It’s understandable that high school teens don’t have a desire to read anything other than the text messages and tweets on their phones, because many of the reading requirements set by schools and English teachers are classic novels that aren’t relatable or even interesting to their generation.

This has caused a decline in interest for reading, as many high schoolers don’t understand its true benefits. Despite the apathy students demonstrate toward reading, they need to learn that it is one of the most important skills they need to survive and succeed in adulthood.

Knowing how to read opens teens up to important skills such as writing and speaking properly. Simply reading a book or an article in the newspaper can improve your vocabulary by adding more words to a student’s personal arsenal.

The ability to speak and write intelligently is important in a career setting because no one wants to hire a person who uses “then” instead of “than” when comparing something in a sentence. Being able to carry on a conversation in an intellectual way is also integral to obtaining social and career goals.

Being well read isn’t just about sounding intelligent, it’s also about being informed about what’s going on in the world. One cannot just rely on social media like Twitter and Facebook for all of their information and expect to pass it on without raising a few brows. Sources may often times be false and can lead to things like calling senator Ted Cruz the infamous “Zodiac Killer”, or believing that Demi Lovato had a twin held captive in the basement named “Poot” whom allegedly had the voice of an angel.

Reading is important to become successful in life, and being aware of what’s going on in the world. It’s vital to each student’s future and beyond even that it should be an enjoyable activity that provides an escape from the real world.