Reading Importance (Emilea Bade)

When I am reading my interactions with the text depend on what kind it is. For example, if I am reading something for class then I will think about it and interact with it differently than if I were reading a book for fun. One of the things that I always do when I am reading a chapter, book, or article for class, is to highlight the things that I think are important. With as much reading as I do for class it would be unrealistic for me to take written or even typed notes over the main points of a reading. This is why I choose to highlight the important points and go back to them later and review them. I think that I remember information this way just as easily as if I wrote it down because I am still going back and reviewing the highlighted points. When I am reading for class the information that I find to be important usually sticks out to me because it is important terminology or it is examples of important concepts. I know that many argue that this may not be the best way to get meaning from a text for class, but due to time issues it is the best way for me. Something that I could consider doing in the future is to use different color highlighters to highlight my notes. I could have a different color for the different things such as terms or examples, making it easier to go back and find them to reference them.
When I am reading books for fun instead of for class I have a different set of things going through my mind. When I am reading something for fun I obviously don't highlight or take notes. As I am reading, however, I have a mental picture of what is going on in the story. It is almost like the story is a movie that is playing in my mind as I am picturing each event and scene in the book. I also have noticed that sometimes when I finish reading and go to do something else there are things that happen that make me think of events or characters in the book because of how I pictured them while I was reading.
I think that reading for class and reading for fun both require different mindsets because you are reading them for two different purposes. When reading for class the information may not be as exciting and appealing to you as a reader so highlighting, taking notes, and reviewing are necessary in order to retain what was read. When reading for fun it is different though because you are going to be reading something that is of interest to you and that many times follows a story line that you can actually visualize happening.