It’s one month into summer, and I think I have FOMO, fear of missing out. In past years, I would fall into a mild depression after a few weeks of summer vacation without students because so much of who I am is tied to what I do as a teacher. Last year, I taught summer school to keep the blues at bay, but this summer I thought I would try leisure and a self-guided professional development plan inspired by Donalyn Miller’s Book-a-Day Challenge to read, well, a book a day.
Giving the Local Library a Workout
This challenge quickly turned into reading several books books a day. Whenever I’d see a book recommendation for young adult literature, I’d order it from my library. Each week, I’d pick up a stack of books anxious to read, well, everything. I have my own shelf at the library now:
How I Contracted FOMO
Part of this mission to read everything is about being able to talk about books with students (yes, I am Snapchatting, YouTubing, and Instagramming), friends, and colleagues across the country; part of it is building my list of potential recommendations to students next school year; but a bigger part of this summer challenge is keeping my mind, heart, and imagination inspired (and happy) beyond the classroom.
Thanks to the many books I’ve already read this summer (verse, graphic, historical, picture, fantasy), my mind, heart, and imagination is inspired; however, I am starting to have some anxiety about this book challenge, which isn’t surprising because my nature is to get rather single-minded about projects. What I am feeling, this FOMO, is this real fear (not exactly fear but anxiety) of missing out on that one young adult novel or that one professional development book that is going to be life changing.
Reading does amazing things for your brain and helps you make sense of your world and the world beyond your own. Our world is so confounding at times, and books help me process it and give me hope for humanity.
Studies are showing that readers of fiction are more empathetic towards others. By engaging with a story, readers are temporarily placing themselves in a character’s shoes, therefore, the more stories you read, the more shoes you’ve tried on. It’s a fascinating insight into the world of reading.
Whenever I post about a book, I get three or more recommendations for titles that “I have to check out.” Almost daily, there is a new list from Epic Reads, We Need Diverse Books, Brightly, Bookish, and Nerdy Book Club (among so many other lists) offering wonderful options. And I want to read every book recommended because I want to walk in every character’s shoes. I want to be more empathetic toward others, and I want my students to be, too. So I am feeling rather overwhelmed. Here is a look into my state of FOMO (sort of a confession) with a plea for suggestions from you at the end:
Now, here is my pledge to recover from FOMO and appreciate the beauty of books:
- I will read just one book a day and swim in the words on every page. The beauty of books is that they will linger with you as long as you wish, need.
- I will listen to a second book while running because I like the company, and I don’t have to listen to myself breath or talk or keep pace with a real live running partner. The beauty of books is their unconditional companionship.
- I will see the stack of books waiting for me as “invitations” rather than requirements. The beauty of books is that they won’t be mad if you don’t accept the invitation.
- I will still order books from my library as they are recommended, but when the library says a book is due, if I haven’t started the book, I will return it and add it to my Goodreads list for another time. The beauty of books is their patience.
- I understand that there is no magic number, no finish line, and no perfect story. The beauty of books is their infinite diversity.
And with this simple pledge, I am already feeling the FOMO dissipate.
How do you keep FOMO at bay?
- How much time to you spend reading each day?
- How are you balancing your summer– preparing for next year and making time to rejuvenate?
- Do you feel pressure to keep up with the YA lists? How do manage?
- What would you add to my pledge?
What are the titles of those books on my to-read table?
These books are on my “currently reading list” on Goodreads. You can click here to read their descriptions, but remember a list is just an invitation and that these books are patient; they’ll be there for you if and when you are ready:
Broken Pieces by Anne Burg
Marco Impossible by Hanna Moskowitz
Wandering Son, Vol. 1 by Takako Shimura
Serafina’s Promise by Anne burg
Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart
This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki
How I Became a Ghost by Tim Tingle
My Name is Seereetza by Shirly Sterling
Hidden Roots by Joseph Bruchac
Gone Fishing: A novel in verse by Tamera Will Wissinger
Boy 21 by Matthew Quick
Every Single Second by Tricia Springstubb
My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf
Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky
Ruby on the Outside by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
Fake ID by Lamar Giles
OCDaniel by Wesley King
A Banquet for the Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales by Ying Chang Compestine
Seventh Wish by Kate Messner
And this is why i have over a thousand books on my to-read list on Facebook, never have fewer than 50 books checked out from the library at any given time, and, well, yes. FOMO.
I need to embrace this thought:
“I will still order books from my library as they are recommended, but when the library says a book is due, if I haven’t started the book, I will return it and add it to my Goodreads list for another time. The beauty of books is their patience. ”
I love Boy 21!
Thanks for sharing your experience with the #bookaday challenge. I really did not anticipate this anxiety, but it makes perfect sense. And that has me thinking about students in my reading classes. Do they feel anxious about books, too, about reading the right books, enough books. I don’t like the “rush” part, so my “pledge” in this post is to be more present when I read and to “marinate” (as you say) in the words that resonate. I read, after all, because it is one way I can bear witness to lives beyond my own, and I don’t want to miss out on that either. #bookaslongasIneed
Sarah, I’m with you on the FOMO, but I’m also with you on the “books will be patient.” I have a small stack from my own classroom library that the kids have told me are good, and then the newest stack from the public library (which I always tackle first). I try mixing it up – small book here, bigger book there, and even add an ADULT book every now and then (for my sanity). We can’t read them all. Knowing that, however, I also know I’m one of the teachers at school the kids go to when they need a recommendation. I take pride in that, and will keep on keeping on until I retire. I love to read after dinner and before bed, along with many times at lunch during the summer. I love to turn off that TV and Clash of Clans and sit down with a book. Enjoy your reading, and let us know your favorites! (I didn’t see Orbiting Jupiter on this current list…..) 😉
Joy, thank you so much for sharing your reading experiences, especially the part about taking pride in being one of the teachers at school the kids go to for a recommendation. I also take pride in that, and when a teacher comes to me for a suggestion, well, my heart just melts. In this world, I just want to know that I’m needed, and books have given me layers of purpose. And, I am with you on “retreating” with a book away from the TV. I so look forward to the last 30 minutes of the day in bed with a book (sometimes it’s closer to 15 if I am sleepy). As far as Orbiting Jupiter, I read that during the school year and bought a book group set. So many students loved that book, and the length made it accessible to so many students who were intimidated by bigger books. Did you hear the podcast with Gary Schmidt where he talks about people who inspired his characters? It is beautiful — students listened to this, and were so moved. http://100scopenotes.com/2016/01/31/more-yarn-gary-d-schmidt-orbiting-jupiter-unravelled/
As always, I love our correspondence, Joy. You are such an inspiration.
I realize that I have FOMO. This last school year I’ve taken grasp of my personal professional development as I was seeing that much of what my district PD was sharing with me was 5-10+ years old. I felt so out of the loop. Now I’m taking charge of my own learning. I agree with your perspective.
Congrats on taking hold of your PD. My district seems to be getting with the times with a reading workshop model in elementary school, but I am not sure what curriculum or philosophy they are using (even though I’ve been pushing Donalyn Miller and Penny Kittle). I really worked hard this year to connect with people are researching and writing now — and being sure the research that I follow attends to the ethics of teaching and to the human beings with whom we are entrusted. I read a book on independent reading last week, which was good, but there was little about nurturing students’ hearts and minds with books — so much focus on strategies. Let me know if you come across any great PD books or websites!
Interesting comments. I tried the
Book a day challenge last summer and found that I was too anxious about finishing the book and finding another. Sometimes when I read a book that really resonates with me I like to “marinate” in it for awhile. It’s hard to start a new book.