The Environmental Effect on Reading

by Raegan Densmore

A goal that I have had for the last couple of years is to read more. While I have picked up more books than I ever have before, it has been because I had to, not because I wanted to. Recently, there has been this strong urge inside of me to finish this book that I started a couple years ago; The Silence of The Lambs by Thomas Harris. I’ve been dying to watch the movie because I have heard that it is spectacular, but I vowed to myself that I would not watch it until I completed the book. And so my mind has been searching for ways to get myself to pick it up and read it, along with my other books that collect dust on my shelf. The key component to these thoughts, I found, is the environment that I am in.

Reference: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/5e/2d/ab/5e2dab6bade4ca886855051e4dcfaf2a.jpg 

Today, I left my dorm an hour and a half early. I made the plan of going to a cafe, not to study this time, but to read this book. And so I did. The cafe I went to was spacious, even if I had gone later in the day, I still most likely would have found space. It was, however, spacious and configured in a way that resembled a hotel lobby. While I did get some reading done, I found myself highly distracted by the many people who would walk right past me, or who would wrap on the door to be let in. I found out once I was inside that this cafe was connected to what I believe might be a residence, hence why some people were able to come through that door no problem. Though I will admit that it was my fault sitting on the “residence” side of the room, I wanted to find a bit more space for myself, which unfortunately I did not really get and felt quite distracted instead.

I remember a time in high school, during the silent reading period of English class, I was reading The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. The class was silent, and all I could hear was the music coming through my headphones. I remember a specific song I was listening to that coincidently fit the vibe of the writing; it was somber, vintage-feeling though it was not, and full of yearning. It was a beautiful experience. Each word engulfed me, as I envisioned all of it with great detail. When the timer went off, I couldn’t bear to put down the book. So now, when I read, I always put on music. 

Most of my reading for school is done in my room. Though, often, I find I have to reread things because my mind didn’t process what I had just read. Reading in my room can be very distracting, my thoughts wander to more enjoyable things to do at the moment, my phone is right beside me, I want to get something to drink, things like that. Because of this, often, I find it more enjoyable and easier to go somewhere else to read. Something that feels aesthetically pleasing, while also pressuring me to actually read. I feel more comfortable lying in bed or sitting at my desk watching Tiktok than at a library or a cafe, and while I have to make my room aesthetically pleasing, there are cafes and libraries that can achieve certain aesthetics that I could never do. 

In my experience, there are definite environmental effects on my reading. I often imagine sitting by a window in a small, vintage cafe, sipping a nice drink while reading a book. I imagine myself listening to certain music that compliments the aesthetic of the cafe, as well as the book in my hands. Thinking about it, maybe that is why I am feeling a strong urge to continue The Silence of The Lambs, as autumn arrives, and Halloween draws near. I find myself drawn to aesthetics, it doesn’t distract me, but instead, allows me to indulge deeply in the words of a book. I understand it, am inspired by it, and am eager to read more.