Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Join a club. Attempt an activity. Volunteer today. These are all so exciting, but then there is the Quadratic equations part left in math and then there is the Macbeth essay I have to write... I think I am forgetting something…yes, the physics equations.
I feel that the biggest trade-off that we high school students face is the one between participating in extracurricular activities and completing our coursework.
Misconception alert! I feel, extracurricular activities, in fact, improve academic performance and one’s outlook towards school life.
Concentration increases, time-management improves, and competitive activities can train you to perform better under pressure. Taking part in different activities and clubs helps one explore interests and create broader perspectives – there are so many things that we don’t know about. Isn’t it exciting to find out more about different perspectives and different activities?
In addition to developing one’s awareness, such activities bolster passion, confidence and improve self-esteem. Extracurricular activities can teach skills and methods in more enjoyable ways that can become more strongly ingrained in one’s memory because of the way in which they are delivered.
Moreover, socialising is extremely important to us. Extracurricular activities in the form of events, clubs and meetings create great platforms for meeting new people of similar or varying interests, build deeper friendships and share perspectives. These productive breaks can be the best way to grow while having fun!
Pursuing an extracurricular activity that you are passionate about can lead to learning important life skills such as time management, teamwork, prioritisation, setting targets, solving problems, communication, leadership and other activity specific skills. High endurance sports for example, increase focus and stamina when facing situations of difficulty and thus provide an advantage in exams.
I feel that we should think of academics and extracurricular activities as being equally balanced on a scale and together, they increase the weight of one’s productivity. So, I feel that our generation has an excellent opportunity to integrate activities into conventional academics to tap into our potential to the fullest.
How hypocritical of me! As I finish this article, I’ll rush back to analysing human anatomy in biology. I must concede that with my GCSEs lined up this year, it has become increasingly difficult to juggle it all! However, I keep trying and that’s the fun part about high school!
