Why Extracurricular Activities (EA) are Needed in Institutions Today? How EA Enhances the Career Prospects of Students in the Age of Artificial Intelligence?

Abstract 

Extracurricular activities are a critical component of your career growth and success. You need to impress employees with your interests,as multiskilling is need of the hour. But you might not know what good extracurricular activities best suits you or what you should be spending your time on so that you can add value on your career growth process.

Keywords: Extracurricular, Activities, Career Education Success 

Outlines of this article 

This blog article includes

1. What's Extra-curricular Activities

2. Why extracurricular activities are needed

3. What are the types of extracurricular activities be included in the list in higher education institutions

4. List of extracurricular activities

5. What's prerequisites of a department of extracurricular activity

6. How to balance academic and extracurricular activities

7. How to select professional organisations for harnessing benefits of extracurricular activities

8. Concluding Remarks

1. What's Extracurricular Activity?

In a nutshell, extracurricular activities are simply activities you participate in outside of schoolwork. If you zoom in on the phrase itself, you can find some clues that tell you exactly what it means. 

Extra = in addition to. 

Curricular = anything having to do with institution. 

Activities = stuff that keeps you busy. 

So, an extracurricular activity can be almost anything that isn't required for institute credit or paid employment that you do while you're in  higher education institutions. These activities will become very important later, such as when you are applying to colleges, because they help you develop your talents, interests, and passions. They can also teach you practical skills like time management.

Options and Interests

With so many options out there, all students should be able to find an extracurricular that they are interested in and can develop a passion for!

Remember that extracurricular activities do not have to be sponsored by your school, so you should also consider things that you do with your family or within your community as viable options.

Below I've listed many popular activities that you may not have thought of as extracurricular activities. Take a look at the list and see if your activities are already on the list, or if anything you hadn't considered before catches your eye.

Extracurricular activity example

Of course, this list isn't complete, because you can turn almost any interest into an extracurricular. If you are actively involved in something that you don't see here—meaning you spend a significant amount of time doing an activity that is allowing you to develop a talent or interest, be a leader, or help out your community—then you should definitely consider that an extracurricular activity, as well!

What's not Extracurricular activity example

What doesn't necessarily count as an extracurricular? Any interest of yours that's very self-centered is probably not going to make the cut.

An extracurricular should be an activity that demonstrates a talent or primarily contributes value to other people. If you have to really contort to find justification for something being an extracurricular (my taking drivers ed will make the roads safer for everyone! Keeping my vaccinations up to date helps immuno compromised people!), then chances are, it won't count as an extracurricular.

There's a spectrum here, though—for example, improving your hair quality or braiding hair for fun isn't really an extracurricular. But starting a YouTube channel around beauty tips or creating a club for teen health enthusiasts definitely does.

But if you're still unsure if something counts as an extracurricular, or you need some inspiration, then read on for our complete list of extracurricular activities.

How to choose and use Extracurricular Activities?

Not sure how you should use this list of extracurriculars? Just follow the six steps outlined in this section, and you'll be on your way to choosing the best extracurricular for you.

Step 1: Brainstorm Extracurricular Ideas

What are your interests? 

Have you always wanted to try out something related to art, but weren't sure if it would be worth your time, or if it would be viewed favorably by a college admissions team? 

Step 2: See Which Extracurriculars Fit Your Interests

Look through the list below and see if any of the activities match your interests. You may see some ways that you hadn't thought of before to pursue an interest! Keep in mind that there can be a lot of different outlets for each interest you have. 

Step 3: Research Different Extracurricular Options

Research to see if these activities are available at your institution or in your community. If there is something you are very passionate about that's not already offered, consider starting up a group of your own. 

Step 4: Join Some Activities

The next step is to start doing activities! But how many should you do? If you are a freshman, I would recommend trying out a bunch of different activities--up to ten if there are that many you have an interest in. 

Step 5: Narrow Down Your Extracurriculars

If you are a sophomore, junior, or senior, you should hopefully already have an idea of the kinds of activities that you want to focus on. Make a list of the top five activities that interest you. If you have the time to try out all five, go for it. This will give you a bit of time to experiment and see what's most of interest. 

Step 6: Increase Your Impact in a Few Activities

Remember to not spread yourself too thin, especially if you are above freshman year. It's more important to spend significant time in each activity than it is to have a long list of activities. 

Extracurricular Activities List by Category

This list is organized into categories to make finding an activity that matches your interests easier. 

Clubs

Architecture Club

Astronomy Club

Biology Club

Chemistry Club

Economics Club

Electronics Club

Engineering Club

English Club

History Club

Life Sciences Club

Literature Club

Math Club

Physics Club

Psychology Club

Robotics Club

Quiz Clubs

Web design / coding club

Writing Club

Academic Competitive Teams

Academic Decathlon

Academic Triathlon

Creative Communication Poetry Contest

EconChallenge

Educators Rising

Questions Unlimited

Quiz Bowl

Science Bowl

Science Olympiad

Competition Teams

Art

Animation

Art Club

Art: drawing, painting

Cartooning

Drama Club

Fashion design

Graphic Design

Photography

Sculpture

Sewing

Theater Program

Cultural and Language clubs 

Community

4-H

Community Festivals

Do Something

Habitat for Humanity

Government

Community Youth Board

Student Council

Student Government

Community Government

Leadership

National Beta Club

Peer Leadership Group

 

Media

If you love writing and communicating, consider getting involved in a media activity to help bring news and information to your school or community.

 Î

Music

Any musical interest club

Concert Band

Ensembles

Singing Lessons

Marching Band

Orchestra

Solo music

Your own band

Tri-M Music Honor Society

Performance Art

Comedy Club

Choreography

Classic Film Club

Dance

Film Production Club

Miming

Sports and Recreation

You probably already know about the sports teams at your institutions, but there are also many opportunities to participate outside of those. Try doing extramural sports, join a club league in your community, or consider coaching a youth team.

Baseball and softball

Basketball

Bodybuilding

Cheerleading

Climbing Club

Cycling

Dance Team

Fencing

Football

Golf

Gymnastics

Hiking Club

Hockey

Intramural Sportsl

Soccer

Swimming

Tennis

Ultimate Frisbee Club

Volleyball

Water Polo

Yoga Club

Technology

A love of technology can take you far. If you have strong knowledge in a particular area, try sharing with the online community. The bonus of these activities is that anyone with an internet connection can do them—no need for a institute -sponsored club!

Blogging

Personal Web Site

Social Media

YouTube Channel

body_blog

Volunteer

There are a lot of ways to make a difference in your local community. Look for volunteer groups in your university, your or elsewhere in your neighborhood. There are many websites, such as Volunteer Match, that can help you find a local community service project that is of interest to you.

Adopt-a-Highway

Animal rescue

Best Buddies International

Church outreach

Hospital volunteer

Red Cross Club

Tutoring

How extracurricular activities help students in making a great career?

Getting involved in sports clubs, societies, volunteering and part-time work is a great way to meet new people, enjoy your time at university and ensure you strike a healthy balance between studying and your social life.

But it will also make you a better candidate for graduate roles, by giving you lots of practical examples you can use in job applications to show off your skills.

‘Extra-curricular activities help students to learn about themselves and develop and use their skills and knowledge in different contexts,’ says Chris Davison, deputy director of, and careers adviser with, the careers and enterprise team at your University. ‘Such activities are an essential element of the university experience.’

How to balance academic and extracurricular activities?

You must maintain a healthy lifestyle if you want to be able to establish an efficient balance between academics and extracurricular activities. It is simple, pay attention, and you will see results in a few days. Make it a habit to get a good, healthy sleep because sleep is crucial for health.

Here are four tips in juggling academics with extracurriculars.

1. Academics Come First. While extracurricular activities are important, academics come first. 
2. Develop a Schedule. 
3. Be Picky about Extracurricular Activities.
4. Take Breaks.

How to select professional organisations for harnessing benefits of extracurricular activities?

Choosing the right activity for you is important, but with so many options out there, it may seem tough to decide which ones would help your career shine. 

So be judicious to

1. Think about your interests. Before you start considering specific activities, take a step back. Think about what excites you. Find your passion or passions. Use those to decide on activities that will keep you interested for a long time.Ask yourself:

   • How do I spend my free time? Reading? Writing? Playing sports or musical instruments? Dreaming about visiting France?
   • What section of the bookstore or library do I always end up in? Sports? Science? Travel?
   • What makes me feel satisfied and accomplished? Helping others? Organizing events? Being an important part of a team?
2. Identify your strengths. Now that you have a better idea of what you like to do in general, pinpoint those that you excel at. Ask yourself what skills they showcase. Then find activities that require the same ones. Guarantee that you will enjoy yourself by choosing an activity that lets you shine. These may include:

   • Mental skills (such as continued learning and applied knowledge), which are used in things like math, science, and chess.
   • Physical fitness and motor skills (like balance, coordination, and stamina). These are needed for activities like sports and dance.
   • Social skills (such as communication, leadership, and teamwork). These can be found in team sports as well as other group projects, like the school paper or yearbook.
3. Think about skills you want to develop. In addition to your strengths, identify what you would like to improve about yourself. Use activities as a way to round yourself out. Seek out new challenges, without the added stress of having to earn good grades at them.

   • You can use activities to develop general skills that you may lack. For example, if you feel like your social skills could use improvement, look for activities that involve team projects and strong communication, like theater or team sports.
   • You can also apply your current skillset toward building new talents. For instance, if you have a history of playing aggressive sports that have taught you to be assertive, consider other activities that demand the same self-confidence, like the debate club.

Conclusions 

By focusing on your skills and passions, seeking leadership roles, and choosing unique and impactful activities, you can set yourself apart from other applicants and demonstrate your commitment to personal growth and community involvement. 

Further, If none of the above activities enlisted above are for you, you're still in luck. Why? You can always create your own extracurricular activity! So be brave and think positively.  A great career awaits for you. ...