Facebook, or my face in a book?

Studying English at uni, I am required to read many books in a fairly short space of time. Normally, I love reading. I have been brought up in a house that has an overflowing bookshelf in every room, where reading in bed every night was an absolute treat and we have 'bookclub' when we go on holidays. I love reading. However, reading for the purpose of study and potentially de-analysing a favourite text to the point where it becomes ruined, sometimes takes away from the enjoyment of reading. It is for this reason (and sheer laziness toward uni) that I often tend to half read my prescribed texts for uni. This semester, things have been different. Taking on a Jane Austen subject (in which there are a maximum of five boys!), I have surprised myself. Austen, the original 'chick' writer has me under her spell, and enjoying reading once again. Elizabeth, Eleanor and Emma are milling around my brain (in both novel and text form), encouraging thoughts on feminism, masculinity, gossip and of course, Mr. Darcy. Such a classic, Austen has the potential to be ruined through study as mentioned before. This is not my experience so far. I am enjoying reading Austen more, due to this subject and a new understanding of Austen and her character. It has made me wonder if I waste too much time, when I could be in a completely different world, experiencing characters, time periods and stories I could never imagine myself. Whenever I don't manage to finish my readings for uni, novels, or general tasks, I convince myself that it is because I don't have enough time. When I was younger, I would put everything else off until the last possible moment before I did anything other than reading. I would read before I went to bed, when I woke up, on the bus, in the car, during my spare time, even in the bath! I LOVED reading. I still do love it and on the odd occasion I let myself be carried off into another world, yet I don't often allow myself that joy. The one main reason for that: Facebook. I manage to convince myself I don't have time for things, yet I have ample amounts of time to waste on facebook daily. It is for this ridiculous reason, that I have decided that each month I will spend one week facebook free. I want to be taken away into fantasy worlds, meet the Mr. Darcys of literature, learn new spells with Harry Potter and maybe even actually do my readings on how to bring creativity into the English classroom! So next time you are feeling bored, or like having a good old stalk, pick up a new book - or an old one! - and enjoy the simple entertainment of reading a book...you might be surpised at how enjoyable it can be. So get off facebook and get your face in a book!