According to Dr. Maxwell Olchena, a psychologist who studies the effects of marching band on adolescents' brains, participating in marching band can do one of two things depending on your personality, just wait until you see what his studies have proven! I think it's very important to do an extra curricular activity, but I do not believe it should be required, as we just do not have enough options for extra circulars to fit every student's desires. Some extra circulars, such as marching band, are not for the light of heart and truly are scary at points(especially drum line but we'll get into that later.) This is why students should do extra circulars, but it should not be a requirement.

Dr. Maxwell Olchena is a psychologist who has been studying the effects of marching band on adolescents' brains for almost 20 years, here's what his studies have shown: there are two things marching band can do to the brain of an adolescent, and however they are affected depends on their personality and nothing to do with IQ(Intelligence quota). Those with higher IQs tend to perform better in marching band, although marching band does not require you perform well(as hard work brings good performance.) The two things that can happen to the brain of an adolescent when they join marching band are, increased mood and productiveness, or decreased mood and productiveness, thats right. Marching band can do two polar opposite things to the adolescent brain. Dr. Olchena's studies have shown that when someone considered an extrovert joins marching band, their mood will decrease and they will become burnt out, this is because they aren't used to the amount of work put into their social life. Marching band is less a sport and more of a social activity, unless you are willing to accept it as your only family, you will not be happy and become very burnt out. Here's where Olchena's studies get crazy, introverts are more likely to have increased moods and increased productiveness when joining marching band. Olchena's studies have also shown that when and introvert joins marching band, they become more social, and those around them report and increase in socializing. Now here's where this relates to every extra curricular, Olchena had his friend, and fellow psychologist, Dr. Alan Russell study this in his area of study, debate team, and the exact opposite is true for this extra curricular. Introverts tend to lose productiveness and have a decrease in happiness, whereas extroverts tend to have increased productiveness and mood.

Drum line, however, is where the studies get interesting. Dr. Brock Hayman, an expert in the effects of drum line on the adolescent brain, has discovered a new area of the brain that awakens the second you join drum line. This area is called the Drumbolow Cortex. When activated, this area of the brain never turns off. The Drumbolow Cortex does some weird things to the brain once activated, it can cause the person to do crazy things, such as picking up gum on the ground of the parking lot at band camp(This has actually happened before.) Other signs that this area has been activated are: inability to stop drumming, addiction to buying drumsticks, need to move up rankings in drumlins, and recruiting more people for the drum line. studies show that 90% of people do not even have this area in their brain, and fewer than 5% of the population has it activated.

These are all good reasons why you should join an extracurricular(*cough cough drum line cough cough*,) so why shouldn't it be a requirement? Dr. Brett Staudt, a psychologist who studies the effects of marching band on people's actions around family members, has the answer to your question. "Those who chose to join marching band will become a disturbance to their family, they will become obsessed with showing their family shows by Drum Corps International, such as the Cavaliers 2011 show in which the drums are upside down. Most of the population does not care whatsoever about how amazingly cool it is to drum upside down, but any person who chooses to join marching band, even if they don't do drum line, will become obsessed with the fact that people have enough skill to play the tenors upside down." This quote says two things, you should watch the Cavaliers 2011 show, and also that marching band has negative effects on the life of family members of the person who chooses this curse/blessing of an activity, not to mention, you'll never see that person again because they'll always be at practice or hanging out with their marching band friends.

Although I do believe it is a good idea to do an extra curricular, Dr. Nathan Strain has done countless studies on forcing adolescents to partake in things, and it causes them to be less interested in what they're doing. I would rather not have people in marching band who are there only because they've been forced to be there, as they will not work as hard because all they care about is the fact that they have to do it. When students have free will and the ability to make their own decision, they will choose what they feel is best for them self and we should let them do whatever they believe is best for their situation in life at the moment. You never know what else a student has to do at home just to have enough money for food, or to pay for other expenses.

What I take away from this evidence is that we should not force students to participate in extra curricular, but rather encourage them to do so. Personally, joining drum line was the best choice(I'm kidding it was a mistake but I'm glad I made it) I've ever made and I will continue doing drum line for the rest of my high school and college career, although had I been forced, I'm not sure if I'd be as happy to be in it. I genuinely think forcing students to do anything will cause burnout and decrease happiness. I truly think students should make their own decision on if an extra curricular fits in their life or not.