High School Students Benefit From Extra-Curricular Activities
High school students feel the increasing pressures of academic assessments and college prep exams. Too must concentration on classroom learning increases the stress level of a teenager and can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, even depression. Not every young person is an academic high achiever. For those who want to explore other avenues of self-expression, develop latent talents, or just take time out from academic stress, extracurricular activities are great ways to relieve the pressure and plus they help a teen to develop a more well-rounded personality.
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Personality Development
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A student who participates actively in sports other extracurricular activities has a healthier social life than one whose focus is just on academics. Drama, debate team, science clubs or games and athletics will keep her more mentally and physically involved. Extracurricular activitis help student to become more focused and goal-oriented, since rehearsals or debate trials, for instance, will teach her to be more competitive and driven. A teenager who does not participate in extracurricular activities might feel bored and will have very little to do.
Staying Out of Trouble
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If time after school is spent in productive and healthy activities, an impressionable teenager might be able to stay away from some exposure to drugs and gangs. Extracurricular activities give the teen a way to stay clear of danger. Sports keep him physically fit and clubs will help him explore interests and hobbies that will keep him mentally and psychologically secure. For a young person who has free hours, it is easy to fall prey to harmful influences.
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Team Spirit and Empathy
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The advantages of sports are many, but for a developing teen, sports help build team spirit. He learns to get along with others and work as a team player. The same can be said for clubs and societies that he joins where he can participate in small group activities, develop leadership skills and develop team spirit. In volunteer activities and social work the high school student benefits from giving time to causes such as the environment or even part-time teaching. He becomes empathetic and sensitive to the needs of others and grows as a person.
College Applications
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Finally, a high school student can use his extracurricular activities and achievements to add to his resume for college. Colleges look for the "well-rounded" applicant, and an application with solid extracurricular references will stand out. Extracurricular activities are just the beginning for a student who wants to participate in everything that life at that point has to offer. They are an organized way of spending time productively and learning more about yourself and who you want to be.
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