It’s not true that professors like loading you up with busy work such as reading. They’re actually assigning you pages they find necessary to the subject they’re teaching. Perhaps you recently had to scour 70 pages to be caught up by the next discussion post, it’s likely that you hate your book right now, and the act of reading.

Don’t let the endless supply of pages and new information overwhelm you into a frustrated stupor, instead try these tips to avoid a reading rut:

• Read out loud: You can whisper to yourself if you’re in public. Hearing the text may help it click better, and it keeps different parts of your brain engaged during the process.
• Stop and reflect: If you’re at a point in the chapter that’s a bit more complex, then stop and sketch out what you’re reading. Drawing a scenario will help you to remember it better as well.
• Cut up the reading into smaller sections: Let’s say you have 6 chapters to read, chop it up by chapter, or by subject matter. That way you can prioritize the content.
• Discuss the material: You can do this with a family member, friend, or co-worker. Even though they may not know what you’re talking about up front, it will give you a chance to explain what you’re learning, in turn creating more interest to finish what you’ve started reading.
• Make it an event: If you are able to meet up with classmates, set up a virtual or live event to meet in real time and “read” together. You can read the same material and make notes, or read separate chapters and get together in the middle.

With online education reading is an essential part of the process. If reading was fun before you started school, then it should continue to be fun. Try these tips, or add a few of your own. Don’t let reading for class get tedious, develop an engaging system so you don’t slack off on your reading assignments for class.

By: J. Mason

For the bookworms and wordsmiths out there I wanted to share a great site I recently found, www.readprint.com. The purpose of this site is to offer over 8,000 free online versions of books (fiction and non-fiction), essays, plays, poetry, and short stories. So you can read to your heart’s content, without having to go out to the bookstore and buy the book.

Once you get to Read Print you’ll notice 4 major search options to choose from; Online Books, Authors, Quotes, and Volunteer. Online Books will show you the more popular books accessed as well as top authors to narrow down your search. Authors just allows you to search by author. Quotes is a neat section where you can look up famous lines from great writers, and volunteer is all about sharing the word of the great benefits of Read Print to people you know.

Other cool things to consider with this site, they have a reading mode! Though still seemingly in its beta stage of development it does the trick. Once you’ve found the book/novel you want to read you can click on “reading mode” and the rest of the site is blacked out so all you see is the text from what you’re reading. It tries eliminating distractions on what would normally deter you from getting through the first page of words online. 

You don’t have to sign up to take advantage of the perks of reading volumes of great novels for free. This site is very social too; allowing you to share the page or book you’re reading with followers and friends.

- By J. Mason

Being that it’s summertime, I decided it was a great opportunity to talk about books, and the best way to find what you’re looking for.

Something you can bring with you to the beach, camping, or on the deck in your backyard. A companion that can take you from one country to another, or explain the latest in scientific discoveries. Books, and reading, are great to have around and share with friends. If you don’t have a book or two to read this summer, you should.

Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Sometimes finding the right book can be like looking for the perfect bathing suit, it’s nice but doesn’t fit just right. Well I’ve found a solution to help end any tedious beach book search, GoodReads.com. This site finds books for you! Not only that, you can connect with other “friends” on the site that suggest their favorites. Once you sign up you can get e-mail alerts based on your preferences, as well as comments to book reviews you may have posted. It doesn’t stop there…you also have the option to swap books with another member on the site, and you can join reading groups; something to make the reading experience more interactive and not a solo act.

Sign up at goodreads.com today to start your reading journey this summer. There’s a book for everyone out there, you just need the right site to find it.

- J. Mason