As a student, I read primarily for academic purposes. When I am reading textbooks, articles, or novels for a class, I always make sure that I have it in print form; this allows me to highlight and write notes as I desire. If I am at school, then I will find a quiet place in the library so I can concentrate better, and if not, I will find a comfortable spot and use earplugs to block out noise. It is very hard for me to concentrate at home with my family around, so I do homework in my bedroom. I am always either at my desk or on my bed, and if my house is noisy I use earplugs so I can better focus on my work. As a person with ADHD, every little thing is a distraction to me, so where I read is important.
When I was younger, reading for school was always done at the kitchen table in the company of my parents, so I had help. However, as I got older, I started to realize that I needed silence in order to concentrate, so now reading is always done in my bedroom. If it is a school day, I will usually come home and immediately start on my assignments. That is normally the time that I am home alone, so my house is quiet. If I have a day off, I rarely start my day with reading for academic purposes; I always need a few hours to get my day started before I can begin anything for school; once started, I will then usually work for a few hours and take periodic breaks.
As far as reading for pleasure goes, when I am reading something such as a novel, it is almost always done in my bedroom. My bedroom is the one place in the house that is solely my space and where I am most physically comfortable. There are no distractions, which is essential. During the school year, when classes are in session, I almost never read for pleasure, as all the reading I have to do for school drains me of any desire and time to read for my own enjoyment.
During the months when I am not in school, my reading practices change. If it is a work day, I will almost always bring my book with me and read during my lunch break; if there are other people with me, however, I will not read because I would rather socialize with my co-workers. On these days, I won’t start reading until the evening, when I am getting ready for bed. I like to try and spend as much time as I can with my family when I am not in school, so reading is done when everyone else is in bed and I am alone. On days when I do not work, I do not have a specified time for reading; at any time of the day I will pick up my book and start reading, depending on how bored I am and how interested I am in the book.
I also read regularly on social media, which can happen anywhere and at any time. Usually, the first thing I do when I wake up is open Facebook and scroll through the various news articles and posts to try and wake myself up. Other times, I will open social media while waiting for a class to start, sitting in a car (not driving of course), waiting for a television program to resume, or standing in line at the grocery store. Having a mobile electronic device allows me to access media sources everywhere without the hassle of carrying around a newspaper or a book.
