Think back to your middle and high school days where the biggest decision you had to make was what club you were going to participate in with your best friend. Was is required to join a club, or did you do it for fun and the experience? The majority of students participate in extracurricular activities to learn or practice certain skills they obtained in that activity. Although, this is not the case for everyone because there is still some students that do not engage in non-academic related activities because it isn't required. I believe that all students should participate in at least one extracurricular activity because it gives them the opportunity to discover new activities, participate in something new and learn a set of social skills they will carry with themselves for the rest of their lives.

There is a very wide array of extracurricular activities to choose from, therefore you have more opportunities to discover something new. You might join a club or sport because your best friend is doing it or your parents told you to give it a try, and you could realize that the activity is something you really enjoy and are passionate about. Sometimes, people get hesitant to try new things, but what harm could be done? The worst thing that could happen is that you don't enjoy the activity and might have to try something different. Overall, joining an extracurricular activity is one of the best ways to learn about or discover something you truly enjoy.

All of the extracurricular activities you engage in should be things you enjoy doing because they take up a big part of your life and can sometimes act as the support you need to get through tough situations. Sometimes academics can be stressful, but that is where the activities that you enjoy come in. Especially as students get older, they tend to resort to their hobbies as a way to keep them calm. Extracurricular activities can also effect your academic performance and the other way around. This is shown a lot through sports because, most of the time, your grades affect whether you get to play or not. Additionally, participating in activities allows you to practice and show off your skills. Therefore participating in an activity can be beneficial to your life in multiple ways.

Having a set of social skills is crucial to your adult life, and one of the best ways to understand this is by doing an activity that helps you form those skills. Discipline, for example, is one of the main skills you learn, especially when participating in sports. There is other skills you learn as well that are applied more to your social life. Being around people that are passionate about the same activities you love creates friendships that can last you the rest of your life. Many people meet their greatest friends through participating in activities both of them enjoy. By joining a club or activity, you influence not only others, but yourself to work harder and accomplish your goals. For example, if you were on the soccer team, you might want to make it a goal to work out every day after school to make your stronger. Engaging in extracurricular activities creates additional skill sets that help your social life as a human.

In conclusion, participating in at least one extracurricular activity should be required for students because it not only allows them to explore new activities, but it benefits their academic and social skills. Although there can be conflicts with money and time that some students might not have, it is still important to give them the experiences they need to become vulnerable to success.