The time has come and I’ve finally completed my social media campaign. I’m very proud of what I was able to accomplish during this short, but extensive project. In seven weeks I created the concept, the plan, and all of the necessary materials. 

“Ready, Set, Read!” has consumed my mind for the past seven weeks. Right now, I find myself reflecting on my own reading journey of the past few years. After the pandemic, reading became as important in my life as it once was. I read all the time as a kid but fell victim to “readicide” – a term I now know from my research. I first heard this term from Abigail Pineau’s article for Undercurrents. Readicide is defined as the systematic killing of the love for reading. I think as we grow up this happens to a lot of us. 

Curing “Readicide”

Although I hadn’t heard of the term “readicide” when starting this project, it’s actually perfect for it because that’s exactly what I wanted to cure. It makes perfect sense that as we get older, especially when in higher education, the love for reading some of us have as kids fades away. Most people probably know that there are benefits to reading, but I don’t think it’s something that’s at the forefront of everyone’s mind. A social media campaign like this one is important because it serves as a reminder that there are benefits and what exactly they are. I shared benefits on both an individual level and a societal level. Along with sharing the benefits of reading for pleasure on social media, I also included posts that encouraged more reading. Getting more people to read goes beyond telling them why they should read. It is important to also tell them how they can read and what they should read. One of my favorite social posts in this campaign was the video I made about getting back into reading. I think giving people tools to start reading again that aren’t overwhelming is a great way to encourage it. Reading doesn’t need to be about picking the most educational book or finishing books as quickly as possible. Reading is a hobby that is meant to be enjoyed, and I hope that anyone who comes across “Ready, Set, Read!” is inspired.