University is all about reading. Many students will spend most of their degree deep in a textbook or agonising over an analysis of a piece of literature. Yet sometimes reading books can be a wonderful and healthy escape from the stress of everyday life, especially for students.
Getting lost in a good book truly is the ultimate form of relaxation. Reading not only allows you to escape from reality for a few minutes, but it can also give us a much-needed break from constant screen time too.
In this piece, students from INTI International College Penang share and talk about their reading life experiences.
Shay Naser, a student from Iraq, is currently reading An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green.
A time to relax
Shay Naser, an international student from Iraq who is pursuing the Bachelor of Mass Communication programme, remembered receiving a pile of books from her best friend when she was moving away to another school.
“As a kid, I never thought of reading as a hobby. I expected reading to be tedious and homework-like, yet one book captured my interest and kicked off my reading odyssey. It was a kid-friendly horror book with a plot that reminded me a lot of the movie Jumanji.
“Since then, I have enjoyed getting lost in a book! It was a whole new world to me that I never anticipated enjoying. It was the best escape. Reading has the advantage of making me less interested in checking my phone. It is like the book has cast a spell on me. It stimulates my mind, forces me to imagine and trigger my creativity,” she said.
According to Shay, she also started enjoying books when she volunteered at a Language Centre as a teenager. She said the kids there were so engrossed in the books available in the waiting area that they were completely unaware that their parents had arrived to pick them up.
As a massive fan of classical novels and psychological thrillers, she admitted that the pandemic got her to read more. “I would just pick up a book anytime I feel like reading and not confine myself to time. I usually read before going to bed. Reading a book is like giving my brain a big hug, allowing it to unwind and focus on something less stressful,” she said, adding that her favourite romance novel is Pride and Prejudice.
Despite living in a digital age, Shay revealed that reading has developed her comprehension. She said she hoped to start a book club at INTI to encourage more students to pick up the habit.
Tan Yuan Hong’s current read is The New Art of Negotiating by Gerard I. Nierenberg and Henry H. Calero.
Changing life perspectives
Meanwhile, Tan Yuan Hong, a local student in the Bachelor of Event Management and Marketing programme, which is run in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire, UK, recalled the first book he read was Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad, which shaped his views on money and investing.
Yuan Hong prefers self-help books, particularly those by Simon Sinek, his favourite author. He finds them relevant to his life, which keeps him interested and involved in the subject. He said, “Start With Why by Simon Sinek has to be my all-time favourite book. It urges people, especially marketers, to ask important questions. Not only are these techniques relevant in the marketing field, but it can also be applied to other areas too.”
He added that the book also changed his life and shifted his perspectives on many things, prompting him to think about why he did certain things, instead of blindly following instinct. “In a way, it helped me find purpose in every action, making every step count,” said Yuan Hong.
In Yuan Hong’s opinion, reading is essential for young people as it provides a variety of viewpoints, encourages readers to question their previous ideas, and brings in new knowledge.
“Knowledge is one of the most valuable assets a human can own. Even if Artificial Intelligence can make machines have all the information in the world, it takes a real human with insight to form an opinion,” he opined.
Though his reading habits have changed since attending college, Yuan Hong still makes time to read for at least one hour a day. He will usually read upon waking up so that he won’t have any excuses to avoid reading when the assignments pile up.
Osmund Chua Chou Leong, a final year local student studying Event Management and Marketing, encourages the spread of the reading habit among university students.
A generation of page-turners
Osmund Chua Chou Leong, a local final year student pursuing the Bachelor of Event Management and Marketing programme, revealed that his first book was the nostalgic and famous best-selling Thea Stilton and Geronimo Stilton series, which sparked a love for reading in him.
His interest in humour, psychology, adventures, spirituals, and travel literature books has been much influenced by his family since he was a kid.
“Looking back at my childhood, my parents often bought me books, especially those Disney series book sets. I think families have a fundamental role in cultivating the reading habit in every child before putting all responsibility on schools,” he said.
Currently reading You Walk, He Leads by Lim Soon Hock, Osmund shared that life is full of unpredictable scenarios that leads to glory or regret. Therefore, it is important to carry values to manoeuvre through life.
When asked whether he preferred actual book or eBooks, Osmund had to admit that eBooks would be his choice due to the little space it took on a bookshelf and weight. “Besides, for someone who enjoys backpacking like me, I like to travel as light as possible while yet fitting all information into my pocket-sized jeans,” he explained.
Osmund, who sees books as an investment for knowledge, also enjoys watching movies and cooking to relax and de-stress, especially in lockdown during the pandemic.
Chloe Tan Yuen Ning encourages university students to be exposed to shorter works of literature as part of their coursework as it will increase their stamina when preparing for longer texts in the future.
Improving emotional intelligence
On another note, Chloe Tan Yuen Ning, who is currently doing her A-Levels, began reading at a young age thanks to her father. “He is an avid reader. He always encourages me to find books that pique my interest and to explore different genres,” she said.
A gripping plot and curiosity to know how the story ends was Chloe’s biggest motivation to read. She could still recall staying up past her bedtime just to find out who the true perpetrator in the Five Find-Outers series was.
Chloe, who would donate her old books to charity in the hopes of introducing more people to the joys of reading, agreed that there are many advantages to reading. Not only has reading helped her improve her language skills, but it has also helped her develop strong analytical skills and the ability to empathise with others. “When reading a story, the reader is forced to decipher another person’s thought process in a critical yet understanding manner,” she explained.
She also stated that if we were ever to stand a chance against technological advancements, we must read as much as possible to obtain as much insight and knowledge as possible. “The digital era has made reading much more accessible – from low-cost eBooks to reasonable audiobooks – making it an ideal moment to learn this skill.”
When asked if a book has ever changed her life, she shared: “The book The Examined Life: How We Lose and Find Ourselves by Stephen Grosz prompted me to be more observant about my emotional fluctuations and provoked me to look inwards to discern my thoughts. It has changed my perspective on vulnerability, encouraging me to be less ashamed of my emotions – no matter how positive or negative.”