My roommate devours book. When she’s reading one, she gives it 100% of her free time. Its the same with tv shows, comics, youtube channels…really any media consumption. I tend to get a little jealous, because she’ll plow through a book in a day that took me two weeks to read.

I’m more of a grazer. I read a chapter or two a night, maybe another one or two during the day. I watch tv shows a few episodes at a time, a few times a week, and I tend to consume multiple forms of media at a time. A tv show while I have dinner, a book before bed, a few youtube videos over breakfast.

I also find I consumer different types of video games differently. Console games replace television, while I pretty much only play computer games when I’m visiting my parents, and handheld games take the place of reading. This means if I’m playing my DS a lot, I’m not doing much reading. It can be frustrating when I see my “to read” pile glaring at me, but it serves as a nice break.

Occasionally, I will marathon a show or read a book in a day, but it’s pretty rare in my life. I actually prefer the slow approach, personally. It lets me spend more mental time in that fictional world, as the story and characters follow me through my day. I have more time to ruminate on the last chapter, and theorize about what’s to come. It’s part of the essential experience to me, and is also why I think books make better tv shows than movies.

The only exception is when I’m sewing or otherwise crafting. I need something on in the background, and usually something I don’t have to pay 100% attention to, so this is when I tend to rewatch my favorites. I’ve watched Friends and Charmed a lot this way.

But, the “gorge” method my roommate has isn’t wrong. It works for her; it’s what she likes. She’s able to focus completely on that one book, or tv show, or game, and often remembers details better than I do.

Are you a gorger, or a grazer?