By Marysa Mitrano, CEO
As a child, I never loved reading. It always felt like a chore, something teachers assigned in school that I had to check off my to do list. Reading was also something I struggled with, so it often felt more frustrating than enjoyable.
That all started to change in college when I took a class called From Fiction to Film. The course focused on reading books and comparing them to their movie adaptations. The first book we were assigned was The Hunger Games. I borrowed it from the library and finished it in a single day. I immediately went back for the rest of the series and finished all three books within a week. It was the first time I realized that reading could actually be fun. I loved getting lost in a fictional world, watching characters grow, and experiencing places and stories that were completely different from my own.
Like many readers, my reading journey has had its ups and downs since then. Recently, though, my love of reading has been reignited after starting our Kappa Book Club.
Before this, I had never joined a book club. Honestly, I assumed I would not fit in, or that I would be judged if I did not finish the book. I had built up this idea that everyone would have everything figured out except me.
After starting our own book club, I quickly realized it was exactly what I needed. It has become more than just a way to read more books. It has been another opportunity to connect with sisters, hear different perspectives, and spend time together outside of our usual events. Some of my favorite conversations have happened because of the books we have shared.
The best part of a book club is not finishing every book. It is sharing the experience with people who enjoy reading, too. We choose our books together, talk about what we loved, what we did not love, and enjoy the conversations that come from them. We have even picked a book that just was not for us. Instead of feeling guilty about it, we laughed, agreed it was not our favorite, and moved on to the next one.
That experience reminded me that reading does not have to be about checking another box. It can simply be about enjoying a good story, discovering something new, and connecting with others who share the same hobby.
If you are someone like me who loves to read but has found yourself in a reading slump, consider joining a book club or even starting one yourself. It does not have to be a large group. It can be a few friends meeting once a month or sisters who are looking for another way to spend time together.
There are so many different kinds of book clubs out there, and one of them might be exactly what you are looking for. Do not let the fear of not fitting in or not finishing every book keep you from trying something new. You might discover your next favorite book, but more importantly, you might find a community that reminds you why you fell in love with reading in the first place.
