How I switched from Tik Tok to Toni Morrison

In 2024, I read 50 books. Fifty books is a lot. I’m not saying you should aim for fifty, but I’m hoping that number gives me some credibility for the advice I’m about to give. You probably think I read a lot because I can read fast. That’s false. I’m not a particularly fast reader, but I spend a lot of time reading. Once you learn how to make time for reading, fifty books become more attainable than you may think.

I frequently hear people talk about how a singular book or author changed their lives, but I want to discuss how the act of reading itself changed mine.

My desire to read more sparked in January of 2023, after I clicked on the scariest statistic iPhones offer: screen time. Despite being in school full-time, working an internship, and having a social life, my screen time averaged six hours daily, and that number didn’t include the screen time for my computer or TV. After unpacking the statistics, it was clear that I was spending most of my phone time on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Although I knew I spent time on those apps, I couldn’t understand how it totaled six hours.

The worst part of this realization was that I frequently justified my screen time as beneficial inspiration. Many know the rollercoaster of emotions you can experience on TikTok’s For You Page. But what I find more frightening is the number of times I’d ‘save’ a video out of genuine thought that I had found helpful information. Whether it was a motivational quote, life hack, or beauty tutorial, I was sure I’d implement those new facts into my life. But in reality, those facts disappeared from my mind almost as quickly as they appeared.

As consumers, we’re convinced that mindless scrolling is somewhat beneficial. I’ve had to re-learn that what’s beneficial should never be mindless.

Many of you are probably like me in that the problem isn’t that you sit on the couch and stare at your phone for six hours straight. The problem is that you turn to your phone every free moment and often do this subconsciously. Your fingers have the passcode and app taps memorized, so you're on Instagram scrolling before you even know it. A year ago, I asked myself, how do I stop?

Now, this is where people mess up. Decreasing phone / social media time is essential, but finding a replacement activity is equally important. Getting off your phone can counterproductively push you into other devices like computers or TVs. You need to find an activity that can replace the phone's weight in your hand and simultaneously stimulate your brain.

For me, the answer is reading. As someone who majored in English in college and recently finished a Master’s Degree in English Literature, reading comes naturally to me. However, any English student will tell you there is a big difference between reading because you have to and reading for fun. In college, I became what you could call a ‘successful reader.’ I learned how to read swiftly and thoroughly. I created a beautiful highlighting, underlining, and bookmarking system to prepare me for two-hour discussions on assigned texts. This kind of reading is critical for classes but exhausting in your free time.

Outside of class, I forgot how to read for pleasure.

If you struggle to open a book or get past the first chapter, the problem is that you’re probably reading the wrong book. It might sound obvious, but the only way to read more is if you’re enjoying what you’re reading. You have to stop buying books that you think you should read. I don’t care if it’s Toni Morrison, Virginia Woolf, or Jane Austen; if you can’t get into it, STOP reading it. I’m serious when I say you can’t appreciate the literary canon until the reading process comes naturally to you.

My advice is to start with a book that requires minimal brain power– yes, girl, get that Rom-Com with a horrible floral cover! The first step is to learn how to get into the habit of reading (and reading past the first page). It may seem silly now, but relearning how to turn the page takes time. If your return to books comes from the desire to be off your phone, it will likely take time to increase your attention span. Unlike TikTok, books don’t have a 2x speed button or flashing lights and colors, and they especially don’t give the plot away in thirty seconds. During my return to reading books for pleasure, it was helpful to start with something simple.

The first book that got me back into reading for pleasure was Crave by Tracy Wolff. This series is as cheesy as it sounds: a world where humans and vampires must coexist at an elite boarding school. It’s a delicious enemies-to-lovers plot line that is equally predictable and engaging. The book is 600 pages, but I finished it in about six days. Now, that is a love for reading!

In moments of free time, I suddenly craved Crave more than Instagram. So, I found that if I was going to replace my screen time with reading, it had to be books that had nothing to do with my course load or work assignments. I needed a distraction that left me giddy and yearning for more.

My switch to reading was intentional, but the transition was more manageable because of the books I selected. I started by reading brain rot rather than watching it.

Only after developing the habit of reading was I able to become more flexible with the books I read. After I finished the Crave series, I decided to try The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Huge jump– I know, but my brain was finally ready for more. I had attempted Morrison’s novels in previous years but quickly lost focus. This time, however, I could read page after page seamlessly. Remember how I mentioned that everyone has that one book that changed their life? The Bluest Eye changed mine and has remained my favorite book for years. I’ve written several essays on this book and recommend it to every Black girl I know. It is more than a story; it is a social reality, a social experiment, and a meditation on the complexities of love. I will hold Pecola Breedlove in my heart forever.

As stunning as it is, The Bluest Eye is not an easy read. The text demands focus, and the characters require care. These expectations are impossible to meet if you have a short attention span. I’m confident that I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate or even finish The Bluest Eye had I not read Crave first. That might sound baffling, but believe me when I say you must re-learn how to enjoy the reading process before genuinely enjoying a text. To switch from TikTok to Toni Morrison, you need a bridge to help you move from the digital to the physical.

That bridge is not just a transition novel but a transition in your life from fleeting frivolous facts to mind-bending narratives. To be clear, I don’t read for six hours a day, but I’ve replaced the habit of reaching for my phone with a book. You can do it too. I think the easiest way to start is right before bed. It’s my favorite time to read because it encourages a ritual of disconnecting from reality before drifting off to sleep. I also like to sneak in a few pages in the morning when I wake up, on car and plane rides, in the waiting room at doctor appointments, with my lunch, or during those lulls on the weekend when I have an hour or two before the next activity. You’d be surprised by how often you have pockets of free time and how fast you can get through a book if you commit to reading 15 minutes a day. When reading a good book, you’ll naturally turn that fifteen minutes into thirty minutes and that thirty minutes into an hour. You might even end up like me, glued to the pages at 2 am.

A good book's characters, setting, and themes will stick with you. The first time I experienced grief, I clung to Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto for weeks. When I daydream about love and soulmates, I​​ think fondly of Elizabeth Alexander's The Light of the World. When I feel existential, I reread my highlighted passages from When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. These are just a few examples of times novels have filled in the gaps. For me, books are lifelines, challenges, guides, and friends. It would be hard to pick a favorite book from this year, but I can confidently say that reading fifty books delivered a bounty of knowledge I cherish. I’m not saying every book will impact your life, but one of them might, and I think that’s a chance you should take.

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Here’s a bullet-point list of my steps to get back into reading:

• Find your Crave series
  • Start with something simple, short, and entertaining. Stop caring about what other people think of your book!
• Bring that book everywhere
  • It's okay if you don't reach for it right away; keeping a book in your bag will keep it on your mind.
• One page at a time
  • Normalize reading one page or one chapter as long as you do it intentionally. Don't force yourself to read more than you can. Every sentence is a win.
• Make space for reading in your schedule
  • Whether it's the first five minutes of you rday or the last ten before bed, schedule a time in which you're dedicated to nothing else.
• Become a member of this book club!
  • Sometimes, picking what to read can be challenging, so join my book club for great recommendations and an opportunity to discuss them.
• Be patient
  • Like all things, it takes time to form a habit. But unlike all habits, reading is something you won't regret.

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