5 Ways to Read Better

Every night, I get home from school and find myself facing a stack of books. Fifty pages from this course and eighty pages from that course, the amount of reading begins to add up. I get settled into my squishy armchair and put on a record. A steaming cup of hot chocolate on the table beside me completes the ultimate reading set-up. I am five pages in when suddenly I wake-up. Oh no, I’ve fallen asleep and have now lost two hours of valuable reading time. This scene repeated itself many times during my freshman year of college. In order to complete my readings I had to do a little research on the best way to read for my classes.

Reserve reading time!

In order to read well you cannot be distracted by other to-do list items. I am a huge believer in audiobooks at the gym, but it’s hard to truly grasp a reading when you are completing other tasks. So, leave your romance novels for the gym. What I like to do is leave an hour a day blocked out for reading. This hour rarely changes and I know what I have to do during that time. This will help you get into a reading mindset.

Choose your space wisely.

In my earlier scene, I chose a spot that was way too comfortable. The best way to be attentive when reading is to pick a great reading spot. I typically avoid my home at all costs because the allure of my bed is sometimes too strong. I suggest that you take a trip to your favorite coffee shop and choose a great table. My favorite place to read and study is Caribou Coffee. The atmosphere is unique and the treats are delicious!

Get ready to take notes

It may seem like an additional step, and it definitely is, but detailed notes are vital to your ability to recall facts from the text later. I find that color coding is extremely helpful in the note taking process. For example, I highlight things that may be relevant to an essay in blue and items that will be important for tests in yellow. When you color code your texts, writing essays is much easier because you can find quotes much more easily.

Take your time.

I am guilty of skimming assigned readings and hoping that I got the main idea. After many quizzes and tests I have found that this method does not work for me. Patiently engaging with the text can be more rewarding and can help you understand much better. Rushing through a text can cause you to mix a vital detail!

 Find something you enjoy!

Finally, try to find some enjoyment in your reading. I know, this is easier said than done. The truth is that we are all assigned hundreds of pages of reading throughout our lives. If we trudge through these assignments we are really shortchanging ourselves. A book in English class could could be your next favorite novel, but if you rush through, how will you ever know?


These tips were really helpful for me when I was trying to change the way I read. Try out these tips as well as others to find the way that reading works best for you!