If you love nothing more than getting your nose into a good book, then you’re probably going to enjoy college. After all, most colleges have libraries bigger than your entire high school, and they’re always fully stocked. Even if you’re not a massive reader, it’s still a good idea to try and get through a couple of books throughout your college journey. After all, they can expand your mind, help you learn a subject better, and widen your vocabulary. Not sure what to read, however? These are the books you should definitely read in college.
This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Most people know this author for his work on The Great Gatsby – or at least know of the Leonardo DiCaprio movie. However, one of his other classics includes This Side of Paradise which is a must-read while you’re at college. The book, which is written in three parts, follows the story of a young Midwesterner named Amory Blaine. He is adamant his future is promising and so attends Princeton University to live a life of privilege. However, soon after graduating he becomes disillusioned and struggles to find his place in the world. It’s a real rollercoaster of a journey for Amory Blaine, and one that will probably resonate with plenty of other college students as they graduate.
1984 by George Orwell
If you haven’t read the dystopian novel, 1984, by the time you get to college, then now is the time to get stuck in! Not only is it one of the true greats, but it will totally challenge the way you see the ever-changing world around you. Feel like we’re being watched or monitored? Then 1984 might just give you the creeps, considering it was written back in the 1940s, and yet seems so close to the truth now. However, it’s one of those books that every college student has to have read if they ever want to have any kind of conversation with a fellow bookworm. It may also make you want to go grab your picket and rally for what you believe in!
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Many of us studied Of Mice and Men back at high school, but if you want to level up your Steinbeck novels, then you need to read The Grapes of Wrath. The story follows a family that moves to California in the middle of the Great Depression, in the hopes of finding a better life. This is a tale of true resilience, which you might need during those late nights of studying at college. It also touches on the importance of the love and support of those closest to you… so, by the end, you’ll be calling your mom and telling her how much you love her.
College is the perfect time to get through that reading list before you’re thrown into the working world and find you never have enough hours in the day. Close down Netflix, grab yourself a good book, and read one of these fantastic books while you’re still learning and growing as a person.
