Extracurricular activities are things done outside of work or the classroom. They don't necessarily have to be related to one's education or work, but when properly applied, extracurricular activities can be extremely useful in improving one's work or education. According to a study in the Journal of Adolescent Research, students that participate in extracurricular activities perform better academically and socially. Examples of extracurricular activities include playing on a sports team, writing for a paper or blog, participating in a drama or music group, etc.

Choosing the perfect extracurricular activity can be daunting, but it need not be. Just as we advised when choosing a career, picking an extracurricular activity should be based on passion, even more so because at this stage, it can greatly influence your later career path. A perfect extracurricular activity allows you to learn as well as do, to take initiative and teaches you about life and the world in general, things you cannot learn in a classroom.

Below is a list of common extracurricular activities that a student can partake in without disrupting their regular school schedule:

Sports and recreation:

1. Football
2. Basketball
3. Track and field
4. Gymnastics
5. Swimming
6. Volleyball
7. Tennis
8. Wrestling

The Arts:

1. Painting/drawing
2. Theatre
3. Choir
4. Dance
5. Band
6. Music

Social:

1. Student government
2. Debating
3. Mock trial
4. Speech and spelling club
5. Model UN
6. Volunteering
6.1. Library
6.2. Church
6.3. Shops
6.4. Artisan work

All the above extracurricular activities can be easily done by students without sacrificing their study time and will prove extremely helpful in both their schoolwork and understanding how the real world works.

Furthermore, engaging in extracurricular activities isn't solely the responsibility of the student. Schools should ensure the facilities are in place to support extracurricular groups and activities for students, teachers should be given freedom to run programs for the students in line with the school model, help from the local community should be sought to improve quality of the programs, and measures should be put in place to ensure the safety of the students and properly educate the parents on the value of extracurricular activities.

If you have any thoughts or additional extracurricular activities that students can engage in, please share in the comments below.

Source: Exercise Book, the BlueBic blog.

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