I guess they are a good way of making friends - the closest friends I’ve made in university thus far have been from my debate team. They can also be fun, and amusing.
But one of the reasons why we did so many of them in high school was to get into a good college, and I don’t think that applies as much anymore - from what I know, graduate schools care a lot more about research/work experience than being the captain of the swim team.
So in the context of “College Life”, how does/did you EC life go?
@OhSorryYo It’s not so much about asking if hobbies are worth it as much as it is asking whether you should cut down on the number most people do in high school.
Most people don’t do extra curricular activities because they want to get into college. They do them because they genuinely enjoy them. Sign up for a bunch of activities that interest you and then over time narrow them down.
I think in college you pick and choose more about what you are interested in… you are right, you feel like there is a push to do more in HS. In college it is a good way to meet like minded people and/or have fun. Like intramural sports are a fun way to get a little exercise and team up with your dormmates. Or if you are into Math then the Math club might be good.
My ECs are either directly related to my major, or purely for fun. You shouldn’t do random things just because you hope to get a leadership position that will help your career.
Don’t over do it. Better to start off with two few ECs than too many. They aren’t going to help you resume wise, so unless you actually want to do them for fun, don’t. Time is money in college.
My experiences in ECs in college have been different than the ones in high school because there are simply more options. If you are interested pursuing ECs, find a couple that you can truly pour your time into and really enjoy. It’s not like high school where graduate schools see ECs as an necessity for admission. For me, I have done a few that are major related, a couple that are related to social issues I care about, and some just for fun.
In college you can join the breakdancing club, the ukelele club, or the outdoors club because you enjoy it and you can find people with similar interests. It is very liberating because I feel like it is more about personal development rather than worrying about what some admissions officer thinks. I do recommend starting off small though, you want to make sure you have time for academics, your top priority, and just adjusting to college.