READ THE
LATEST

You’ll spend a lot of time reading at college, but it can be hard to find the time to read anything other than your required books. However, books are also great for expanding your mind and helping you progress toward your personal goals. Whenever you have some downtime over break, pick up one of these influential books to keep your mind active.

1. Indistractible

There are a huge number of things vying for your attention when you’re at college. This can make focusing on your studies challenging at times. Instead of pursuing quick fixes that are unlikely to work in the long term, read Indistractible: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. The book is by behavioural design expert Nir Eyal. He provides a four-step process based on research you can use to cut distractions and become productive.

2. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?

You’ll learn plenty in college — but your classes will also neglect some key knowledge you’ll need to survive in the real world. In Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, Dr. Julie Smith explores crucial topics, ranging from building confidence to dealing with disappointment. She also provides actionable advice you can use at college and beyond.

3. Digital Minimalism

College is the ideal time to figure out how you want to live your life. A great starting point is Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport. The book will help you assess the role technology has for you and show you how to make changes, including a digital declutter.

4. Educated

If you ever feel like college is too difficult, you may find it inspiring to read the memoir of someone who has tackled major challenges to succeed academically. Educated is a bestseller by Tara Westover, who was raised by survivalists and homeschooled until she went to college. From a childhood isolated from the rest of society, she beat all odds and ended up earning her PhD.

5. The Years That Matter Most

Wherever you are in your college journey, it’s worth picking up The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us. Paul Tough takes you through all the steps you need to tackle to be successful at college — from choosing the right school to graduation day. It discusses the good, the bad, and everything in between, including through anecdotes from other students.

6. Atlas of the Heart

Whether you’re finding it difficult to make friends, need to improve your networking skills, or want to maximize your chances of making a good impression at an interview, it helps to understand others’ emotions. Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connections and the Language of Human Experience is a must-read. Brené Brown teaches you the basics of how to connect and maintain close relationships.

7. Range

If you ever worry that you haven’t found your one passion, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World will put your mind at ease. When writing the book, author David Epstein researched people in top fields — everyone from athletes to Nobel Laureates. He discovered that the vast majority were generalists rather than specialists. He attributes their success to their agility and creativity. Reading this book should give you inspiration to keep building your skills in a variety of areas.

One reason you may not be reading books during the semester other than those for your classes is because you lack a quiet place where you can go whenever you want to spend time alone. This is something you’ll only find if you have your own room — which means you need to move off campus. For Niagara College student housing, there’s Parkway Lofts. Our luxury apartments come in various floor plans, including studio apartments where you’ll have full privacy. Book a tour to see how living here will enhance your college experience.