The common topic around extracurricular activities in relation to college-students having better well-being goes without saying. If you would like to seek tips on how to be healthier as a college student, please see the following blog post, Staying Healthy as a College Student. As athletics and fitness is a subcategory of extracurricular activities, this article goes beyond the well-being benefit that these activities have to offer, and although the most difficult aspect of trying something new or maintaining a certain activity over time is the difficulties we feel when stepping out of our comfort zone. We often find ourselves either having too much stress that allows us to prioritize aspects and closing other areas of our life that are equally important. Balance in your life as a college student is essential for growth and development over time. This article focuses on key factors that can be beneficial to your life as a college student by participating in extracurricular activities.
- Increase your social circle
One of the challenges as a college student, especially as a freshman or sophomore, is the ability to have the opportunity to get to know a lot of people that have similar interests. The extracurricular activity that you may have signed up for gives you the opportunity to meet other people that already show an interest in the activity that you have chosen, which is a quick way to build relationships and lifelong friendships. The opportunity to network and increase your social circle through extracurricular activities can give you essential social skills that can also help you in other areas of your life such as your professional career.
- Find your interests
If you are a student that may struggle to find certain interests or hobbies, extracurricular activities can help you discover new interests that you were unaware of. Extracurricular activities go beyond the fitness aspect. You can also major in economics and have a strong passion for the degree. If this is the case, you might have a deep interest in joining an econ club such as the one offered at the Idaho State University College of Business as this fits your particular interest. Exploring different interests gives students the opportunity to be in diverse settings that are not just part of the standardized school curriculum.
- Higher academic performance
When college students immerse themselves in social clubs and clubs that are related to their major for example, they are gaining exposure to concepts that they have been learning in the classroom and have the opportunity to explore these concepts in a creative setting with other eager learners that are also in your shoes. Being involved in clubs and outside classroom activities puts you in a position to improve your time management skills, which can help you be more efficient. This is an essential developmental skill when it comes to achieving higher academic success.
- Community involvement
Another important factor of extracurricular activities is that it gives students the opportunity to be a part of and create a sustained level of community involvement within your university, whether it is being a part of the student government association, or student clubs. Intramural sports/fitness groups, and cultural clubs through the diversity center. All these categories of extracurricular activities have an important component to each of them that allows for building the community and impacting your university in a positive way. Having the sense of being a part of community development gives the opportunity to improve your leadership and interpersonal skills that are essential in your professional career.
In conclusion, there is no doubt that extracurricular activities have immense value that could allow you to have a competitive edge in your professional aspirations and life. Highlighted in this article are various areas of growth and development that are aligned with extracurricular activities including, Increase your Social Circle, Find your Interests, Higher Academic Performance, and Community Involvement. If you may be struggling to find extracurricular activities that interest you, Idaho State University has an entire list of available clubs at the University- Clubs | Idaho State University.
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