Dec 5, 2021

Joining Extracurriculars in High School

Extracurriculars...what’s not to love? They’re fun, look good on university/college applications, and are a great way to meet like-minded people. And there’s probably a bunch of them at your school.

But, if you’re like most high school students, you probably have no idea how to get started. Not to worry because this article is your go-to guide on all you could ever need to know about high school extracurriculars. You’ll be involved and having fun in no time!

In this post, we will cover…

What is an extracurricular
The benefits of joining an extracurricular
The different types of extracurriculars that may be offered at your school
Tips on time management and avoiding burnout
How to get started

What is an Extracurricular?

An extracurricular is any activity you do outside of your regular routine. This could refer to a job, volunteer work, a sports team, or a community group. However, this article will mainly discuss extracurriculars put on by your school. This category includes school clubs and official teams and will be explained more in-depth later on in this article.

Benefits of Joining an Extracurricular

There are many benefits to joining extracurriculars in high school. Let’s take a look at a few!

They give you a chance to meet like-minded people

Joining clubs and teams is an excellent way to meet people who have the same interests as you. If you’re looking for some close friends, extracurriculars are a great way to start!

Communication, responsibility, and leadership skills

Extracurriculars are an amazing way to build up lots of skills. By talking with other members, you will learn valuable communication and leadership skills. In addition, learning to manage your time will make you a much more responsible student.

Open you up to new interests and perspectives

Joining an extracurricular that you haven’t done before opens you up to new interests and opportunities. You may find that you’re actually really interested in something that you’ve never thought about trying before. Meeting new people will introduce you to other perspectives and you’ll find yourself learning lots of new things.

Higher self-esteem

Participating in an extracurricular can improve your skills in many things. Seeing your worth in an area beyond academics will help you achieve higher self-esteem. Being good at something and getting better is a wonderful confidence booster!

Encourage time management

Being a part of extracurriculars will teach you how to effectively juggle your time between school, homework, friends, extracurriculars, and any other commitments you may have. Having good time management skills is an important skill that will prove essential throughout your life. It’s best to learn it early!

Make you more well known throughout the school

Being a part of extracurriculars all throughout your school will make you more well known, both to other students and to teachers. As said before, this is a great way to meet new people and possible friends. However, being more well known also makes it so much easier to be on friendlier terms with your teachers, and get stellar teacher recommendations.

Looks good on university and college applications

In addition to being a good way to fill time, meet new people, and explore your interests, being a part of an extracurricular is also a great way to make your post-secondary applications stand out amongst other kids. This is the reason most senior students join extracurriculars so why not get a head start and join early? You won’t regret it!

Types of Extracurriculars

There are many types of extracurriculars that your school may offer. While your school may not offer every one of the clubs listed below, they are bound to carry quite a few of them. Here are the main categories of school extracurriculars, along with some examples for each one.

Academic clubs

These are clubs that focus on a specific academic subject. Examples include a science club or math club.

Academic competitive teams

These include competitive teams that are related to academics instead of sports. Examples of these include a spelling bee team, DECA, a chess team, and a mathletes club.

Art

These clubs are perfect for anyone interested in the arts. Schools often have many different art clubs to choose from as they are very popular. Some examples include arts councils, drama clubs, choir, band, and graphic design clubs.

Cultural and language

Any clubs relating to languages or culture. Some examples of these include french clubs, Spanish clubs, Asian Heritage Month committees, and Black Heritage Month committees.

Community/Government/Leadership

Like art clubs, this section is very broad and can include many different interests. These clubs are any clubs that get you involved with your community or get you to take on leadership roles within your school. Some examples include student council, student government, Model UN, mock trial, clubs for advocating specific causes, and clubs that volunteer outside of school.

Event planning

This section is for clubs that are solely dedicated to planning certain school events. These committees can include a prom committee, a semi-formal committee, and any group of students planning a school banquet or graduation.

Media

These clubs focus on creating media for the school. This is usually done in the form of a yearbook club or school newspaper club.

Interest clubs

These clubs are for students with common interests to gather in one area. This is a perfect place to meet like-minded people. Examples of common interest clubs include book clubs, craft clubs, anime clubs, and more.

Sports clubs and teams

This is possibly the most known area of high school extracurriculars. While they are not necessarily the most important, they aren’t to be overlooked either. Most, if not all, high schools have dozens of sports teams for students to join. A few popular ones are teams for soccer, basketball, volleyball, flag football, and track.

How to Manage Your Time

I believe that high school extracurriculars are an important part of the high school experience. Even with a busy schedule, it’s worth it to squeeze in the fun of a club or team. However, I know far too many high schoolers who don’t think they have the time to be a part of any extracurriculars. Here are some tips…

Choose a club or team that won’t require as much time. Clubs usually require less time when compared to teams.
Make a schedule of your week - Find when you have downtime and see what clubs meet at those times.
Make a to-do list and prioritize productivity. Procrastination is like a time sponge, once you cut back on it, you will find yourself with far more time than you thought possible.
Remember, you can’t find free time, but you can make it!

While high school is a great time to join extracurriculars and be involved, remember not to spread yourself out too thin. You’ll still need time to take care of yourself, socialize, do schoolwork, and participate properly in other commitments you may have. You don't want to get burned out or have your grades slip.

Before applying for any new clubs, be sure to check your schedule and see what sort of time commitments you’ll be able to make. Make sure that you will be able to participate in all the clubs you join and that meetings don’t overlap. If you’re new to extracurriculars, I would suggest joining only one or two at first, just to get the hang of it. Once you’re used to the time and effort needed, you can branch out. Remember, there’s no shame in needing to take time for yourself or saying no to extra work. Extracurriculars are a really rewarding experience, but only if you can actually enjoy them.

To help you out, a previous webinar recap on time management will be linked in the recent posts section after this article. The recap contains tips on making S.M.A.R.T goals, prioritizing tasks, and creating conducive environments.

How to Get Started

So now you’re probably wondering: how can I get started on joining extracurriculars at my school? Well, the answer is quite simple actually. Be on the lookout! Many school clubs will post flyers around your school or post on social media with information on upcoming school extracurriculars. Pay attention! Look for any tryout dates or application deadlines. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, ask an older student or one of your teachers. They’ll be happy to help!

Applications for extracurriculars may have stopped for now at your school, but don’t worry! Many clubs and teams, such as spring sports teams, start up later on in the school year. And if those clubs don’t interest you, you can find something else to do with your free time. You can pick up a new hobby, start volunteering, join a community club, or apply for a job. Integra Youth’s blog posts about jobs and volunteering will be linked in our recent posts section below. Just remember to start looking for clubs early on next year. Bookmark this article so you can come back to it!

Is there a club you really wish your school had but they aren’t running it? Create it yourself! High schools usually have rules on creating a new club, like getting a teacher to help run it before starting. But after you fill those requirements, you’re free to start up a club on whatever you’re passionate about. This is a great option if you have a passion that isn’t very common yet. Besides, all the clubs at your school were started by someone, what’s stopping you from being one of them?

Conclusion

Joining extracurriculars is a very fun and rewarding experience. While you might be scared to get started, the end result is so worth it. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and get involved. You won’t regret it!