t just wave a wand and make everyone love books again, but there’s hope for reconnecting students with books. To make reading appealing again, schools and colleges can set up cozy, distraction-free spaces and organize events like book clubs or casual reading circles. This creates a sense of community around reading, making it less intimidating.
Colleges can encourage book culture by offering more relaxed, discussion-based courses. Professors could assign fewer but more meaningful texts, letting students dive in without feeling overwhelmed. Quality over quantity, right? The idea is to give students the space to really get into a book without feeling like it’s just another box to check. And maybe students themselves need to treat reading like self-care—something to enjoy, not just a chore.
For students, starting with smaller goals is key. Try reading a few pages a day or a book in a genre you love. It doesn’t have to be heavy literature; even a gripping modern novel can reignite the joy of reading! And let’s be real—students need to meet them halfway. Start small. Pick a book in a genre you actually like. Love sci-fi? Dive into that. Can’t get enough true crime? Go for it. You don’t have to start with War and Peace. Find something that hooks you, and the rest will follow.
Final Thoughts
Books are not just a collection of papers and words; they are the entrance to a world beyond your thinking. It paves the way for wrapping around different perspectives, opinions, and ideas and helps us look at life through different lenses. What if taking an hour away from your screen could spark something new?
It’s easy to let our focus drift, but taking a moment to slow down and read can offer freshness and clarity. You might just rekindle your love for reading.
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