Time is ticking down and you have five seconds to make a basket to win the game. As you call for the ball, your teammate passes you the ball. You think for a split second, dribble in, and shoot. The ball goes through the hoop and the whole crowd goes wild. Bursting with happiness, you walk outside as your sister comes up to you and congratulates you. She then heads off to figure out a plan for the new yearbook cover for her school. You smile and wave back at your friend as they head out the door as well. They begin ruinning to get to the student council meeting to work on the new environmental plan. As your brother shuffles onto the court and makes a funny face at you, you begin to laugh as you make your way to watch his game. Activities like these are sure to keep you busy at times, but extracurricular activities are a fun way to get away from all of the bombarding school work. I agree that students should participate in extracurricular activities because it helps students get creative in and out of school, keeps them healthy, and helps them gain great life skills.

I agree that students should participate in extracurricular activities because it helps students get creative in and out of school. Activities require students to come up with new ideas. Basketball, baseball, and soccer all require you and your coach to come up with new plays. This helps fake out the team in order to score. On the other hand, yearbook requires you to collaborate and come up with a new cover so the yearbooks stay fresh and up to date. Extracurricular activities also require you to think outside of the box and problem solve. Although, student council needs problem solvers in order to keep the school running smoothly, certain subjects in school also need new ways to solve equations, such as math.

Students should take part in extracurricular activities because it can keep them healthy. Certain sports require lots of running including basketball, baseball, football, and soccer. Other sports such as swimming require you to be in shape which means you have to keeps your body moving. After school activities can also improve someone's happiness. Doing something that you love is sure to put a smile on your face, especially if your around friends that support you. School is also extremely stressful at times and many people need a break. Being around supporting people and focusing on another subject other than school can relieve school. The activity helps you get your mind off of something, like school, that may be bothering you, which is a comforting feeling. This can put your mind at ease.

I believe students should be apart of one extracurricular activity because it helps them gain great life skills. Throughout the weeks, months, or years students are doing an activity, they will learn basic time management. Students will have to make a schedule to fit in school, the activity they have found they enjoy, and piles of homework assigned to them. Time management will help later in life to make it on time for work or any other event. Another skill they will learn is competition. Many students will compete with one another in an activity. They try to beat one another by being better, which helps them improve in that activity. Competition will help them later in life when they need to compete for a job that other people are interested in. One last skill students will learn is communication skills. Collaboration and communication is a key quality students will acquire in yearbook, student council, sports, choir, band, or a club. Communication is a quality most companies are looking for in an employee. If students have these skills, their rate of being hired increases.

In conclusion, I believe that students should be apart of extracurricular activities for the life skills they can gain, the creativeness they can achieve with their minds, and to stay healthy. No matter where you are or what you do, you can carry qualities you have learned from an after school activity. In the future, I hope more students will take it upon themselves and participate in more after school activities.