Here are 5 tips I've learned during my time as an English graduate student that will enhance your classics reading without the help of a professor (or any additional student debt):

1. Use a critical edition if you can.

A critical edition is essentially a copy with added scholarly material. Not every classic has a critical edition, and not all critical editions are created equally, but if you can find one (I personally love Norton Critical Editions), they provide a wealth of information such as footnotes with period-accurate definitions and essays from some of the top scholars in the field.

2. Write in your book!

For the longest time, I treated every book as a Holy Book, refusing to mar their pages with my mortal thoughts. After years of professors telling me to annotate, annotate, annotate, I hate to say it, but...they were right. Reading isn't a spectator activity. It's a conversation. Inking your side of the conversation on the page will keep you present and engaged with what the author is saying to you.

3. SparkNotes isn't just for slackers.

I can't condone only reading the SparkNotes, but using it as a resource is great. The plot summaries can clarify confusing sections and allow you to check your understanding at the end of each chapter, and the character lists are a lifesaver for books with large casts.

4. Don't be afraid of research rabbit-holes.

When you're on a time-crunch for a homework deadline, you don't always have time for extra research, but reading on your own gives you the freedom to go at your own pace and explore the texts with the depth they deserve. See if the author's original manuscript is available online. Look up how much the book sold for. Try searching for author correspondence around the time the book was written or published.

Craft your own "syllabus."

One of the benefits of taking a literature course is that the professor organizes the books according to some overarching theme or purpose. Luckily, you can do this too. Instead of making your way down a "100 Classics to Read Before You Die" list, start with a book that interests you and build your "syllabus" around it. If you start with Jane Austen, you might try reading the Gothic novels she references in Northanger Abbey next, or books by her contemporaries, or other books in her genre. This will allow you to build a better understanding of what makes Austen Austen, and over time, you'll develop a working knowledge of that part of literary history.

What tips do you use to elevate your reading? Feel free to share!