One of the first experiences I have had with extracurricular activities is playing soccer when I was about 5 years old. Now in no way was this a competitive team, but I did learn a lot from it. Not only did I learn that one really needs to communicate when playing, but also learning life long lessons that have stuck with me to this day.  I believe academics and extracurricular activities really go hand in hand. Being in an extracurricular activity like sports, musicals, arts, etc. can really improve one's academic achievements. I encourage everyone to join at least one extracurricular activities, for multiple reasons. Some of those reasons are increased test scores, human interaction, lifelong lessons, and it's overall a great experience to have.

 One of the biggest correlations between the two is the increase of test and GPA scores. According to the United States Census Bureau in an article titled “School Engagement Higher for Children Involved in Extracurricular Activities” in November of 2018, “Students tend to have more school engagement when involved in one or more activities.” School is a very boring place to be for many students, which makes students not pay much attention. If one is in an extracurricular activity they are probably wanting to participate in it. In order to do this, they need to show the coaches that they can be productive outside of that activity. Students should be all around good students, meaning they should be equally involved in school and the extracurricular activity. The increase in school engagement will cause an increase in grades and test scores. Enforcing the rule that students can not participate in an extracurricular activity with an F will make students work harder to keep up the good grades. Students who are in an extracurricular activity are also better with managing time. Time management is a very important skill to have thought out life, developing this skill early on with help big time when in college or even becoming an adult. With extracurriculars taking away from one's school work, that person needs to figure out a schedule or balance to fit in their activities with their school work. Not only do extracurricular activities help with test scores but it can also help someone when it comes to friends.

Human interaction is also a big advantage of joining an extracurricular activity. What I mean by this is that being around more people helps make the school environment more enjoyable. When being in an extracurricular activity one can meet some new friends. This is a big one for people who go to larger schools with over 150 students in their grade. Creating a lasting friendship with someone is a very special thing. What makes it even better is if both people are in the same activities. According to NCBI in July of 2011, “Extracurricular activities are settings that are theorized to help adolescents maintain existing friendships and develop new friendships.” When joining an extracurricular activity one will become friends with everyone else who is in that extracurricular activity. These activities also help with keeping interaction skills. By this I mean knowing how to communicate with people. The students who go to school then just go home and sit in their room have very poor communication skills. With having good communication skills one is more likely to make friends and have a better relationship with teachers and coaches. When a student communicates with their teacher or coach, that adult will go great lengths to help that student. Being in an extracurricular activity can also help with learning how to become a leader. Now a leader is not someone who tells others what to do, a leader is a person who one looks up to. For example, if a person on the speech team is extremely good at what he or she does, others will want to look up to him or her. Not only being a leader in extracurriculars but also in school. People might look up to someone because they are really smart or they are all around a good person, not just for an activity they are in. Setting a good example for younger kids is something everyone should try to achieve. I feel like this is easier when one is involved in activities outside of school. Other than what someone can learn from extracurricular activities, there are also many positives that will help in life.

Not only does extracurricular activities help in school, but they can also teach a person a lot. The main thing these activities can teach somebody's how to become a good teammate. All extracurricular activities have a team, and learning how to work with that team can be a struggle. When working on a team everyone needs to bring something to the table. This is the same for group projects at school. I have been in groups many times where I am the only one doing the project, and I know this happens to many other people too. This is not the case for extracurricular activities because is only one person is working hard on what they need to be going, the team will not get very far. Everyone on the team needs to participate to win in the activity. Another positive about being in an extracurricular activity is staying healthy. Now, this doesn’t just include sports, although that is a big one, but also the arts, speech, drama, and so much more. Instead of someone just going home to sit in their room they are out doing stuff and staying healthy. A very common habit of people is eating when they are bored. When a person is doing stuff and interacting with people they probably aren't eating that whole time which helps with one's health. I believe one of the best outcomes of being in an extracurricular activity is having increased self-esteem. According to Psychology Today in August of 2014, “development of competence or expertise in extracurricular activities can lead to a sense of personal effectiveness and feelings of autonomy, and these are associated with the promotion of self-esteem.” It is a natural instinct to feel proud of oneself when they are complimented or congratulated on something they did. For example, if someone made a really good play in a sport and the coach recognizes that and says something about it, that person can feel like they accomplished something, which overall would help them to believe in themselves more. There are many things to learn from extracurricular activities, and there are many amazing parts to being in one.

    One of the most important points is that extracurricular activities are just overall a great experience to have. For one it looks really good on college resumes According to US News in October of 2018, “High school students that have had a strong positive influence on their community through an extracurricular activity may impress a college and get a scholarship.” When a college sees that someone is involved outside of school, it will be the deciding factor between two applications. Another thing that comes along with joining extracurricular activities is the fulfilled childhood one would have when being involved. Having memories from a good childhood is a very special thing to have. Extracurricular activities can help to improve those memories and make many more. A big thing someone can learn from being in extracurricular activities is learning how to become more independent. Being independent is something everyone will have to learn at some point, and being in an extracurricular activity can help to speed that process along. Parents and coaches need to be able to trust the student or athlete to keep their grades up, pass on information, and much more. Learning these skills early will put someone ahead of the curve and show teachers and coaches how important the activity is. Extracurricular activities are a very useful and fun thing to do that can really help someone in life.

    In conclusion, I believe everyone should be in at least one extracurricular activity if not for the enjoyment, for everything someone can learn from it. One of the first experiences I had was playing soccer when I was 5 years old. That was a very memorable time in my childhood that I still remember today. Extracurricular activities have helped me a lot as a person and a student, and they could help other people too. Some of the things one can get from joining an extracurricular activity is an increase in test scores, more friends, all the important things one can learn, and the memories one will get. I encourage everyone to join an extracurricular activity. And who knows, one might find a new hobby they enjoy.