Reading as a safe space | Nodira Qobiljonova | TEDxBMU Tashkent

Nodira Qobiljonova opens her talk by asking the audience whether they have ever felt deeply misunderstood and then found their exact emotional state articulated in a book. She introduces herself as a foundation year student at British Management University, a co-founder of Fusum Prep English, an intern at a magazine, and a part-time English teacher — while also being an avid, annotation-heavy reader.

She frames reading as a powerful form of community, arguing that it offers a safe space for readers to explore thoughts and emotions without fear of judgment. When readers follow characters through loss, joy, confusion, and growth, they realize their own emotions are not abnormal or unusual. She illustrates this with three personal anecdotes: first, when she was accepted to over 15 universities and felt lost, a quote from 'The Cafe on the Edge of the World' about following one's purpose helped her make her decision. Second, when she experienced the loss of someone close, Nicholas Sparks' 'The Best of Me' offered the insight that losing a person does not mean stopping loving them, helping her process grief. Third, reading 'I Am Malala' motivated her by showing her an example of extraordinary courage, prompting self-reflection about her own potential.

In the second half of the talk, Nodira discusses how reading cultivates emotional literacy and independence. She defines emotional independence not as no longer needing people, but as no longer needing others to define who you are. She contrasts this with emotional dependence, which she associates with social media behaviors like constantly seeking validation, replies, and visibility. She argues that real friendships are formed offline and that social media cannot provide genuine support.

She outlines three specific ways reading builds emotional literacy: it teaches readers to sit with discomfort by experiencing difficult situations alongside characters; it demonstrates that emotions are survivable by showing characters endure hardship; and it shapes one's inner dialogue by quieting external noise and amplifying one's inner voice. She closes by clarifying that she is not advocating for isolation or introversion, but rather for using reading as a path to emotional self-sufficiency and a stronger sense of self.