Since the first days of kindergarten, every child learns to read and write. Reading, along with writing and math, is one of the first skills taught to young students. Reading holds an importance in students education because of how much it is utilized in everyday life.  

“Reading is absolutely essential to everyone’s education,” English teacher Kim Adas said. “Reading is a skill that helps people navigate life. People have to be able to read to learn information, to read documents and to understand directions. In addition to reading for practical purposes, reading is a great way to experience the world without having to actually go anywhere.”

Not only does reading help fuel both sides of the brain, it also has numerous health benefits, such as; reducing stress levels by 68 percent along with helping to alleviate depression and anxiety.

“I think people who read have a better sense of organization,” Adas said. “They have acquired a stronger vocabulary and are more patient because it takes time to get information from a novel.”

Reading on a phone, is different from reading a paperback book. On a phone, you’re not engaging in literature, instead you’re reading the news or someone’s comment on a Facebook post. Long amounts of  screen time can also hurt your eyes. IPads, phones, tablets and Kindles are all examples of radiation emitters.

“Anyone can read a novel on the phone, Kindle or IPad, but I find it harder on my eyes and there is something comforting about holding a book in your arms and entering into its world,”  Adas said. “Reading is exciting because I can enter any era in history or any culture in the world and experience a little of what another person’s life is like. This allows me to understand what other people have endured and relate to them.”

Reading can be an experience to gain knowledge, whether the book is fiction or nonfiction. Reading gives an individual a whole new world of views, opinions, ideas and benefits for both sides of your brain.