Do you feel like you already have a lot to do throughout your day? The principle thinks every student should have to do one or more extracurricular activities. I disagree, I think students should be able to decide on their own. Some students enjoy during extra curriculars, while others don't. Doing extra curricular activities should be optional (not mandatory) because students have plans after school, it can add to their stress, and it takes time away that they could be spending with family and friends.

First of all, many students have plans after school that they wouldn't be able to do if they were forced to do an extra curricular activity. Kid's have study groups, dentist appointments, doctors appointments, and more. I know that I have a dentist appointment after school today, and I wanted to stay after school but now I can't. Also, students might have tutors or get extra help after school. If they are doing an extracurricular activity then they have less time to get the extra help that they really need. Another thing to think about is that students have chores and responsibilities after school, it would make it harder to get them done if they were doing their extra curricular activity. Kid's are already so busy and already have plans for after school.

Secondly, doing an extra curricular activity can add to their stress, which is unhealthy. People want and need to relax, so they can take their minds off of school and not worry about all the things they have to do. Students already have lot's of homework, studying for tests, makeup work, etc, to complete each day. What's even more stressful then already having to do all that, is some extra curricular activities can require extra homework or practice to complete on your own time. I know that on days where I stay after school, I don't get home until 5:30, and then have homework, studying, chores, and more. It's very stressful to have such a packed day.

Lastly, students want to use the time they have in their day to spend time with family and friends. Doing an extra curricular takes time away from being able to do that. Parents want to spend time with their kids, talk to them, catch up with them, hang out with them, but their busy schedules makes that hard to do already. Also, maybe their siblings want to spend time with them or ask them for help with school work. Adding an extra curricular activity to their day will mean less quality time to spend. They might feel like they don't have enough time in their day to spend it with family and friends. Even if you say that they can hang out with friends at school and they will have fun at the extra curricular, that's not the case for everyone. Their friends might not be in the same extra curricular as them, and even if they are in the same one, or even if they do have fun, then they should have the option to take it.

In conclusion, it should not be mandatory to do an extra curricular activity because students are busy and already have things to do after school, it will make them more worried about homework and studying, and it will take time away that they could be spending with family and friends. Ask a friend who takes an extra curricular or yourself (if you take an extra curricular), how busy it makes your day, and weather or not someone should be forced to do an extra curricular. Students already have lot's to do, why add more stress?