As the clock strikes midnight, the glasses clink, the balloons drop, and we all start singing that one New Year song that no one actually knows the words to, I know there is a nagging, bitter thought in some of our minds: I failed my 2013 Goodreads Challenge.
But before you wash away your sorrows in champagne, I must tell you that it is going to be o-k. (And then you can have a toast and drink the champagne anyway.)
In 2013, I only managed to read 32 of my goal of 50 books. There. It’s been said. HOWEVER, my consolation is that I probably read about 6 textbooks and a bunch of other supporting materials for all of my classes that I did not count toward my Goodreads Challenge, making my total probably pretty darn close to 50 anyway. Granted, my 32 does include lots of books I was required to read for school, but that’s all I really have the time, sanity, and eye-strength to read during any given semester. So given the circumstances, I think I still did pretty well.
But I know I could have done better. I honestly have no idea what my free time is going to look like next semester – I will be student teaching and choreographing a musical on campus – but I won’t have any required reading for classes, so I’m hoping to finally get together a list of books that I want to read for ME. Which is going to feel soooo good. And I’m lowering my goal from 50 to 40 at the start of the year to make it maybe a little more attainable.
So for those of you still hanging your heads in shame: you probably read enough other stuff to constitute a couple extra books throughout the year: magazines, online articles, Tweets, Buzzfeeds, blogs! If that still isn’t a comfort, remember: maybe you didn’t get your x amount of books read because you were off doing other things with your life, like spending time with family and friends, traveling, or working out. (Inner nerd interjects: “All of which can be done while reading!” Shut up). It sucks. It makes you feel unmotivated and lazy; unaccomplished. But you’ve accomplished a lot. And now you get to try and do it all over again in 2014. So let’s start.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Rose Read 
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