Autumn is starting (here in the US, anyway), and kids are heading back to school–does the changing season change your reading habits? Less time? More? Are you just in the mood for different kinds of books than you were over the summer?
Fall is also starting to appear here in Canada (I know, it’s not news, it’s happening in the entire Northern Hemisphere) and I — though not really a kid anymore — have also gone back to school. This has a profound effect on my reading habits, mostly because I have so much time to read!
During the summers, I work full time. I’m at the office for 40 hrs/wk and basically have a 2hr commute every day (round trip). Now that I’m back in school, I only have 14 hours of class per week, and my commute is shortened. That leaves me a lot more time for reading, especially in the gaps between my classes. In the fall/winter/early spring I also have mandatory reading lists, which means that I’m reading those as well as my regular personal reading — more or less doubling my intake.
That’s the only reason my reading changes with the seasons, though — it’s strictly logistical. I don’t expect that my reading will shift with the seasons once I’m done school and working all the time.
How about you?
Wow, that’s a reversal of the usual pattern, isn’t it? Enjoy all those hours of reading!
I started school at age 45, so I understand what you mean.
Janet — I will! Thanks!
Sally — The difference is incredible, isn’t it? I love how much free time I have when I get back in school.
I taught summer session so all I read was Russian literature. Now that I’m busier with more students, I find myself reading more and more variety.
See, it depends what else is going on as well as what I’m reading. I can read some things faster than others – and right now I’m bogged down a bit on a couple of novels and find it easier to turn to dvds vs. reading – but I know this will change, probably tonight after I don’t have any new dvds to watch. Also I’m done writing my dissertation – have I mentioned that I’ve handed in my dissertation?-and so I don’t have to read things about and by Sarah Trimmer so much any longer.