When people ask what the best memory or the best part of school was for them, people do not tend to answer with the school part itself. Most people tend to answer with going to football games, being apart of a team and winning, or just being with the environment of friends. Especially when parents get asked they will say, "Let me show you my school yearbooks." Everything that was given as an example starts with an extracurricular activity. Sports, yearbook, photography, art, music, National Honor Society, student council, activities relating to the community are just some of the hundreds of offered clubs for a student. So if it is offered, why not try it? Students should participate in extracurricular activities because it helps social interaction between students, creates an outlet for students, and it allows students to enjoy something outside of school.

For instance, participating in outside activities helps students become more socially active by being around groups of people with similar interests. This generation that is currently in school, Generation Z, has grown up with the technology of phones and such, so they do not have the social interaction that children of latter generations did. For example, from being around students the average time they are on their phone ranges from two to eleven hours a day, and students participating in outside activities typically have a lower screen time. To add, extracurricular activities creates friendships that bond one another over having similar interests. Students who struggle with trying to find a place to fit in now have a way to find friends and enjoy school because of it. Because school is such a tough place if you are not very social, these kids can find people who enjoy hobbies or maybe are quiet like they are to make them feel as if they fit in.

In addition, when students join an extracurricular activity, it allows them to have an outlet rather than being solely focused on school. Teachers and students may have no idea as to what a child's home life is like. Having students who do have a rougher home life can be extremely beneficial by just getting them away and out of the house. Also, students that participate tend to have better grades than kids who do not participate in outside activities. From first hand experience, I can tell you that kids who have a hobby or something of interest, especially particular student athletes, have a drive to want to succeed rather than students who get some of their work done then continue to binge Netflix. Having students participate can also lead to them trying new things which can lead into a love or passion of a hobby and igniting that spark. Having students try new things also builds better acceptance and trust, and who knows if you never tried it in the first place.

Also, students being in activities outside of school can allow kids to have fun, enjoy what they are doing, and being creative. When I went to Generic_School to tour the school, the majority of seniors said that they regretted not participating more in extracurricular activities or items such as B-Tech. They responded with that they would have had a better time or more fun, and that is the point of extracurricular activities. Students only live being in school once, and they should experience and be apart of activities because that is what it is there for. To add, activities such as art, photography, music, computer based, and even sports help students become more creative by making them think different to solve problems or being able to make art different and pleasing.

In conclusion, activities outside of school should be an extremely considerable option for students. Social interactions between students, having a backside outlet, and allowing children to enjoy and trigger creativity are some of the few benefits extracurricular activities have on students. Children today are not as social as earlier generations were, and activities can allow to help students with that. Having students participate in an activity creates a way to not be entirely stressed about school, and just allowing students to enjoy themselves is what extracurricular activities do for students. I can tell you that the most enjoyable time I had this year was playing for the Generic_School junior varsity basketball team. I met a new group of friends that I would not normally be with or think to be with, it allowed me to not be entirely stressed over school and work, and I had innumerable laughs and smiles on that team through those months along with expanding my game as an athlete. So, what was your most memorable part of school as a child?