I’ve always been someone who is eager to get involved. Academics are extremely important to me, but upon entering high school I started to realize the value in expanding my learning beyond the classroom. Over the years I’ve tried my hand at concert band, orchestra, choir, yearbook, newspaper, model UN, peer tutoring and more. Through this process, I found the things that really worked for me. There are so many ways you can participate in your school community. From my personal experience, taking part in these extra-curricular endeavours will be one of the most rewarding parts of your educational career.

Extracurriculars are a fun way to connect with people who share your interests. Whether you’re running laps around the quad or bonding over molecular compounds, not only are you learning, expressing yourself and having fun—you’re doing it with like-minded and motivated peers. You might find that it’s quite easy to make friends when you have so much in common with the people around you. Oftentimes you click so well with these people that your friendships continue long after the club comes to a close.

It is always important to focus on academics, but if you’re looking to get a balanced and entertaining experience out of your education, it is a must to make room for extracurriculars in your schedule. An academic club is a great way to expand your knowledge and learn from the people around you. And even if it’s not directly related to what you’re studying in school, any club serves as an excellent outlet for relieving stress—not to mention it can teach you other invaluable skills, like how to think creatively or be a team player.

Aside from the skills you acquire along the way, clubs also give you the chance to put yourself out there for the people in charge, whether they are teachers or upper-year students. This is why it’s crucial to get involved in extracurriculars right off the bat: if you stick around long enough, you’ll start to make your way up the ranks. Leadership positions are hard to earn, but totally worth it. If you work at it, the payoff could be more rewarding than you ever imagined, including a wonderful sense of responsibility, the respect of your fellow peers and often an impressive title on your resume. As you can see, a mere dabble in the extra-curricular of your choice could turn into a real-world asset.

I’m off to university next year, where I definitely plan to make extracurriculars one of my priorities. I know for a fact that the skills I’ve obtained through my involvement will come in handy in the future and working my way up to leadership positions in these fields has given me the confidence I need to succeed. Take initiative: check out what’s going on in your school community and put yourself out there. Get involved in what you’re interested in and I guarantee it will be worth it.