I have always loved to read, and used to devour books as a girl. I fell out of reading in college, just because I was so busy with schoolwork and extracurriculars. I have recently started checking books out from the Indianapolis Public Library on my Kindle and it has forced me to read again. Since I only have each book for three weeks, I am motivated to read a little each day. I have also checked out a few audiobooks to listen to on my commute to and from work everyday, and I have loved it! I never liked audiobooks growing up, because I would zone out and stop listening. However, now that I am older, I find myself riveted and thoroughly invested in the story. This has made my commute so much more enjoyable, and it's one of my favorite parts of my day. I have always had wanderlust, the urge to travel the world. When I was younger, I would escape through my books. Now that I am older, I still love to escape into the world of a book, but I have also had the opportunity to visit many wonderful places.
One of my favorite experiences in college was studying abroad in London. I took a Gothic Literature course, not because I was particularly interested in Gothic literature or even knew what it was, but because I just really wanted to go to London. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It turns out I really like Gothic literature - the books we read for the class included Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Oscar Wilde's The PIcture of Dorian Gray. I had read several of these books in high school, but it was so interesting to read them through a different lens. Our teacher was amazing, and took us all around London to where the books were set and connected the themes and the setting. I learned so much during those two weeks, and it just further deepened my love for reading and traveling.