By Mihika Badjate
Most High School students consider themselves “busy.” In addition to homework, many have to juggle extracurricular activities, such as sports, musical instruments, art classes, and any other activities outside the normal school curriculum that they find themselves interested in. Although students may love being involved in lots of activities in and outside school, it is important that students balance their time wisely, and make sure they are not overloaded.
Engaging in activities outside the normal school curriculum allows students to pursue their specific interests, and explore subjects that they may not discover they have an interest in at school. Having an abundance of extracurricular activities also provides students a break from the normal routine of school and homework. Whether it is sports, art, music, etc., extracurricular activities give students some time to relax and enjoy themselves. They also allow students to interact with more people, make new friends, and learn social skills. Along with core skills, students also learn how to manage their time. Students have to learn to fit in homework in between many other practices and lessons they may have scheduled after school. Finally, having activities that you engage in outside of the normal curriculum looks good on your resumé, especially for the college application.
While there are many benefits to having extracurricular activities, it is important to keep the drawbacks of piling on too many in mind. It is crucial to consider workload before over scheduling. Extracurricular activities shouldn’t cause grades to fall, or stress students out to an extreme level. Students also should not have to stay awake until midnight finishing homework because their sports practice or singing class ended at eight.
The ‘right amount” of extracurricular activities ultimately depends on the student. If you feel like you can handle lots of activities, and balance your workload while still getting enough sleep and free time, then you’d probably enjoy getting involved in lots of different activities. However, there’s nothing wrong with focusing on a few core activities that you really enjoy, and leaving yourself a little free time as well.
