My Early Years.
I used to hate reading! When I was younger, just the thought of reading could single-handedly bring me to tears. I remember reading a paragraph and then having to read the paragraph over again because I just forgot what I read. I just didn’t get why people read books for fun. It’s words on paper, nothing exciting. When I used to take those silly but fun quizzes, I would always choose to watch a movie rather than read a book. Also, when I was younger, I struggled with dyslexia, so reading and writing were difficult for me to enjoy since it was challenging. I used to get anxious when I would have to read in front of the class because I was terrified of skipping words or, worse, seeing a W instead of an M. I was told to keep reading and that, eventually, I would get better. But, of course, reading started to feel more like a chore than a hobby. Fast forward to several years later, I am now the woman the little me didn’t understand. I now read a new book every month and really enjoy it. If we were to take that quiz over again, I would choose to read a book over to watch a movie. I know you are probably wondering, “Carmen, how in the world did you go from hating reading to loving reading”?
What Changed?
Well, It’s not something most people would assume, like audiobooks or social influence, because those definitely didn’t work on me at all. The real reason I got into books was because of my impatience. Yup, my lack of ability to wait for another season of my favorite show.
Let’s go back again a few years; I started watching anime, more specifically, Attack on Titan. It was such a great show I ended up binging the first two seasons, and the last episode was a major cliffhanger. It was so intense I just had to find out what happened next. If you know anything about anime, the next season could take a decade to even start production, and I was not waiting. Attack on Titan anime was made from its manga that already had the full story. So I found it and read it ALL. I basically read two whole books, and I did it easily. After that, I would read the manga every time I watched an anime. Eventually, I began reading the manga before watching the anime and then transitioned to solely reading the manga and webtoons. I started to get into a flow of reading where visual stimulation was no longer necessary. I was able to imagine and visualize what I was reading.
When It Clicked!
Then I read the first book I personally chose, which had nothing to do with school, The Red Queen. I read the book in a week; I finally came to the realization why people prefer books over movies, because you can make your own movie in your head. A more detailed and in-depth movie with your imagination. When I read books, I get more of an emotional connection to them and have more fulfillment when it’s finished. To me, a movie was a quick trip, but a book is an impeccable journey.
Carmen Watts 
Great read and really inspirational, especially to people who may not enjoy reading which we know there are many people in this category. Keep blogging. Would love to hear more from you.
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