What I know for sure is that reading has changed my life. In elementary school, I always had trouble reading books for book reports. I never wanted to waste my free time reading about something I did not care about.  Reading was boring to me, and I could never concentrate on the story for long before I got distracted. It was not until fifth grade that my view on reading completely changed. In my English class we were reading The Sisters Grimm and from the first chapter, I was hooked. I read the next four books in the series before my class even finished the book. Reading has been a part of me ever since and has affected my life in every way.

Reading has had a big impact on me in school. My vocabulary grade was fairly bad in elementary school. Now, because of reading, I am exposed to new words, and my grades have gotten a lot better. On the downside, reading has also caused me to be tired and distracted in school. I have a habit of getting so into a book that I have to finish it before I got to bed. This causes me to stretch my bedtime a little later and makes it hard to fall asleep. I also find it especially hard to concentrate in class when my mind is stuck on a book I have not finished yet. All I can think about is how much longer I have to wait before I can read it. Reading has had a bad impact on my grades too. There have been many occasions where I would forget to study or not study enough because of reading. I sometimes put reading above my priorities without thinking about the consequences, and that is something I plan to work on.

Reading has also had a big impact on my family life. I am proud to say that my parents and my little sister now read more because of me. My little sister, Bridget, is ten years old and following in my footsteps. I had gotten her to read a couple books that I read when I was around her age, and now she voluntarily reads in her free time. I have also gotten my mom to read more. My mom is usually very busy and never has any time to herself, so I have been trying to get her to read more. Now after reading some of my favorite books, we have more to talk about and bond over. Even my dad, who reads a lot already, has told me that he reads more because of me. Reading also affected my family financially. I had discovered the amazon kindle app for my iPod touch right before sixth grade. My parents made the mistake of telling me I could buy books whenever I wanted as long as I read them. Later, when my parents were doing their budget, they realized that I had spent around twelve hundred dollars in books in under a year. Despite this, reading has brought my family and me a lot closer.

Finally, reading has affected my relationships with my friends. If I did not read as much as I do, I would spend so much more time with my friends. On many occasions, I find myself reading at a friend’s house. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with my friends, but reading is my addiction. It pulls me away from reality and traps me until I finish the book. My friends are really understanding about this, but I know it can be hard sometimes. I also forget to keep in contact with my friends from my old school. If I have any free time, I read and this distracts me from taking the time to catch up with them.  I have realized that reading has also helped me interpret and handle certain situations with friends. Occasionally, I find myself in situations where I have no idea what to do or how to react. Reading so many different books has taught me a lot about people and how to deal with disagreements and misunderstandings.   I also love to discuss books with them and get recommendations.  I am usually really quiet, but I could talk forever about books. Because of this, my friends and I have more to talk about.

Reading has affected me in so many ways. It has introduced me to a whole new world which I continue to explore. I have also learned a lot about myself from reading. It helps me realize when I am thinking irrationally or misinterpreting something. I am constantly analyzing everything and finding the motives behind people’s actions. Reading is my way of learning and experiencing the world. I have been exposed to so many good life lessons that will help me in the future. Reading has changed my life, that I know for sure.