The positive effects of reading have long been known - whether that be for mental health, academics or even life expectancy. Yet the trend of teens losing the reading bug has substantially picked up over recent years, in almost exact parallel to social media usage as it sky rockets amongst the very same age group. But what if the two combined, an Instagram for academia, too good to be true or dangerous territory?
The seemingly ingenious answer lies in a surprisingly old (well, old in the internet world) app.
Good Reads is an online platform, founded in 2006, which allows you to connect with friends over (you guessed it) reading. Make a profile, share your current favourite novels, recommend ones to friends - it's books made social.
I spoke to Hannah Moody, a student at a local London girls school as well as an avid Good Reads user, on her experiences with the website.
'I hate to admit this but it's a source of motivation. Just like I may sometimes catch myself comparing myself to someone on TikTok, I catch myself comparing what I'm reading to what my friends are reading. I guess that sounds awful, but it pushes me academically, and is that really a bad thing?'
The 24/7 monetisation and comparison of our digital age has proven beyond damaging to our generation, but what if we can exploit it for own intellectual gain? An Instagram based on books is surely better than an Instagram based on looks, right?
With the recent easing of lockdown many of our local libraries and independant book shops are reopening. Why not support your local whilst getting in on the Good Reads revival, who knows, it could be the next big thing!
