Have you ever participated in an extracurricular activity? If so, you know that they are intellectually stimulating, and can be beneficial to the lives of students. I believe that every student should participate in an extracurricular activity. All students should participate in at least one extracurricular activity because they teach life skills, help shy students get involved, and keep students occupied.

Extracurricular activity participants learn life skills. One life skill is time management. Time management is a difficult skill to learn at any age. If students participate in an extracurricular activity, they will have to learn to balance their time so they can complete homework and study, along with another activity. Secondly, these types of activities can teach students how to work as a team. At some point in the future, they will have to collaborate with co-workers in their job. Lastly, even though students must participate in at least one extracurricular activity, they are able to decide which club they want to join. This teaches decision making and can help these students in the future. Extracurricular activities teach life skills needed for the future.

Participating in extracurricular activities is beneficial to students who are shy because it gets them more involved. My sister, Generic_Name, started sixth grade this year. She was a very shy fifth grader, so my parents were worried that making friends was not going to be easy in middle school. My parents made her choose one club. She decided that yearbook club would be the best club for her to participate in. On her first day, Generic_Name was very nervous because she did not know what types of activities they did in yearbook club, or anyone who signed up. After school that day, I asked her if she enjoyed yearbook club. She told me that during lunch, they went around the school taking pictures of students for the yearbook. She also told me she met three girls who were also in science club. They wanted her to join them for the next science club meeting, and she was excited about attending. The next week when I was in the hallway, I saw her taking pictures for the yearbook with her friends. She was laughing and talking with them. Generic_Name was no longer a shy fifth grader. She had found friends, a hobby, and had learned to be open to trying new activities.

Participating in extracurricular activities helps to keep kids occupied. First, it keeps them out of trouble. If they homework and a club, they have to manage their time wisely, so they don't have time to get in trouble. Next, if their parents work, it gives them a place to be instead of sitting at home alone. With two parents that work until five, it is nice to go to soccer practice instead of being home alone. Finally, it keeps kids off devices. In a world like today, devices are everywhere. Students use laptops at school, and then they go home and play games online. Going to an activity after school reduces the time that students are on their devices at home. Participating in a club or extracurricular activity helps to keep students occupied.

I believe that all students should participate in at least one extracurricular activity. Extracurricular activities teach life skills, help shy kids get more involved, and keep students occupied. If you know a student who is not involved with any extracurricular activities, encourage them to find one that they are interested in and give them your reasoning. I guarantee they won't be disappointed after their first meeting.