During school years we are highly susceptible to change; this change depends on the experiences and the circumstances that we go through on daily basis. If you are smart enough, you will make the best out of these years. Here is a list of some of the different extracurricular activities that could help you develop a lot while maintaining your academic life:
1. Internships/ Part-time Jobs
Make sure to graduate with at least an internship on your resume; employers prefer graduates with previous experience. Internships help you put everything you’ve learnt in school into perspective; it’s your first real world experience. Building a network is a plus. You meet with professionals during meetings, conferences or while working on a daily basis. Your communication and time management skills will definitely shoot up.
2. Competitions
Many corporations plan competitions for undergrads with the hope of finding the best candidates for future employment. Being part of a competition broadens your horizon as you get the chance to meet lots of people your age from different backgrounds and with different mentalities. You learn a lot throughout the process. You get the chance to become part of a team that works for the same goal, which is winning.
3. Job Shadowing
It is one of the least common activities, however it is very beneficial for students who are choosing between different paths. Usually what happens is that an entity invites a number of people to attend an on the job training, where participants are given a sense of how the daily life of that employee is. You’ll get the chance to know more about the job dynamics as well.
4. Study Abroad
It can be a semester or even during summer, where you get the chance to explore a whole new country while studying. Such an experience helps you become more independent and responsible. You get the opportunity to learn more about yourself and about your major while being surrounded by different ideologies. Most importantly, you’ll get the chance to befriend people from different cultures and have networks from all over the globe.
5. Sports
Being part of a team helps you acknowledge the importance of each teammate, which reflects later on in your career. You also learn how to deal with all types of personalities and especially those whom you want to punch in the face but smile to instead. You’ll know for sure that you have no commitment issues as you have been committed to your team and the sport for too long.
6. Clubs & Student Activities
School clubs and organizations are a huge part of the learning experience as you have a free pass to failing, meaning that even if you messed up neither your grades nor your career will be affected. You get the chance to learn from your mistakes, as the number of trials and errors is uncountable. You can be part of different organizations all at once, which expands your circle and develops your leadership, communication and presentation skills.
