I remember when I was a teenager how so many of my friends thought it was strange that I always had a book somewhere close at hand. All of them told me things like “I really never learned how to like reading,” or “Reading is so boring.” I’ll be honest, I never understood why they had such thoughts. To me reading has always been one of the best ways a person can spend their time. So, today I bring you three great reasons why every teenager should read regularly.

#1: Reading is the Perfect Escape

Being a teenager is hard sometimes. Everybody knows that, and sometimes you just need to get away from everyone else in your life and escape into another reality for a few hours. I did this regularly in my younger years and it always helped so much. Escaping into a fantasy world, some epic action, or a wistful romance story can be just the change of pace you need after some of the stress of being a teenager.

#2: Reading Will Improve Your Life

No doubt about it, reading and reading often will improve your life at some point. It’s a proven fact that people who read regularly can grasp new concepts more easily, can explain themselves more clearly, and can communicate with others more effectively. Reading often develops in you an innate skill that can’t really be explained, but it’s there, I promise. I’m positive that some of the opportunities I’ve had in life can be traced back to the fact that I love to read and have done better at certain activities because of it.

#3: Reading is the Easiest Fun You Will Ever Have

Now, more than ever, a young adult or teenager can find thousands of great stories to devour with their minds. Young adult fiction was not nearly as prevalent in my teenage days as it is now. Grabbing a book from the library is quick, easy, and best of all, free. Who can argue with fun that comes at no cost? I certainly can’t.

Books can take you places you’ve never been, put ideas in your mind that you’ve never dreamed of thinking before, and bring about changes in your life both large and small. So, take a moment, grab that book you got for your last birthday or during last Christmas you haven’t opened yet and give it a try. I bet you’ll find you like it more than you might think.