Top Ten Tuesday #26 - Things I've wanted to do because of books!


So! A few weeks back the prompt was "Top Ten Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do or Learn About After Reading Them" and I think it's such a brilliant post idea! I absolutely love how books can inspire people to try different things and expand their knowledge upon topics that they may never have even heard about if it weren't for said book. Reason number #4879348 why reading is my bae.

The books made me do it! 
(not that I've actually done most of these things yet but a) I will ONE DAY and b) I like the title)

1. Archery
Ever since reading The Hunger Games I've so badly wanted to try archery! I still remember when I was 13 and we lived next door to my mom's best friend and she had 5 kids and 3 of the kids were under 10 and I was like "OKAY GUYS. TODAY WE MAKE BOWS AND ARROWS." and I somehow managed to make a bow and arrows out of sticks and string and it actually worked. But then my dog ate it. GOSH, MISSY, LET PEOPLE ENJOY THINGS.

Expectation:

Reality
(probably):
Or worse than that. 

2. Go to boarding school
Thanks, Harry Potter, Anna and the French Kiss (cute English French boys? YES PLEASE) and St Clare's (by Enid Blyton, it made 10 year old me so badly want to go to boarding school!). Although I would never have gone to boarding school because 1) I have an anxiety disorder and 2) I love being with my family and dogs but I love reading about boarding school books because they're SO MUCH FUN. Actually, this makes me want to go read Harry Potter again...

3. Study

dog what scared omg confused

I know you guys are probably pulling a similar face to the adorably startled dog, but whenever I read a Harry Potter book or Percy Jackson (Annabeth is also a person who inspires me!) and I see how hard Hermione works, her love for learning and how her knowledge saves them multiple times it just motivates me so hard to be like Hermione! Whenever I need motivation to study I either a) read some of Harry Potter or b) google Hermione quotes to inspire me! 

4. Start a feminist club
After reading the Am I Normal? trilogy by Holly Bourne, I've been thinking of starting my own Spinster club! The trilogy really enlightened me about feminism and why we really need it and I think it would be awesome to invite some friends over and discuss all things related to that and how to destroy sexism. YAS.

5. Play the cello
Although I already play the piano and guitar, Mia from If I Stay made me interested in playing an instrument that I'd never really been interested in before. I wanted to learn how to play even more after watching the movie and hopefully one day I will!

6. Be a detective
Not that this really counts anymore but when I was younger I was obsessed with mystery books like The Famous Five and The Secret Seven and I started my own detective club (with myself since my friends weren't really interested) but then at 10/11 I realised that detectives don't solve cases about who stole the stuffed animal from Jenny's schoolbag or who took the fresh jam out of Mrs Butler's cupboard but solved things like kidnappings and murders and that makes me so sad so I was like nope.

no scared nope nsfw gross


7. Start a babysitting club
I was obsessed with The Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin when I was younger and I still have most of the books and I still want to own the complete collection and marathon them all as I loved them so much! I've always loved little kids and I swore that when I was 13 I would start a babysitting club...I didn't but when I was 8 years old that's something I really wanted to do.

8. Fashion designing 
After reading Lola and the Boy Next Door, I desperately wanted to learn how to sew and do fashion designing. I've often drawn fashion throughout the years but I've never learnt how to use a sewing machine (I can sew by hand...that's something, right? No? Okay then.) and I'd love to learn how to make my own clothes - it must be so awesome wearing something you've made!

9. Kickboxing
After reading Take Me On by Katie McGarry I really really really wanted to do kickboxing and in fact, I very nearly went for kickboxing lessons last year but I was taking ballet so I did that instead. However, I might take some classes in the future but then again I'm not a kickboxing type of person but WE'LL SEE.

10. Be a spy
After reading Alex Rider and many books when I was younger that involved spies I went through a long, long phase of wanting to be a spy. I now know that being a real spy doesn't consist of chasing bad guys and climbing up walls and going on stakeouts for long periods of time but whenever I read a spy book a part of me thinks I'd still like to be a spy. Even though I'd be an awful spy. I laugh at the wrong moments, I get distracted easily and I'd probably forget what I'm supposed to be doing and go in search for food. Yep, a career in espionage isn't looking very promising.

Those are the top ten things that books have me want to do! Tell me something that a book has me you really want to do and did you do it?