Every school contains extracurricular activities, from sports to clubs to the student council. These after school activities were created to entertain those students who wanted to learn or have fun with others while in a safe and comfortable environment. Although most schools don't force participation, it would be extremely beneficial if they did as extracurricular activities teach how to cooperate with others, allow students to explore things out of their comfort zone and meet new people and shows the crucial importance of time management.

Learning teamwork and cooperation with your peers is an important thing to learn all throughout middle and high school. Being on a sports team or in a competitive club can show students how to work with each other and communicate accordingly. For instance, when on a sports team like volleyball, teamwork is essential. Each member plays an important role but that role cannot be correctly executed unless the other members are assisting. The hitter depends on the setter to give a sturdy and high set in order to spike the ball and score a point, and the setter relies on the defensive line to give a high and straight pass in order to provide a good set. Communication and cooperation with one another is vital and can overall teach the players many lessons and prepare them for the future.

Furthermore, extracurricular activities can also allow students to get out of their comfort zone to learn new things and meet new people. Schools contain numerous different clubs, one for each different crowd a student might fall into. There might be a club for music, books, movies, the environment, writing, or science and math, etc. Making sure students must participate in one of these clubs or activities can give them the push they need to realize a hobby they might not have known they had or meet a new friend they would have never talked to outside of the club. When I was new to my school, I didn't know anyone to well but once I joined cooking club, I learned many new things while participating and met brand new students too.

Although some might argue that they might not have time for this after school activity because of homework or chores, this decision made by the school can give students the chance to work on their time management. Time management is one skill that is very hard to achieve but is used almost all throughout your life. Managing school work, with the extracurricular activity, and whatever else they might have at home can allow students to work on this skill and apply it to real life.

The decision stating that all students must participate in extracurricular activities can overall help them when it comes to their future. Giving these students the opportunity to socialize with peers and enjoy themselves can benefit them in too many ways to count, educating them and further preparing them for what's to come after high school and even after college as well. The countless different clubs and teams can allows them to learn to cooperate with others, learn and meet new people and practice their time management skills.