Reading 20 minutes a day exposes you to about 1.8 million words in a year. Just that fact in itself amazes me. People rarely understand the importance of reading in this world where the whole world is at the touch of your fingertips. Reading is undervalued and is not gaining the attention it deserves. We have access to hundreds of books through libraries and kindles for those who prefer virtual reading. When all these opportunities are right in front of us, how can we say no. Reading not only increases one's vocabulary but also their comprehension abilities and all in all results in an individual who has the ability to properly communicate and form their own opinions. 
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People rarely understand the power of a book and reading is something that is seldom developed at an older age. Those who are big readers from a young age most likely will carry this hobby on for the rest of their lives and will see substantial differences in the way that they are able to articulate themselves and communicate with the world around them. Reading shouldn't be seen as something merely beneficial though, books offer individuals a home and solace from the noisy world around. Often when one's own abode becomes restless, burrowing into a book can alleviate so much anxiety and pain that is felt in external situations. Finding a best friend in a book, or a sister even often guides individuals to leading happier lives especially when they feel that no one is out there looking out for them. 

Reading alleviates the pain that people face way more frequently than wanted and gives them the room to express themselves and find themselves too. While reading books, individuals are bound to learn values and morals and understand who they are as a person. What they stand for, what they respect, and who they want to be. All these realizations are of utmost importance as one progresses through childhood into adulthood and beyond. 

But, it is never too late to start this hobby. Although children who start at a young age feel it to be more of a first nature to get lost in a book, that doesn't mean that you can't. I dare you to pick up a book, any book of your liking, and read it all the way through. Set a deadline depending on the magnitude of the book and follow it through. Then reflect on the wonders of reading. Happy reading!

Herd mentality hinders the growth and development of an individual. Many times, specifically teenagers, people feel that they must fit in and that if they address their idea, they might get turned down or, worse, embarrassed. But little do people know that, more often than not, the one idea from the slightly introverted person who doesn’t feel courageous enough to speak out is the one that could have changed the trajectory of their project. This is why, in group settings, it is of utmost importance that the leader or the CEO listens to each individual's idea. Sometimes, it is the one who no one expected who comes out with an idea that changes the way everyone thinks.
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Rather than following the herd blindly, why don’t we speak up for ourselves and express our true ideas? I challenge you all to do so, because in reality, the way others receive your idea is always multifaceted and can always be bad—but what if it is good? More often than not, bad ideas also give individuals something to ponder and grow from, and it is those ideas that people hold back that might be the same ones other scared individuals are also thinking of. Fear harms individuals more often than not, but once we make that mentality switch, the world better watch out—because we will be bound for success.

This blog post was written by Isha Popat.

The best part about being a writer is that ideas pop up left and right. There are so many things in our world that we can draw inspiration from and form ideas of new stories, characters, or narratives from.  However, we may not always know what to do with them. So, here are some ways that your amazing ideas can be turned into even more amazing stories!
 
Write It Down
By jotting your ideas down in a notebook, journal, or saving them to an online document, you can ensure it is saved and won’t be forgotten. Even if you are not yet ready to act on the idea, future you will be happy to have ideas to draw inspiration from. Some of my best stories have come from my saved ideas!

Build Around It
Ideas can just be words and that is completely okay! These words can inspire wonderful ideas which can be turned into literary master pieces! These words could seem like gibberish to other people but to you, they can become the next great writing adventure. After all, many new words have come from authors. Actually, Charles Dickens created the word ‘butterfingers’ in his classic novel, The Pickwick Papers.

Don’t Hold Your Ideas Back
As writers, we often lean on other people’s opinions. While there is nothing wrong with seeking some validation, don’t let other people’s opinions hold you back. After all, the great thing about writing is you get to choice what happens and how your characters act and react. So, don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas and create new stories that may be out of your usual writing style.

Putting It All Together
Now that you have a way to keep track of your ideas, how to build stories based off your ideas, and try new writing styles based off your wonderful ideas, go create unique worlds, characters, and literary adventures! We will be here waiting to dive into them!
 
This blog post was written by Ralia Farah.