By Togzhan Baikenova, Staff Writer
March is National Reading Month, and students are becoming more aware of how their reading habits have changed over the past few years. The consumption of fast-paced digital content has made it harder for many to focus for long periods, but many students are already making a conscious effort to return to books.
Lucia Zevallos, a business administration graduate student, uses reading as a way to disconnect from digital distractions. While she values reading as an escape, she also acknowledges the challenges that come with maintaining focus.
“It’s definitely harder to focus on reading for a long time because I’m so used to consuming fast content on my phone,” Zevallos said.
Despite the shift in attention span, she said reading still helps her relax and improve her concentration.
“Just even sitting down with a book for a little bit is actually relaxing compared to all the scrolling and notifications. It actually helps me focus and put my thoughts together,” Zevallos said.
For many students, scrolling through social media has become the default way to spend free time. The availability of online content makes it easy to access but prevents users from reading books and studying extensive material. According to a report by The Guardian, this “non-linear” style of digital reading is actually training the brain to prioritize speed over the deep processing required for complex prose.
B. Lee Hobbs, associate professor of Literary and Cultural Studies, has noticed this shift firsthand in the classroom.
“In my literature courses, for example, I am seeing a real struggle with reading stamina as many students move away from deep, sustained engagement and toward a fragmented style of skimming,” Hobbs said.
Hobbs attributed the change to constant digital distractions and the growing temptation to let Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools summarize complex works rather than wrestling with the prose directly.
“While these tools offer a quick fix, they often bypass the necessary cognitive friction that is essential for developing true critical insight,” Hobbs explained.
In addition to academic performance, Hobbs emphasized that long-form text develops a “proverbial cognitive muscle” that digital texts are not able to build.
“The brain has to work to follow intricate arguments, to juggle multiple ideas in order to make meaningful connections,” Hobbs noted.
That mental effort, Hobbs argued, extends beyond academic gains; it builds qualities that shape how we understand one another.
“By sticking with a single book for hours, you’re not just learning the plot; you’re practicing the empathy and patience needed to truly understand a world different from your own,” Hobbs said.
Despite the influence of the digital era we live in, students like Zevallos are managing to strike a balance by devoting a few hours a week to a novel.
“I try to read at least one chapter every day as a habit,” Zevallos said.
As National Reading Month concludes, faculty and students agree that in this busy world, the book is a necessary item for achieving focus and self-improvement.
