I am a current hs freshman but soon to be sophomore and I’m trying to figure out which extracurricular would be more beneficial. I’m completely aware I’m overthinking things right now, but I’m stuck between joining my schools marching band or the speech and debate team. i have a pretty densely packed schedule next year with ap chem and ap calc but I’m fairly certain I can manage (I’ll be self studying over the summer)
Speech and Debate: I was planning on joining it this year; however, the timing conflicted with marching band. I feel like I could learn a lot more skills in speech and debate and it is something I’d choose to do if I didn’t have to worry about mb. The only con is that it also conflicts with another club I’m involved in.
Marching band: I didn’t join this year off my own accord but rather I was roped into it. It is a HUGE time commitment and I am pretty certain I will not be doing it again in my junior year and senior year. i was already pretty stressed with an easier schedule this year so I’m not too sure about next year. I don’t take a band class so I couldn’t make a leadership position. It also mildly conflicts with key club, which is another thing I’m passionate about.
The only things that are making me consider doing it again are:
A) my friends all tell me that 2 years of marching band gives you a varsity athletic credit (I did some research but I didn’t find anything about it ?) and it also makes me a more well rounded student
B) I reallllly hate letting people down and a lot of my friends/my section already expect me to do it and they would be dissapointed if I didn’t
C) I’m planning on applying to a residential preparatory school in my junior and senior year (I really want to get in). They look at what you’ve done in your freshman and sophomore year. I’m afraid that if I change my extracurriculars it would show that I am inconsistent. (But if I got in I wouldn’t have to do marching band again because they don’t offer it)
But I cannot stand to do marching band for the last 2 years (I don’t hate it, I just don’t like it enough to spend all of my highschool doing this) so if i did it sophmore year, I would haaaave to switch to speech and debate in junior year, which would show colleges that I am inconsistent. (I read somewhere that colleges care about the quality, not the quantity, and if you are continuous/passionate etc).
I know this is long and I’m overreacting, but any advice would be helpful.
Thanks