reading article reflection

Alex Pann

Reading Article Reflection

As a reader, I have found through out the years that it takes me a while to fully focus in on what I am reading, and once I am fully focused, it’s almost like I’m in a trance that’s impossible to break. If I’m reading something that I’m forced to, or something I have zero interest in like a textbook for example, I often find that my mind wanders and although I am reading the words I am in no way comprehending or paying any attention to them. If it is something I chose for myself or a subject I find interest in then I become devoted to the book never wanting to put it down, which I think this love I have for words is a strength of mine.

As far as some of the skills and labels this article mentioned I’d say my strongest is my ability to monitor my reading process (number 7.) I say this because whenever I’m not focused on what I’m reading or if I didn’t understand something, I recognize when I completely missed something and have to go back to reread it. As far as a weakness, mine is like number 6- the willingness to change my opinions and see alternate views. Whenever I gain an opinion or image  of how something should be or how something should turn out, I become so emotionally and deeply attached to it that I don’t accept any change or alteration. I cling to my ideas and when something is off it’s very hard for me to comprehend it. 

The strategies I can take away, however, after reading this document is the ability to indeed accept a change in thought and not be so biased towards what I wish for the plot. And, after filling out the survey I realized that I’m quite the scatterbrained reader and have no form of organization for my thoughts and questions so if I really want to improve my skill I’ll have to be cautious of that.

This might be a struggle though because personally, I hate annotating and note taking. Like I said, once I am focused on a story, I am deep into it and having to pull away from my trance every 5 seconds to write a note down or underline something, my fragile focus is thrown off balance and takes forever to find again. To be honest, I never really annotate because it’s just such a bother to me and I really don’t enjoy being interrupted by the burden of analyzing work when I can just be fully and completely dedicated into being in the story. I take what I read as an escape to another life, and when I have to come back into this one constantly it ruins the experience for me and tarnishes the fictional worlds I like to explore as I read on. I live in what I read, and annotating is just an obstacle that always gets in the way.