Every year, online booksellers and brick-and-mortar stores see a huge influx of shoppers who buy titles they are sure will change their lives. While it’s great that so many people are interested in reading, the sad reality is that many of those books will end up with a bookmark on page 10 and then collect dust on a shelf for the next 15 years.
So, prevent this sad fate for books and improve your life at the same time when you mindfully choose books that can help you, learn how to make time to actually read, and understand how to incorporate what you learn into your daily habits!
When you’re a student, it’s a pivotal time in your life; you’re gaining new responsibility and freedom, you’re learning a tonne of new things in your education, and you will soon be part of the generation that is actively shaping the future of the country and the world.
Many people feel behind when they graduate from university and start living a real adult life. You can give yourself a great head start by simply reading a few books and learning a little about the world before you dive in completely!
The books in our list aren’t only recent and future publications; some texts are timeless and will always be recommended!
Here’s a quick glance at our list of must-read books for students:
- The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
- Ignited Minds by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
- The Happiness Story by Savi Sharma
- Do It Today by Darius Foroux
- Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Manifest by Roxie Nafousi
- Couple Goals by Nicole Haddow
- Breaking the Mould by Raghuram Rajan and Rohit Lamba
- Courting India by Nandini Das
- Ritual by Dimitris Xygalatas
- And How Do You Feel About That by Aruna Gopakumar & Yashodhara Lal
- Essentially Mira by Mira Kulkarni
- Radical Candor by Kim Scott
- Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
- The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
- The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
- Yaar Papa (यार पापा) by Divya Prakash Dubey
- An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy
- The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
Top Motivational Books for Students
Motivational books and self-help books have been a hot topic for many years now, and it shows no sign of slowing down. It seems like everyone has published a book about self-help these days!
It’s important to note a few things about motivational and self-help books, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the vast amount of them in the market:
- Not every book will resonate with every person
- Not every book will have a new, life-changing piece of advice in it
- You cannot read them all, and you don’t have to!
So, if you pick up a bestseller and find that it falls flat even though everyone else is raving about it, don’t worry! Not every writer’s voice will match with every reader. You just have to find the books and the authors who speak the language you like.
Another common problem that comes when people dive into reading self-help books is they develop a fear that somewhere out there is the one book with the one chapter or sentence that can fix their life, and they will never find it.
This is simply not true. I’ve only read a few self-help books, and I can already tell that many of them say basically the same things; the difference is the author’s voice. The most important thing is to actually live out the advice you read about; then, you won’t feel like you need to rely on these types of books to tell you how to live your life.
As a student, now is a great time to start cultivating healthy habits in all areas of life like nutrition and fitness, mental health, work ethic, and relationships. Unfortunately, not many of us have people in our lives who can teach us how to develop in these areas. The good news is we can turn to books to learn!
Start incorporating the basics into your life while you’re still a student to have a massive advantage in life post-graduation!
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
What would you say to a room full of students in the face of your own impending death?
Professor Randy Pausch of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, US got the rare and unenviable opportunity to ask himself just that, and so he gave a lecture called ‘Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams' in which he gave one of the best inspirational speeches of all time. The transcript of this speech became this book, and Prof. Pausch gained international fame just before his death from terminal cancer, the diagnosis of which he had received before writing the speech.
Ignited Minds by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
The purpose of this 2002 essay written by ‘The People’s President’ is to inspire the youths of India to help build a stronger country together. Whether you’re nationalistic or not, working together to build a bright future for your kin and for the world is a common goal we should all share. This book explores how to have the confidence to help create a better future.
“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”
Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture
The Happiness Story by Savi Sharma
Hailed by reviewers who say this book even has “a solution to everything,” “The Happiness Story” is a no-fiction story revolving around three individuals and seeks to give out the secret to achieving lasting happiness.
Do It Today by Darius Foroux
Procrastination is a huge problem for countless people. As a student, you need to beat procrastination to do your work well and avoid burnout. As an adult, you need to be able to juggle your work and the rest of your life at the same time. Beating procrastination is a skill you will use every day for the rest of your life.
Through concise and actionable steps, Foroux aims to empower readers to make lasting changes in their habits and live to their full potential.
Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
A classic by all standards, this biography chronicles Yogananda’s spiritual journey, filled with mystical experiences and meetings with many spiritual leaders. Through the story of his life, we gain perspective on the incredible and profound interconnectedness of all life.
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
James Clear, Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits by James Clear
One of the most-recommended self-help books in recent history, Clear explains easy-to-understand science about forming helpful habits and breaking bad ones.
Manifest by Roxie Nafousi
Unless you live under a rock, you’ve heard about the practice of manifesting, a new-age take on “thinking positive” or Law of Attraction. Nafousi is a self-development coach and is known as the ‘Queen of Manifesting.’ In this science-meets-spirituality read, she explains in simple terms the basics of manifesting and cultivating self-love.
Best Cultural Reads for Students
It’s so important to have a broader sense and understanding of the world beyond the one you know and are currently living in. Unless you’ve travelled or are already very involved in a global community, it’s so easy to forget how people outside your own community live.
Learning about history, recent events, and where you fit in the world vs your other options for fitting in the world are some of the ways you can open your eyes to how to live your life.
Couple Goals: Building a strong financial future and an even better relationship by Nicole Haddow
Whether you are in a relationship or not, if you ever plan on getting married or being in a serious long-term partnership, it’s important to understand how finances between two people combining their lives works. This book (release date 10th January 2024) gives insights into how to handle life as a team, especially in finances, and especially in this day and age, where the “traditional” roles of husbands and wives are becoming less and less common.
Breaking the Mould by Raghuram Rajan and Rohit Lamba
India is a unique place; what has worked for other heavily populated countries in terms of economics won’t work for India. Economics can be a daunting (and dull) subject to read about, but the language in this book is accessible enough for almost anyone to get the idea. As an emerging worker, whether you work in India or go abroad, it’s important to understand the basics of the country where your family and your bank are.
This book offers insights into possible moves for India’s financial future.
Courting India: Seventeenth-Century England, Mughal India, and the Origins of Empire by Nandini Das
History always seems ancient and irrelevant, but it’s important to remember that everything in the world now is built upon the foundations set up in the past. In this comprehensive look at the past and the meshing of British and Indian cultures in the Imperial age, Das gives us the context needed to make connections between the modern day and the events that happened hundreds of years ago.
Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living by Dimitris Xygalatas
Brushing our teeth, family traditions, cultural events… just about anything can be made into a ritual, and the significance of this is greater than you might think! Xygalatas delves into the importance of rituals across the cultures of the world, showing how, though we may all be different, we have more in common than you’d think.
And How Do You Feel About That by Aruna Gopakumar & Yashodhara Lal
Therapy has been a “dirty word” to many people for a long time. Thankfully, society’s attitude is changing, but it can still feel scary to think about going to a therapist. In this book, find out about the ins and outs of therapy and the people who go to it with examples of real patients and their journeys through therapy.
Delving into mental health, relationships, and self-discovery, the book unravels the transformative power of therapy, shedding light on human vulnerabilities, growth, and the pursuit of emotional well-being.
"[R]ituals play important psychological functions. Thanks to their highly structured and reliably predictable nature, they serve as an anchor in the storm that is our world... [T]hey help us cope with anxiety. Moreover, engaging in regular ritual activities requires effort and commitment, which helps performers practice discipline and strengthen self-control."
Dimitris Xygalatas, Ritual
Essentially Mira by Mira Kulkarni
This book is excellent for entrepreneurs, but even if you don’t dream of starting your own business one day, you can benefit from learning about one woman’s journey through hardships and never giving up to achieve her own success.
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Even though this book is aimed at bosses, it can also help the rest of us to be strong leaders in any aspect of our lives. Learn how to be an effective leader and colleague.
Best Fiction Books for Students
Why would fiction books be a good choice for personal development for students?
Reading for pleasure is a life-changing habit that many successful people have added to their daily routines. At the very least, dedicating time each day to an activity that engages your brain, isn’t in front of a screen (unless you read ebooks), and engages your imagination is a great way to keep your mind sharp and your spirits high.
Many fiction books also tackle difficult topics and themes that can be applied to our own lives and relationships. You can learn a lot about your own psychology and more with fiction novels!
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
This recent LGBTQ graphic novel series has taken the world by storm, selling over one million English copies, being translated into 18 other languages, and getting its own Netflix adaptation. It follows the friendship-maybe-relationship between two teen boys at a British Grammar school in a cute and heart-warming teen romance.
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Set in Kerala, Roy explores caste, politics, and the impact of restrictive social norms on individual lives. In this nonlinear story, secrets, taboos, and those who dare to break them are examined.
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
Generational trauma and more are explored in this story of the great joy and despair that comes with families being separated by emigration. The characters show the impacts of historical colonialism on modern life.
“He folded his fear into a perfect rose. He held it out in the palm of his hand. She took it from him and put it in her hair.”
Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things
Yaar Papa (यार पापा) by Divya Prakash Dubey
This Hindi novel explores the relationship between a father and son through their heartfelt conversations and experiences. It explores the complexities of relationships, social pressures, and the pursuit of aspirations.
An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy
Tackling multigenerational relationships in a Bengali family, this novel describes love, loss, intergenerational experiences, and unfulfilled dreams.
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
A decidedly unconventional novel about a surreal world, this novel shows what happens when the fated refuses the call to fulfil their assigned destiny.
Make Lasting Change: How to Use Books to Make Your Life Better
The hardest part about reading books that are meant to make your life better is actually taking what you read and applying it practically to your life. How can you remember your lessons once you turn the page or close the covers?
Here are some tips for applying the strategies you read about and the lessons you learn from your books in real life.
Reflect
Physically write notes and/or journal about the things you read during or after your reading sessions. Make special note of things that stood out to you, that parallel something happening in your life right now, or that seem like wisdom you want to remember for the future.
For actionable steps, think about how you can benefit if you were to make those changes and visualize your improved life.
Take Action
Think about what’s stopping you from implementing the lessons you’ve learned in your reading, and work on removing those obstacles. Then, add in the new skills you want to develop, one at a time. Start small!
Have Patience
You will mess up, you will forget to do your new habit a few times, and you will feel like you’re not making progress. Have faith in the process and give yourself the grace to grow at your own pace.
Ready to take on the New Year with your self-improvement reading list?
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