The Art of Reading on the DC Metro

Currently Reading: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Although I’ve been riding the DC metro all my life, most of my experiences with the transportation system have been limited to trips to the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo. However, in the last four months, I have entered into the world of regular metro commuters. Granted, I still don’t ride every day – which is fortunate for my wallet – but I still ride often enough to have acquired some valuable knowledge about how to make the commute less painful. My most effective method for passing the time? Reading a book, of course! Allow me to share what limited insight I might have into the art of reading on the DC metro.

Let me put a disclaimer on this first and say these are hints that are useful for me. Some of them may be useful to you and some of them may make you think I’m crazy. However, I thought I’d share my experience just in case.

For me, like working out, riding the metro without music is excruciating! I swear it makes the trip feel three times longer than it actually is! Now, I recognize that some people are flabbergasted as to how I can read while listening to music, but in as noisy an environment as the metro, it’s a necessity. For me, it’s the white noise I need in order to focus on my book. While classical works for some, it immediately puts me to sleep. However, whatever style you listen to, I just recommend that you don’t choose new music for your reading accompaniment since it will most likely be more of a distraction than the noise you’re trying to block out.

Beyond noise cancellation, there are other important steps to ensuring the optimal environment for your metro reading enjoyment.

1.  Try your hardest to get a seat! Especially if you have a long commute (i.e. more than 30 minutes). I’m not sure if I just have tremendously terrible balance, but personally, I just cannot read a novel while standing up on the metro. Without fail, I get jostled around a hell of a lot more, which pretty much guarantees that I will lose my place constantly in my book, rendering the attempt at reading utterly useless. Another note on getting a seat: you will be infinitely more comfortable and your personal space won’t be invaded if you get a window seat. Believe me, it’s a lot nicer than occasionally getting jostled right into someone’s butt or crotch.
2. Before choosing a car on your train, if possible, do a quick survey of the passengers getting on the same car. Avoid the man or woman talking on his or her cell phone because once the train is moving, they will have to essentially yell to be heard – a really unfortunate distraction. Also, avoid small children with all your might! While your music may be able to drown out cell-phone-man to an extent, there are certain pitches that children’s voices hit that just cannot be blocked out by anything. By this, I mean the whine and the shriek, inexplicable noises that a human will never be able to reproduce past the age of 10. Even if the children are mute, they are sure to fidget, a distraction for your eyes.

Now to delve into tips for choosing your reading material. When making this decision, there are a few factors to consider.

1.  How long is your commute?
2. How likely is it you will be standing for most of your trip?
3. How far along in your reading material are you?
4. How challenging a read is your material?

If you have to stand or if you have a short commute (under 30 minutes), I believe it’s better to read magazines or newspapers. They are thin and easier to hold – provided you know the proper steps to make your newspaper small. Plus it’s more possible to read and comprehend an entire article in either of these media outlets than it is to pick up the flow of a novel enough to truly absorb what you’ve read.

It’s not generally advisable to start a new novel on your commute. This is especially true of more challenging novels, like Jane Eyre or Les Miserables. Again, it’s a matter of getting sucked into the book enough to retain what you’ve read and avoid extensive re-reading.

One of the exceptions to several of these guidelines is when the book is an easy read, like a heavily plot driven book or something written for a younger audience. (Don’t scoff! The Book Thief is one of the most fascinating, beautifully sad books I’ve ever read and it’s written for a young audience.) The other exception is if the book is a sequel to something you’ve read recently since it’s essentially like continuing the same novel.

When the conditions are right, the metro ride can be a good way to make a dent in your novel. It’s a solid 45 minutes to an hour to yourself that would otherwise be wasted staring out into space. Instead, it’s the opportunity to have a mini reading binge twice a day, giving you something to look forward to when you have to drag your butt out of bed extra early and when you have an hour between finishing work and your sweatpants. Maybe someday I’ll even master reading while standing up.

Last note on this topic: STAND to the RIGHT, WALK to the LEFT on the escalators! Avoid pissing off everyone behind you that way.