5 Eye-Opening Reasons Why Reading Could Be the Best Hobby for You in 2024

Explore the best reasons why reading is a remarkable hobby

It’s that time again when many of us gear up for those New Year’s resolutions. You’re probably thinking of the usual stuff, right? Eating healthier, waking up at the crack of dawn, or maybe even trying out veganism. We all know these resolutions often just make brief appearances in our daily routines. Hats off to those who manage to stick with them!👍

I’ll be honest with you – I was usually in the group who set these New Year goals but never really saw them through.

Every year, picking up reading as a hobby was on my list. But for some reason, it just didn’t stick. Maybe I threw in the towel too early.

But here’s the good news – those days of struggle? They’re a thing of the past.

Now, reading is not just a hobby for me; it’s my absolute favorite!

Let me be clear, though. It didn’t start off all rosy. A hobby should be something you enjoy, right? But at first, for someone like me who’d rather spend hours in a fashion store than a bookstore, it felt more like a task.

However, despite all the difficulties, I fell in love with reading in the process.

I was able to read 100 books a year!

More than the number of books, I am proud of my reading habit!

Compared to those times when I read nothing but magazines and newspaper gossip, I truly observe this as a massive achievement.

So if I can do that, anybody can!

That’s why in today’s post, I am going to talk to YOU about the reasons why reading vould be the best hobby for you in 2024

So, are you ready to become a bookworm this year?

5 Reasons Why Reading is the Best Hobby For You

1. Reading costs almost nothing.

Reading is cheap. OK, let me explain! I am not talking about “buying books”. It’s a lot of money. But how about borrowing books from your nearest library?  

Do you know how much my yearly library membership costs in Belgium? 6 euro!!! That’s like 0.50 cents per month.

What?? Drinking water here costs 0.67 cents per liter.

The best part about the membership is that members may take up to 15 books at a time!

So isn’t this the cheapest thing in the world?

I am pretty sure that other countries will have similar price ranges.

So which concludes the first reason. #1 Cheap!

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2 . You Will Meet a lot of People on Your Reading Couch!

Living in a foreign country is difficult at first for everyone, and my case was no different!I rarely went out alone and had no friends.

I felt depressed about not having anyone to discuss the movies I watched or the new cuisines I tried. So, what did I do?

I read.

Most of the time, reading helped me immensely. When you read, you meet so many different characters through books. Characters who entertain you, influence you, or even make you sad. Once you read a lot, it feels almost like you meet them in person.

Let me list a few of my favorite characters for you.

Little Matilda will amaze you. Her sheer intelligence is extraordinary. You would definitely like to have a child just like her.

Who was the most curious person you have ever seen? For me, it’s Peter Rabbit. I am sure you would find him naughty at times, actually most of the time.

The lovely Anne Shirley was the one who helped me build up my imagination. She taught me how to enjoy mundane tasks through sheer imagination! Imagine everything as you want it to be, and you will be surprised at how amusing you find it!

The list goes on.Thus, the conclusion: #2 meeting new people

3. Reading Can Help You Travel The World.

I am someone who enjoys learning about people and their cultures, but I can’t always afford to travel. That’s how I discovered that if you take up reading as a hobby, you don’t have to always travel physically.

Reading a book means going on an adventure, just like a hobbit.

You can travel anywhere you wish, just remember to choose the right book.

Books are also a great way to travel back in time. Start reading a Historical Fiction to find out what I mean!

The fun part of reading is that it gives you freedom to choose books set in different parts of the world and even different times in history.

Books such as “A Thousand splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini” by Khaled Hosseini and “Agnes Grey” by Anne Bronte are great examples. These books tell stories of people from two different continents and from a completely different era.

In “A Thousand splendid suns“, Hosseini narrates the breathtaking story of Mariam in Afghanistan, whereas, in “Agnes Grey”, Anne Bronte narrates the life of an impoverished governess, Agnes.

Another book I love a lot is “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi. The story follows two families from Ghana for two centuries!!

In conclusion, books take you on a journey.# 3 Travel unlimitedly!

Here are a few more book recommendations that can take you to your dream destinations.

Books set in Ireland:

• “Brooklyn” by Colm Tóibín
• “The Spinning Heart” by Donal Ryan
• “Deverill Chronicles by Santa Montefiore
• “P.S.I love you” by Cecelia Ahern

Books set in Italy :

• “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Frances Mayes
• “Midnight in Sicily” by Peter Robb
• “Beautiful Ruins” by Jess Walter
• “The Temptation of Gracie” by Santa Montefiore

Books set in France

• “The Winemaker’s Wife” by Kristin Harmel
• “The Lost Girls of Paris” by Pam Jenoff
• “The Paris Secret” by Natasha Lester
• “Anna and the French Kiss” By Stephanie Perkins

Books set in New York 

• “City of Girls” by Elizabeth Gilbert
• “I Heart New York” by Lindsey Kelk
• “Sex and The City” by Candace Bushnell
• “Sleepless in Manhattan” by Sarah Morgan

Books set in Amsterdam

• “The Miniaturist” by Jessie Burton
• “The House of Dolls” by David Hewson
• “The Words in My Hand” by Guinevere Glasfurd 
• “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank

4. You Might Learn a New Language by Reading Books!

Well, I am not saying reading can make you an expert in a language! But books can help you a lot with your progress in a new language.

Books are great way to improve your vocabulary, grammar, and communication. Eventually, you’ll see a  huge difference in your language level. Here is a helpful post Learning a Language by Reading Books: 5 Super Strategies

I would recommend reading Children’s books for this reason. They are the best way to boost your vocabulary.

That concludes the reason.# 4 free language lessons!

5. Reading Helps You Relax and Feel Better

I absolutely love reading, and it helps me a lot. In 2024, we use phones and computers so much.

Reading is perfect for taking a break from screens. When I read, I don’t think about messages or internet things that can stress me out.

It’s really nice for my eyes to not look at screens, and reading makes me feel peaceful and happy. Books let me visit different places and times, which is really exciting and helps my mind take a break and relax.

Related : Easy Books to read for English language learners. 

Conclusion:

And that’s it! These are the 5 reasons why reading is the best hobby for you to start in 2024.

Related:

20 Exciting New Year’s Resolutions for Avid Bookworms

11 Super Simple Ways to Develop A Reading Habit That Stick

24 Unputdownable Books Guaranteed To Help You Start A Reading Habit