Have you ever said the phrase “I should really read more,” or “I wish I read for pleasure outside of class”?
If you’re someone who loves to read but never seems to find the time, reading goals are a great idea. Until you set your mind to it, your desire to read more will never be fulfilled.
Let’s start with the basics—what even are reading goals?
They’re exactly what they sound like! Goals you set that have something to do with your reading habits. These goals can be anything—literally, anything at all. Your reading goal could be to read 30 books in a year, or to try a new genre every month, or to explore the entire body of work of one author. The possibilities are endless.
With such a wide range of options, it may be difficult to know where to start. I’ve been there many times before, so I know that it’s helpful to have some guidelines to follow when you’re trying to get started.
Here are some things to consider when you’re deciding what your goals for the year are going to be:
What’s your timeline? You can make goals for the whole year, for this school term, for a specific month, or any other period of time you like. You just need to pick a timeline so the rest of your parameters can be established.
Something else to consider is your workload. How much time do you honestly think you can devote to reading? Consider your schoolwork, clubs, job, and other commitments that might take up time. It’s best to set a reading goal you can realistically accomplish.
With your timeline and workload in mind, it’s time to pick a number (if that’s something you want to do)! Personally, working towards a specific number helps keep me motivated since it’s something measurable I can use to get a clear sense of how I’m doing.
If you don’t want to choose a number, you can also choose a broader goal without specifics. For example, you could decide you’re going to start a reading journal and write reviews of everything you read for a year.
Basically, what I’m getting at is that while reading goals do benefit from structure and planning, they can be anything at all. Exciting, right? If you’re looking for a way to organize your reading goals and connect with others who are also setting goals for themselves, there are a few great platforms out there for you. Goodreads and StoryGraph are two platforms that allow you to track your reading, leave reviews, and get recommendations for your next read. Check out one of these if you’re looking for a website! Alternatively, you can make your own log on your computer or in a notebook, if you’re looking for something more private.
All that’s left for you to do now is get started. It’s a busy time of year, so I might suggest starting small, but I encourage you all to keep reading for pleasure even as the last few weeks of the term try to drag you down. Reading something fun can give you a much needed break before you go back to writing your final papers or studying for your exams. With all that in mind, happy reading!