I prefer a book to my phone most of the time

I’ve only lived twenty-one years on this earth thus far, and I already have an entire backlog of questions that have no answers.

I wanted to introduce all of you to one of my biggest questions thus far, one that I feel is a simple answer, but everyone thinks it’s weird.

Why can’t books be as acceptable as phones?

We’ve all seen the research on the harmfulness of being on your phone all the time, why social media might be hurting society more than helping it, blue light and nearsightedness reports and so on.

We’ve also seen society push reading of real books, expanding our brains and why paper is better than a screen, not just for our eyes, but comprehension, as well.

A study published in a 2018 edition of Educational Research Review found that reading “paper-based reading yields better comprehension outcomes than digital-based reading.” In studying test scores of American students, they found that those who read paper copies of their schoolwork versus digital scored higher.

Wylie Communications also studied the effects of screens on one’s eyesight and discovered that, when we look at screens, we are liable to blink less, thus leading to dryer eyes, and the constant scrolling can harm our reading vision by causing eye strain from jumping around to read scrolling texts. 

Not only this, but the National Library of Medicine has also conducted studies on the relationship between screen time and myopia, otherwise known as nearsightedness.

In the results of fifteen studies, seven of them showed correlation between extensive screen time and myopia diagnosis.

Some of us might remember in elementary or middle school, when reading time was scheduled in certain classes each day, or having “required reading time” for homework every night. Library trips, visits with librarians, lit circles all trying to encourage us to read.

Dolly Parton even gives out free books in the mail each month for children all over the world under the age of five, trying to get kids hooked on reading at a young age.

So tell me why, with all this research and effort, is it acceptable to scroll through my phone while waiting in the return line at Walmart, but I can’t just pull out a book to pass the time?

When someone walks down the street on their phone, we hardly think twice. If I want to read and walk on the treadmill, I get strange looks, despite being in a stationary, safe place. 

Nine times out of ten, I’d rather be reading than doom scrolling.

You never have to refresh the feed, the battery doesn’t drain and the Wifi doesn’t disconnect (no password required).

I was that kid all through middle and high school who had a book in my backpack at all times (sometimes more than one). If I was finished with my work, I would happily read for as long as I could.

Especially when my high school started to crack down on phone use in the classroom during my senior year, my book saved me a lot of boredom.

Even now, you can find me pulling out my latest read in between classes or during my downtime. Home is a fifteen to twenty minute drive from campus, so I mostly find a spot to chill with homework or meet friends during the stretches between class. If there’s nothing going on (or I’m just sick of schoolwork), I’ll be reading.

I don’t see a lot of people reading during random breaks. I get that reading isn’t for everyone, and I get reading on your phone works better for some people, but when it comes down to it, I’ll take my in-the-flesh paper copy of any book.

Reading, according to the Adult Center for Education, helps reduce stress in a way that’s similar to listening to music, is helpful with sleep when incorporated into a nighttime routine and can even help with relationships. Reading fiction has been shown to help improve empathy and understanding what people are thinking or feeling in a given situation.

Pick up a book. Find something you’ll enjoy. Read both nonfiction and fiction. The phone will always be there. 

Let’s make reading a norm.