Reading During University

[grace86]

I find it particularly hard to concentrate on longer classics during school terms. I am going to be starting at the university in September and I will be moving to ten week terms instead of the sixteen weeks I have been used to.

While doing classes, I would still like to maintain my reading on the classics. Can you guys recommend some shorter or lighter classics or must reads? What about poetry...I've never really attempted reading poetry during school terms either.

When do you guys find time to read while at university? How do you prioritize? :D

[Virgil]

I'm afraid I almost never had time for personal reading during the school year. Hey I was an engineering major and worked two part time jobs while in school while taking an extra english class per semester for my personal sanity. ;) The extra english class was my fun reading.

Hey, we're still on for Don Quixote for the summer, right?

[xaqxit]

I find it hard to read during terms too. Vonnegut's books are quite short, and I would recommend Mother Night especially. You could also try reading Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 as it's quite short (unlike his other stuff). Then there are always short stories, and I'm sure you can find some thing in that medium that fit your particular tastes.

[grace86]

Virgil...yes we are still on for Don Quixote. I am just about finished with part one so I decided to put it on hold until we start a thread, and also to get Women in Love finished by the end of the month.

You are probably right on reading while in school. My last semester of junior college proved difficult; I didn't read too much besides some comtemporary novels...and Heart of Darkness!

But that is why I was hoping to find something that isn't too heavy to read (Gravity's Rainbow is definitely out of the question!) and that will get my mind off of studies when I stop to read it.

[Derringer]

Hi. I also read a lot during the school year, although I am not an English major and have no aspiration to be a writer. I simply find my novels more entertaining than my homework, so I put aside my homework for reading, and I also read at work. The key is to write about your reading instead of homework. It makes you look smart too(smarter than I am ;) Lit theory can be wildly useful) !
If you are looking for things that are short, but still profound I would recommend:

short stories. lots to choice from. Munro, Hemingway, Kafka.. tons to choice from, don't take too long, but still entertaining.

poetry. Dylan Thomas, Eliot, Leonard Cohen, again lots to choice from -may like it more than u think

for some shorter novels:

The Old Man and the Sea - Hemingway. I find all of his work relatively short and a quick read, but very, very good.
The Great Gatsby F. Scot Fitzgerald
Animal Farm Orwell.
Things Fall Apart

[Virgil]

Actually the guys who have posted here make good points: poetry and short stories may not be too taxing.

[Behemoth]

I'm studying for a literature BA so I have little time for personal reading, although some of my friends managed it during term-time. Often I found that 'secondary reading' was the closest I came to it. I found it difficult to "switch off" and just to enjoy a book for a book's sake whilst studying, but post-exams have entered a reading frenzy! And i'm enjoying it very much ;)

[Annamariah]

Reading novels keeps me sane during school terms... It's deadly if you read only studybooks. :sick:

I guess I read more novels than school books while I was studying for my matriculation examinations this spring, but I managed to do very well in my exams after all :)

[Warm-Blooded]

Actually , I attempted to read some short stories during leisure time in my university which affords students to get long rest time between lectures which may attains 2 hours .

but unfortunately I always feet boring , seeing as I have to leave a lot of lectures

hahhah

[Pelican King]

I can sympathize with your position. Long hours on campus require a healthy diet of leisurely reads. I like to take advantage of the university library and read texts which are difficult to come across. I've found the poetry of the Ancient Greeks and Romans good for healing dull moments, Lucretius is one i currently peruse. Many people often comment that readers should 'go back to the roots' and give them a read, and so far I've found it quite rewarding.

[Brigitte]

I'm starting my freshman year of college (UCSB, whee!) on August 2nd, part of the Freshman Summer Start, and now I'm afraid. No free time to read? What is this madness? I suppose I'm used to it. My AP Eng teacher had us reading 3-4 books at the same time.

I've never read too many short stories, but it sounds like a great idea. :]

[Aiculík]

Not to have time to read a book? Impossible. I'm way too addicted - I wouldn't survive it.

I work and I study but I still got a lot of time to read what I want. But then, I study literature so sometimes (though it does not happen so often as one could think) I read the book for school and for pleasure at the same time. :)

During the term, my week looks like this:
I go to the work, get back at 6 p.m., study till 9 p.m. and read till 10.30-11.p.m.
(Except for Tuesdays and Thurdsdays when I go to the fitness centre directly from the office so I have to study in the evening).
On Saturday I have lessons from the morning till late afternoon. But I have to travel to another town to school and it's one hour trip - and I usually spend that hour on reading.
On Sunday I go out with my friends and just relax - even if I read something, it is something light, easy, funny.

Of course, it's different during the exam period. I still have to go to work, so I spend all my out of office studying. I even quit fitness. But even then I find some time to read, even if it's only twenty minutes per day - e.g. on my way to the office. But in the exam period, it's usually something easy - comics (especially Alan Ford - by Italian author Max Bunker), Harry Potter etc.

[Nossa]

I find time to read..sometimes not always though...I usually go for modern things or small books...I think the best thing is to read for 30 or 45 minutes before you go to bed...cuz you normally won't study at that time..or that's what I do..lol

[bazarov]

Reading during university...Sad part of my life. 4 normal books in last 5 months! Else were some plays and short stories :(
But it's almost over because SUMMER IS STARTING!!:banana: :banana:

[grace86]

Reading during university...Sad part of my life. 4 normal books in last 5 months! Else were some plays and short stories :(
But it's almost over because SUMMER IS STARTING!!:banana: :banana:

Almost done!!! You sound like me. I only got a few small novels done during my last term. Summer is such a relief. Oh, and Don Quixote of course. Virgil, manolia and I are going to start a thread here in July for Don...check in if you like baz!

Brigitte congratulations on UCSB!! I will be going to UCR in the fall. I think there still will be time to get SOME reading in with all that studying, so don't worry too much.

Nossa reading for about half an hour before bed IS how I got my reading in during school. It is a pretty good idea.

Aiculík you are very determined! I'd be bound to mess up on my schedule somewhere!

[liesl]

I've currently finished my 2nd year of an english literature degree. For 2nd year i requested the book lists for my modules and read the large classics over summer, then when the modules began i set myself a target (e.g. 200 pages of Dickens a week) to read before the next seminar. I found it really helped, though i am quite a fast reader anyway (i found i developed the skill during my 1st year :) )

[Bakiryu]

i read A LOT during class, my teachers are amazed I ace ANY of my tests.

[Aiculík]

Aiculík you are very determined! I'd be bound to mess up on my schedule somewhere![/QUOTE]

Yeah, well I have to - I can't afford failing a test as I can't take more than 3 or 4 days off from my work during the term and if one fails, he has one more chance, but only during week days. And loosing my job is not an option.

But not reading is not an option, either. If I only read things for school, I think I'd crack in one month. When I read during evenings, it's... a kind of reward, and also encouragement... a kind of proof that it's still not getting over me. :)

But - I passed my last test today!!! Yaaaaaaaaay! :banana: :banana: :banana: So - libraries and bookstores, beware! Ready or not, here I come! :D

[bazarov]

Almost done!!! You sound like me. I only got a few small novels done during my last term. Summer is such a relief. Oh, and Don Quixote of course. Virgil, manolia and I are going to start a thread here in July for Don...check in if you like baz!




I've read that about year ago. A masterpiece, you've made a great choice. If I will be around in July, I will surely check your ideas; I also had some!

[Brigitte]

Grace Ooh, congrats!! I sort of regret UCSB (what with it being a party school. to me party = yuck.) Haha, UCI would have been my next choice, but ehh I move on with my life. YEYYY for UCR. :] Oh, oh, and back to the main topic: while people party, I'll read. :lol: