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When I was around 4 years of age, I started attending preschool. It was around this time that I developed separation anxiety. I had a hard time being away from my mom, even for short periods of time. In order to comfort me, my mom would read to me. This is one of the first books we read when I was going through this period in my life. I remember loving this book and the message behind it. No matter how old I get, my mom will always be there for me, and this book was a constant reminder of that.

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Growing up, I don't really ever remember my parents themselves reading. Neither of them ever really read unless they had to. My first memory of seeing someone else in my family read was when I was around 5 years old. During this time in my life, I slept over at my grandparents’ house a lot. They lived right around the corner from me growing up, so I got to spend lots of time with them. I remember waking up in the mornings and coming downstairs to see my grandparents reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. My grandma would make me my own "coffee" and I would sit down next to her while she pointed out the headings and read small sections of the paper to me. I was so fascinated with the fact that they got a new one everyday!

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My first memory of really learning how to read was in kindergarten. In my kindergarten class, we had computers in the back of the classroom. If we were behaving, we got to have computer time. I remember loving the Dr. Seuss reading program that my teacher had installed. I got to learn how to read basic words, and as I advanced, I was able to read bigger sections of Dr. Seuss's stories. I remember Green Eggs and Ham being one of my favorites to read!

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Once I got a good grasp on the subject of reading, I began to branch out and read a wide variety of things. I remember being extremely fascinated with my parents’ encyclopedia set. It felt like all of the knowledge in the world was right at my fingertips! It was my own version of Google. I loved being able to skip around to topics of interest. These books really expanded my knowledge and instilled in me a love for reading and research.

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Later on in elementary school, I began Accelerated Reading. This entailed taking tests to receive a reading level score. This score then allowed me to pick books that were exactly at or slightly above my current reading level at the time. A part of this program was taking a reading comprehension quiz after finishing a book. I had to pass the quiz in order to get reading credit for that book. I needed a specific amount of credits at the end of each year, so I made sure that I read each book carefully to retain as much important information as possible. Most children my age (at the time in fifth grade) hated AR quizzes. I remember loving them because it forced me to switch up my entire reading approach. I feel it really changed the way I read for the better.

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When I was 12 years old, I got put into the Gifted and Talented English and history classes at my middle school (7th grade). I remember being absolutely terrified about the workload. Growing up, I had always heard that these classes really pushed students hard. My teacher for these classes ended up being nothing short of amazing. We read a lot in these classes, but she made it absolutely exciting, no matter the subject. She always dressed in costume and acted out scenes from the books with us. This dynamic enhanced my reading experience significantly. Reading was no longer exhausting, it was incredibly fun and interactive!

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When I reached my sophomore year of high school, I really started to struggle with anxiety. I felt like there was no way to maneuver out of the negative space I was in, so I started going to therapy. It was in therapy that I had my first experience with self-help books. My therapist had me turn my love of reading into a superpower. I flew through so many books relating to anxiety. I loved that I was able to gain many different educated perspectives on the subject. Reading these books was one of the main ways I was able to pull myself up and out of this period in my life.

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Reading for the Greater Good (18 years old)

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Reading for the Greater Good (18 years old)

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When I turned 18, I made it a priority to stay educated on public policy issues. I just reached voting age, and I knew that if I wanted to vote, I had to make sure I knew exactly what I was voting on and who I was voting for. All my life, I have watched my family vote without reading up on any of the issues. If they didn't understand what they were voting on, they would either skip the question or look up how others in their party were voting on the particular issue. I knew that I wanted to take a different approach. Public policy reading has never been super enjoyable for me, but it is something that will always remain important to me.

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During my junior year of college is when I really had to dive into academic reading. In order to complete my research papers, I had to read many scholarly articles. This was the first time in my life where I felt I really struggled with reading comprehension. The vocabulary in these articles seemed way over my head. I often found myself overwhelmed and frustrated when I had to read. This led to me avoiding reading altogether, even when it was intended for pleasure.

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As of today, I am actively trying to rekindle my love for reading. That is the main reason I am enrolled in this course. I want to learn strategies to overcome my reading-related frustration. I would love to get back to a place where I reach for a book instead of my phone. I miss the joy of being totally immersed in a book, and I am hoping to eventually get back there. I know it will take time and effort, but I am confident that things will change for the better!