A Guide to Deciding on Whether or not to Take on Extracurricular Activities
The stress and strain the IB DP program puts on students is very well known. However, college, university and job applications require students to go above and beyond with extracurriculars and volunteering. And although they might not be “essential”, they are a great way to stand out as they demonstrate skills, your interests and personality and leadership qualities. They can also be ways to explore your passions and experience personal growth. It also allows for skill development, experience and networking that can further your career prospects and help you develop a CV/resume.
Some key factors you need to understand to make these decisions are your personal goals and priorities. For example, if you have gaps for examples of leadership in your portfolio, this would be important to your decisions. You also have to consider things like do you want to develop your skills? Make an impact in your community? Have fun? These may guide what activity you do but first and foremost you need to identify if your schedule allows for the activity or whether you need to choose a different one to accomplish your goal.
In the same vein, you also need to consider your portfolio and if you are missing anything. In the case of the Personal Statement this could be developing university level academic ability or a demonstration of leadership. Things like this could be resolved by applying for club leader positions or founding your own groups that centre on academic pursuits. Because your time is so valuable, you would be wise to only fill gaps and nothing else (unless you really enjoy something).
To be able to get through it and not waste your time, it is vital to consider your interests and passions. Although very obvious, it means you spend your time well and if it is included in college and university applications you can demonstrate your interest in the subject and personality. If you start by identifying what you like best whether it be playing a musical instrument, volunteering or playing sports or what degree you are applying for. You can look for activities that match your interest like joining a robotics club for computer science. With some consideration of your time, you can also experiment for something that may make you stand out. This is special because the end goal is to enhance your skills and experiences while also bringing you joy and satisfaction. Also, if you can find a way to link a seemingly unconnected subject to your degree of choice, that gives you extra critical thinking points (but don’t make it too wild). Additionally, investing in something you like will further your commitment, which is often what recruiters want to see when looking at CVs, especially those of students. On the whole, this will make the experience more rich and worth your very limited time.
The types of available opportunities can also be extremely significant. This can be seen in how academic clubs, hobby clubs, sports teams, and volunteering all demonstrate different skills. The most crucial part of finding an opportunity is research. There are many ways to go about this, for example, a quick google search can demonstrate opportunities in the community. Whereas, asking your friends can be good for finding in-school opportunities. One thing I suggest is talking to your CAS coordinator because a lot of ongoing CAS activities will be designed to serve the needs of your peers, some of which may be the same.
The most important thing of all however is academics. Given the IB workload it is essential you map out your schedule to find the time to fit things in. Additionally, you need to find ways to prioritise your academics while also reaping the benefits of any activity. Some time management tips include: prioritising your tasks, mapping out your schedule ahead, including time in your schedule for any tasks you know will happen (but your teacher won;t tell you about until the last minute).
However, alongside everything you need to take into account the impact it could have on your wellbeing and how much stress it will cause you. The IB is tough and doing activities that aren’t essential could have a devastating impact on your wellbeing and create a chain reaction of catastrophes. In the case that you do want to take on an activity, it needs to fit well into your schedule alongside little things that will make you happy or relaxed. Some examples could be meditation or cooking. And if you notice yourself getting overwhelmed, take a break.
Another final method for finding or deciding on activities is talking to staff, especially college counsellors for support. This way you can get insight into your learning progress and if you are in a stable position to branch out. You can also ask the college counsellors how relevant an activity would be to any applications and use their experience to determine whether it is truly worth it. A similar logic applies to friends because they know you best and can humble you if need be.
In conclusion, extracurriculars or supercurriculars can be beneficial for both a student and their prospects, but it does come with downsides that require careful consideration. This means making the decision is dependent on your experiences, goals, interests, type of activity, academics, mental health and the advice of others. However, your biggest concern is managing the IB at the moment and your long-term aspirations. So when you are deciding, make sure you create a balanced lifestyle. Good luck!
