Reading With Our Brains Turned On

If you've found yourself saying, "I used to be a reader, but I don't do it much anymore" or "I loved reading as a kid, but when I became an adult, I kind of stopped," I'm writing this for you.

Actually, I wrote this for us.

I fell in love with stories years before I could read for myself. Watching movies, lounging in front of a show, and being read to were the best parts of little Jade's day. This love is what inspired me to start writing my own stories, but before that, it inspired me to read.

In second grade, my teacher read us Witches by Roald Dahl, so I borrowed Matilda from the school library. I had just been through an intense period of hardship at home, and seeing Matilda as a reflection of myself, I adopted her escape method: books.

From then on, I was always in the middle of a book, and if not, I was preparing to start another. It quickly became more than an escape; it became the lens through which I saw the world.

I learned about history and adventure through Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne, friendship and love through Harry Potter, critical thinking and integrity through Nancy Drew, empathy and violence through Ender's Game, corruption and power through The Hunger Games, and so much more.

By sophomore year of high school, I was reading nearly 75 books a year!

Yet, here I am 5 years later, and I'm barely on track to read 25 books in 2026. . .

Honestly, it's embarrassing. I wouldn't dream of judging another person's reading speed or frequency, but when I compare my present to my past, I'm extremely disappointed.

And I know I'm not alone! If I were, you wouldn't be reading this, so I decided to start this blog: Reading With Our Brains Turned On, to rediscover my love for reading and learning and to help you do the same.

Week to week, I will do research on the subject, test methods of improving the issue, and reflect on the causes behind this issue so you don't have to.

I'm treating this post as a mission statement, so let me sum up:

I struggle to keep reading and learning, despite loving it so deeply in the past. If you do too, we'll rediscover the love we had at first and possibly learn to love reading and learning even more.

Let me know in the comments what you think is the leading cause of this loss of interest in reading that hits so many young adults. I can't wait to hear your theories!