Putting highlighter to paper: How annotating revived my love of reading

Pastel post-it notes, beige highlighters, and other annotative additions helped bring back my love of reading

It began with a Pinterest quote – 'live life for the aesthetics'.
 
Amid all the stress of life, I found one guilty pleasure - hoarding Pinterest boards that appealed to my sense of aesthetics.

 There was something inherently alluring about all the pastel post-it notes, beige highlighters and everything that came along with a bookstagram - worthy shelf. Like any bookworm, I craved it. And if that meant sacrificing my soul to a Satanic cult, I would've done so, gladly.

But this is where my soul clashed with the deep-seated sense that altering a printed book was like defiling it.

For those unfamiliar, annotation is the art of leaving behind your thoughts and remarks on the pages that you explore at a certain point in your life. As mentioned above, you could start simply - with coloured pens, post-it tags and even different-sized post-it notes (for the neat freaks, post-its come in translucent forms too).

Like most book nerds, I was a big believer in keeping their pages spotless. Tons of my babies look like they're brand new though they may be well into their teenage years. And like most high school students, whether it be those taking the HSc or those taking the IAL, the stress of life gets to you. One moment, you're using books to escape the workload; the next, your academics consume you, and your read-throughs drag on for months.

Nothing seemed good enough and there never seemed to be enough time. I wish I could tell you there was a simple remedy, a time turner for your problems, but I still suffer from the seasonal sickness of reading malaise. So, instead, I turned to annotation.

It started with my lifelong habit of giving books as presents. I always felt they made great gifts because you choose something you know will be held dear by the person receiving it. But I began to feel that knowing someone's tastes might not be enough to get my feelings across. What's the point of giving someone a part of you if they don't understand why the book reminded you of them?

That's why I tried to quiet my internal cries of 'blasphemy!' and picked up a pencil to add some annotations.

The con? My reading speed saw a drastic slowdown. But the pro? It soon became an essential part of how I engaged with books.

At first glance, the task seems easy, right? Just pick up a pen and scribble away. Absolutely not.

Most writers carve out spectacular fables, and each line becomes a dynamic battle. Which quote is better than the next? What happens when the fast-paced pages are jam-packed, and you're unsure whether to read first or mark? The task becomes so much worse when you intend to jot down your initial reactions on the first read. Trust me, I still struggle with it.

Then comes the sparring with highlighters. You'll probably develop your own criteria, with specific highlighters assigned to each idea or mood. But then, I can assure you, you'll find something along the way that breaks all boundaries and you'll be left trying to find another colour that fits the palette. Annotating can turn into a fussy and expensive hobby.

And as Christian Grey informed us, "There's a very fine line between pleasure and pain. They are two sides of the same coin, one not existing without the other."

So why should you do it?

Annotating books is mostly about leaving behind a part of yourself that you can look back on and reminisce about who you were and what spoke to you at one point in your life. Annotating something paves a path down memory lane so you can return to it.

As a person who recently adopted the habit, let me say - the initial annoyance at the slower reading rate soon dissipated when I closed the book. Imagine completing the best thriller you've ever read, then multiply that sense of euphoria by at least 20.

It's satisfying. And it changes your outlook towards life itself. Take it slow and enjoy the process. By getting me to engage with the book directly and physically, annotating has allowed me to kick my reading malaise to the curb.

This article is part of Stripe, bdnews24.com's special publication focusing on culture and society from a youth perspective.