Me and Reading

I've been a reader for most of my life. When I was in primary school I had a reputation for being able to blaze through anything and everything I could get my hands on (as long as it was age appropriate); the teachers would always tell me to 'slow down' when it was my turn to read. Something something unstoppable force meets immovable object.
I kept this up until I was 14.

The reason for me dropping reading as a hobby isn't particularly interesting; school just started to get in the way and the realisation that I actually had to sort of do alright in my GCSEs and A-Levels really took any wind out of that particular sail. I never lost my enthusiasm for books though, and English class was my absolute favourite. Me and my friend couldn't get enough of Shakespeare; it was so much fun bouncing quotes back and forth based on theme, characters, or just whatever ones we could remember.
Outside of English class I did still read; a different friend would loan me entire manga series to read over the course of a few months, and let me tell you that was a much needed change of pace. Pictures my friends, pictures! I would also bring in one of my own books to read at break and lunch, although I never got very far since I would be hanging with my mates simultaneously.

My main issue was reading at home. As soon as school ended and I shut the front door I just couldn't seem to do it; it took way too much effort to pick up a physical book. And then of course exams hit and I really had to prioritise doing those over my hobbies. This ultimately meant I managed to read 10 books in 2023 and whopping 5 in 2024 (when I was 16-18). That's 15 books in 2 years. Now to me, that's an absolute boatload of books, but to some I reckon that's absolutely nothing!

Thus I've taken it upon myself to get back into reading by forming an actual habit. Every single morning I allocate one hour to be my reading time. I tend to start reading at 9 and finish at 10!
I have an unwritten stipulation that I read a physical book during this time mostly because I've got an abominable number to get through, although I still allow myself to buy new books. It helps get through a backlog and keeps me off my screen for an extra hour each day!