One day a student finds out that her principal has decided all students must participate in an extracurricular activity. She learns that an extracurricular activity is a club or sport that students engage in outside of school. While some students say that this is a good decision, others argue that they are not interested in any of the activities available and that it will be a waste of their free time. However, I agree with this decision as requiring students to participate in an extracurricular activity will keep them occupied, allow them to meet new people, and help them find a new hobby.

One reason that I agree with the principle's decision is that making extracurricular activities a requirement will keep students occupied with safe and positive activities. For example, many students may not be physically active due to the fact that they do not have the motivation or immediate need to be. However, by joining their local soccer team they will have a reason to be active while still having fun participating. Students who do not have any clubs to participate in may also attempt to fill in their free time with unsafe activities such as trying a drug or joining a gang. Extracurricular activities would reduce this behavior as it will fill in this time with safe activities and help students find an interest that they can participate in for the future.

Another reason extracurricular activities would be beneficial is that students who participate in activities they enjoy will meet new people with the same interest. This has personally happened to me during the seventh grade. Crocheting has always been a hobby of mine, but I never knew many people who shared the same interest as me. Due to this, I had always participated in the activity alone. When I found out that my school had a Fiber Arts club, I joined it to see what it was like. What I had discovered was that there where many people I knew who shared the same interest as me without my knowledge. This resulted in me forming closer bonds with them and meeting new people who became my friends in the future. Students should be required to participate in an extracurricular activity because a student joining a club that interests them will allow them to grow their passion while meeting new people.

The final reason mandatory extracurricular activities would have a positive effect is that students may end up discovering an interest that they were not aware they had before. Despite a student not having a hobby that is provided through an extracurricular activity, by joining a club they may discover a new passion. For example, the Fiber Arts club I had joined also included knitting and felting activities. While at first I was only focused on doing what I was comfortable with, I soon got interested in the other activities that were available. Through this, I discovered new hobbies I still enjoy to this day which other students may also experience.

Making extracurricular activities mandatory will be beneficial to students as it will keep them occupied, allow them to meet people who share their interests, and lead to new hobbies being discovered. When students participate in extracurricular activities, it reduces risky actions they may perform out of boredom. Joining a club may also lead to them meeting people with the same interests, or even discovering a new interest. I agree with the principal's decision of requiring the participation of extracurricular activities as it will benefit the students who participate in them.