A recent study shows that individuals who participated in extracurricular activities as a child are more successful in life than those who did not take part in a sport or activity. This is most likely because of the important life skills and lessons that are taught through these activities. I think that all students at my school should be required to take at least one extracurricular activity in order to learn about commitment, work together with classmates, and discover what their interests are for future careers.

Speaking from experience, I can honestly say that activities such as sports, student council, and yearbook can all contribute to creating better commitment and time management skills. Students who choose to take part in activities outside of school must learn how to balance their homework along with their commitments. School prepares children for the future, and this important time management lesson would be crucial in every student's adult life. Along with time management, commitment is also a necessary lesson to be taught at a young age. For example, athletes are warned to never miss a practice unless it is absolutely necessary. They have committed to the team, therefore, they attend every practice and work hard to better themselves. Because of this, they develop character. Athletes who show up to practice on time every day are learning how their life will be when they become adults and must be punctual and prepared for whichever occupation they choose.

Extracurricular activities are incredible ways to understand what it's like to work as a team and to be a leader. Students that serve on the Student Council are all taking part in leading their fellow classmates. Along with leading their school, Student Council members also have to know how to work together and complete tasks in order for our school to function properly. Cooperation and teamwork are essential things to practice because when students grow up, they won't always get the chance to lead. Sometimes, it's better to step down and let someone that is more qualified take control, and without extracurricular activities, students would never learn when or how to do this. Teamwork and leadership might seem like complete opposites, but in reality, they go hand in hand. Students don't normally get many opportunities throughout the school day to practice leading or working together, so required activities would be a great way to enforce these skills.

The final reason that our school should require extracurricular activities is because they assist students in figuring out what interests them. For example, if a student decides they will take a yearbook class in order to complete their required activity, they might discover a love of journalism that they never knew they had. Or on the other hand, they might decide that writing is just not for them and that they want to try something else. Regardless, these activities are helping students figure out what they're good at and making them better at their passion. Personally, I think this school should have a multitude of opportunities for students to figure out what they are truly passionate about and help them consider their future career.

In addition to these main benefits, there is a large amount of other lessons that students could potentially take away from extracurricular activities. Not only do they gain life skills and develop character, but they also gain a couple of new friends that will continue to help them grow throughout their life. In order to gather these essential life lessons and skills, students at my school should be required to take at least one extracurricular activity.