How Extracurriculars Shape an Individual's Future Were you a member of a committee, sports team, or club in school? Many people enjoy high school and college by being part of a team or a member of a group. Although many people would agree that sports, organized clubs, and volunteer based groups are just for people who attend school, I believe that everyone should be involved no matter your age. Involvement in extracurricular activities teach individuals structure, teamwork, and inspires passion at any age. Structure Order, design, system, structure. Structure is everything. Learning about structure will behoove a person no matter what their age. Structure is seen as the system: how something is designed and how the order of things works. These aspects of structure are seen in extracurricular activities all the time. There is a very obvious structure in organizations like Student Council and National Honors Society. This structure is also seen in the Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs and even at the local youth fairs. There are elected officers (leadership roles and opportunities), meetings (presentations, and proposals), and projects. They all tie together through the structure of the group. These attributes are important because one can use what is known about structure to apply to other aspects of life. Structure can be used in school, at work, and at home. Many people can understand and see how this applies to each but in different ways. I have learned about structure while being an exhibitor at the Berrien County Youth Fair my entire life. This structure is how a board of directors runs the fair. They have certain rules for all the exhibitors to follow. They are strict and by following the guidelines I was able to enter my exhibits and compete against other exhibitors. I have learned how important paperwork, deadlines, and project completion can be. I will be able to apply these attributes in the work force for any job. For almost any career there are strict rules that need to be followed, some kind of paperwork that needs to be done, deadlines for the work, and goals that need to be finished. Teamwork Learning how to work well with others can be a challenge no matter what your age. Teamwork is very important. One can see teamwork happening everywhere. Habitat for Humanity, local sports teams, and the humane society are all organizations that couldn’t exist without teamwork. Building a house alone would be an impossible task, like playing on your own basketball team or trying to take care for a plethora of precious animals. Teamwork teaches the importance of diversity. When working with people who have different backgrounds problems can be examined, observed, and fixed from many angles. These angles may not have been accounted for previously. Teamwork also shows how individuals can work as a unit to achieve much more than they ever could on their own. As in the old example of the twigs if one stands alone he will easily be broken but if many stand together they cannot be broken. Teamwork is not about an individual but a group. Sometimes there will be people who does not want to work with in the group, but one has to remember that your individual preference do not matter. One should swallow their pride and move on to get the goal accomplished. I have learned about teamwork in every club, organization, and team of which I have been a participant. I have learned to put personal problems behind me to move the group forward towards our goal. I have also learned that I couldn’t do anything without my teams. Things I have accomplished in these groups are done because we are able to work efficiently together. Many times, I find there are some people in groups who just don’t want to be responsible for their share and who just don’t want to put in any effort. I might get very frustrated, but at the same time, I have dealt with this kind of situation quite often and know how to relieve the situation. The important thing to do is have a group leader, someone everyone can respect and take orders from. Next have that group leader assign people what they need to be doing. This is very important when people are not pulling their own weight. These kinds of problems do happen in a verity of setting. From work to home there will always be problems like miscommunication, misperception of plans, and skewed views on goals. The one great thing about teamwork is that with every new team I have another chance to be a good leader, another chance to accomplish a goal, another chance to work productively with others. Passion The most beneficial element one can obtain in an extracurricular is finding one’s passion in life and being able to use it to the good of others. Passions come in many different forms. All people have different passions. My favorite thing about extracurricular activities is whatever talent you may have there is a way you can give back through your talents and passion. Someone who really enjoys baseball could become a youth baseball coach for troubled teens. A person who loves horses could work with handicapped children. Someone who is passionate about education could assist students who need help with their work. I found my passion through many years of involvement. Through this time I have been able to experience some truly amazing opportunities. Nothing really compares to helping someone. Assisting another person for no other reason then they need help. I enjoy helping a person reach their goal, answering a problem, or just being an ear to listen. Extracurricular activities are all about helping people and don’t need to stop just because one has graduated. I have enjoyed the activities I have been involved with and always look for new ones. Through these activities, I have been exposed to the system, learned the importance of teamwork, and have discovered my passion. Young or old, big or small, in the city or the country there are always people who need and appreciate help. There are also opportunities for everyone to help. If one’s passion is what gives them the drive in life let it take one to the road of success through the tunnel of structure and the mountain of teamwork, and when they come out on top of the world, they will be ready for anything.
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Katie MariePublic Relations | Passionate | Adventure Taker Listings
December 2017
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