The Ultimate Reading List for College Students

College life is one of the most exciting times for students as they get to do everything with a lot more freedom than in school. They are most excited about wearing clothes of their choice. They also make new friends with other students and learn from new professors.

Nowadays, the modern student has a lot of options to choose from in which they can make a career for themselves. Students choose their subjects from class 11th and study them till the 12th. After this, they can pursue it as a major in any college or university.

Undergraduate courses usually last between a period of 3-5 years while post-graduate courses usually last for 2 years. During this time, a student may develop good or bad habits. It all ultimately depends on the student and how he/she wants to spend his/her time during the course.

Thus, college life has its perks and disadvantages. Students get to experience hostel life as well when they first enter college. The tradition of ragging is still there but it is very minimal between seniors and juniors. Seniors usually ask the name of the newbie student and may even ask him/her to sing or dance. There’s no serious ragging as such.

Then there is the college romance. Students usually start developing feelings for each other. Some juniors even develop feelings for their seniors. Many college romances usually end up as happy marriages also.

So, the fun times at college must be cherished and enjoyed just like we love our school memories because these 3 or 5 years will never return after they have passed.

Students who are fond of reading books from school continue this reading habit in college.

In this blog, we will be discussing some of the top books for college-going students that they can read whenever they want a break from their usual studies.

Top Books for College Students

1. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen- In this novel, Franzen has written about a love triangle. What better to start your college reading days? It also asks the student to answer some questions like is love important or friendship? Another question present in this book is when you start a relationship with someone, do you want to lose your best friend in the process? All college-going students must read this novel.

2. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald- This is the story of a college graduate from Princeton University who becomes completely disillusioned after his studies. He understands the difference between college life and real life after college. This is a must-read as it will help all college-going students in understanding how both worlds are so different in many ways.

3. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami- This is a story of true love and friendship in which a college-going student has to change his ways to adapt himself to college life. This novel gives out a good lesson which is that we must always appreciate our friends and the people who love us and also accept the ugly truths of life.

4. 1984 by George Orwell- In this novel, Orwell describes the world as completely divided by totalitarian states in which people have lost all human values and how people are surviving in this world full of hatred. The question he asks via the novel is whether an individual can survive in such a society without losing his/her individuality.

5. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky- This is the story of a student who goes by the name of Raskolnikov. This is a very popular novel by Dostoyevsky. He is completely deluded and is always asking about what his true self is. He also searches for his true place in the world. After reading this novel, any college student will feel compelled to think about his/her place in life and views regarding moral laws.

6. A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley- Huxley called ‘A Brave New World’ a ‘negative utopia’. In this novel, the story is about the future where our happiness is appreciated but not our individuality. But is it always possible to remain happy and be like the others? Additionally, what is more, important to youngsters: to accept things as they are or try to rebel against the system?

7. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez- This is a novel that talks about loneliness and are a myth novel. In the novel, we also see the side of fatal love that can be dangerous to all humanity. This novel will tell the importance of family and close ones who love and support us. For college students, this is an excellent read.

8. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald- In this novel, we see how American society felt disillusioned by the coming of the Jazz Age. This novel will teach students to assess what are their true capabilities and how the past is once gone, can never return to them so it’s always better to leave it behind.

9. Lolita by Vladamir Nabokov- This novel is full of humour and intrigue and tells the story of love between a man and a nymphet. But somehow this novel remains controversial to this day. The lessons for a college student in this novel are understanding, sacrifice, forgiveness and many more positive traits that are essential in a human being but how have been forgotten today.

10. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway- In this book, Hemingway has described World War I. In the story, we see how young and naive boys are relegated to become the Infantry people. Some of these die while in action and those who survive become embittered by the sight of war. This novel will illustrate to students the horrific events that take place in a war.

So, these are our best picks for college students from a vast amount of literature available. All of our college-going students can pick from these 10 books or if they want to explore more, they are free to do so. They can pick and choose their favourite genres from the internet. But, we hope you will love trying out some of these novels for yourself.

We will be back with a new blog soon. So, keep reading, exploring, and enjoying your college years to the fullest.