To me, having an extracurricular activity is a very important thing that I do because I have something to look forward to after having a stressful day of school. Instead of going home and doing homework, I can socialize with my friends and stop worrying about other things going on. I think if everyone in the school got that opportunity, students would be more social and be able to make new friends.

Playing sports has always been a big thing in my family because sports will keep you active and out of the house and the last thing my parents want to see is us sitting on the couch doing nothing, but having an activity will keep you busy. As the years pass, more and more children are becoming overweight, and sports provide daily exercise to prevent childhood obesity and possibly encourage better eating habits. Most sports are one team working together to achieve a common goal. This can teach young athletes teamwork and social skills that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

When I am really stressed out about something, I will usually put my headphones on listen to some music or go outside and play basketball or lacrosse. Doing something you enjoy will usually calm you down and relieve stress. Afterschool activities can really help if you are usually stressed about something. If sports aren't your thing, there are plenty of other activities you can do like clubs and social groups. Joining a social group will help you make new friends and find people that relate to you. Bullying is a serious thing, and something that could reduce or prevent it is a social group. Having people interact with eachother will create bonds and reduce bullying.

So if all students had to participate in at least one extracurricular activity, I think it would benefit the school and the community. This would provide exercise to ones who join a sports team, teach teamwork and social skills, decrease stress, help students socialize, and prevent bullying.