Ever since I was in middle school, I would love getting involved in activities. But when I went to my high school (Weston Collegiate Institute) and university (York University), I went into hyperdrive. There's several reasons why I do extra-curriculars and why everyone should engage in them as much as possible without going overboard:
-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering taught me how to time manage. This is one of the biggest lessons I could have learned from extra-curriculars. Especially because I overloaded myself, I had put myself into a corner. This forced me to learn how to be more efficient in order to complete all the tasks necessary while staying sane and alive.
-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering taught me how to become a leader. The amazing thing about this world is that there is potential for every person to make an impact on it, and there's a variety of activities one can engage in. The rule is to find something you are passionate about. Don't just do 'resume-filler' activities. Nobody wins when you do those kinds of activities; you don't enjoy it, you don't enjoy talking about it, employers/interviewers can sense you dislike the activity, and valuable time is wasted. Find something you can see yourself loving enough that you could take charge and make a difference in it.
-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering taught me how to communicate with people. I learned how to be diplomatic when speaking to administration, chill when talking to students, fun when I'm with groups/parties, and informative yet encouraging when speaking to younger people. This allows you to meet even more people. You then further learn how to talk to them. When I was younger, all I did was observe people. Nowadays, that's legally called stalking, but I do not think it counts if it's everyone. Like my hero Syndrome from 'The Incredibles' said, 'When everyone is super, no one is.' But by observing people's interactions with one another, I learned what people responded positively to and what they did not enjoy as well. Following the rules I learned, you gain a sense of how to engage with different kinds of people. Extra-curriculars helps solidify how you adapt your personality to different people much faster and more effectively than just regular day-to-day interactions.
-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering taught me how to run successful events; a great business asset. Because I am a student, volunteering is the best way to gain real world experience and skills within an academic environment. You learn how to hone your skills to become more organized, efficient, and logical. You also learn skills in other areas, such as promotion, obtaining permits, sponsorships, administrative skills, social media, and so much more. And it's fun!
-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering gave me a second/third home. I would spend more time and enjoy York University and Weston Collegiate Institute more than my own house. I worked hard to enjoy this privilege and hopefully one day you will understand the same joy of doing more than just academics and/or work. So get out there and do something!
