The importance of extracurricular activities in the college life of a student

Muhammad Hanif
3 min readMay 15, 2023

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When we talk about school or college, we think exclusively about only getting knowledge and learning. There is no doubt about it, but college life is about more than just learning and studying. It is a time when we can explore our interests, meet new people, and also develop some new skills. Extracurricular activities come in different forms. One of them is to participate in comparing, naat competitions, debates, poetry, and other physical activities like cricket, volleyball, football, etc. Likewise, it may also be in the form of joining different student organizations and societies or other opportunities outside the classroom. But the question that arises in our minds is: why are extracurricular activities important in a student’s college life? What are its benefits in college as well as in the long run? In this article, we will try to shed light on the importance of extracurricular activities, their different types, and the challenges faced by students in this regard.

Extracurricular activities have prominent effects on students’ lives. Most students come to college with a set of skills and interests they have developed over the years, but it can also be a place to explore new interests and passions that one might not have had the chance to explore before. When a student joins a society or an organization in college, it builds a sense of community and belonging on campus and helps in the development of social life. As a leader in a society, a student may also develop leadership skills that are important in practical life. Activities like speech, essay writing, etc. can help to develop the skills of time management and organizational skills, making a student more disciplined. The debates and naat competitions can boost students’ self-confidence and improve their public speaking skills.

Physical activities and sports events may help students develop both their physical and mental health. These activities also promote decision-making abilities and help the students handle victory and defeat situations. These new skills and passions can make a resume brilliant and provide better career opportunities in the practical life ahead.

Students can engage themselves in extracurricular activities in different ways. A student can participate in student organizations and societies that organize different seminars and webinars on striking problems and issues. It helps in building awareness about the problems and providing a solution for them. These societies also work for the welfare of students.

Professional and academic organizations provide extracurricular activities that allow students to engage themselves in their fields of interest. These activities include workshops, seminars, and conferences that help the students learn more about their field of interest, interact with other professions, and develop new skills.

Students can participate in naat competitions, debates, quiz competitions, essay competitions, poetry competitions, science fair exhibitions, and other similar activities that are held within the college or, most of the time, intercollege competitions.

There are also opportunities for students to participate in physical activities and sports competitions. Different competitions and tournaments in sports like cricket, football, volleyball, badminton, carom board, etc. are held at the college level and district level, in which the students can show their talent in front of the spectators. Also, sports weeks are held at the college level, in which students can participate.

There may be some challenges and difficulties that students may face while participating in these activities. These challenges may include time management for coursework, financial difficulties, not being used to public speaking, low confidence, and high competition for leadership positions.

In conclusion, we can say that extracurricular activities are of prime importance to develop and explore different skills like writing, public speaking, debating, sports skills, and other skills that may be helpful in practical life. In the end, I will suggest that the students actively participate in extracurricular activities that can promote their skills and show their hidden talent to the world.

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Muhammad Hanif
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I am a college student and occasionally a passionate writer who loves to share experiences from everyday life. I write on development of personality and mindset