Extracurricular activities critical to university – life balance

The road to success is paved with hours of hard work; dotted with stacks of books, networking events, scientific research and enough coffee consumption to comfortably sustain the economy of a small South American country. With this in mind, it is necessary to point out that life is all about balance, which is why it is important to add extracurricular activities to the list in order to become a well-rounded, balanced individual. So how do you go about enriching your life with these activities?

Well, first, sit down, employ your preferred method of transcribing thoughts (pen and paper, laptop, typewriter, feather quill and ink, etc.), and come up with a list of topics that you are already interested in and some that you want to explore further. For example, you might know that you enjoy debating, beach volleyball, international affairs, and calculus (just kidding, no one enjoys calculus). Add two or three topics that you haven’t had time to explore further, or haven’t considered as being part of your main interests. It will always be beneficial to push yourself out of your comfort zone, especially when it comes to acquiring new skills or knowledge.

Once you have the list, narrow it down to two or three activities that you are seriously interested in, and then try them out. You may find that something you hadn’t paid that much attention to previously is suddenly far more interesting. Something physically challenging can also be great – the benefits of exercise have been proven repeatedly, and breaking physical boundaries (e.g. running 5k, doing 20 pushups, etc.) can help bring the same discipline and drive to your academic studies.

Ultimately, the goal of any extracurricular activity you choose to partake in during your studies is to help you become a well-rounded person. New skills and knowledge are invaluable, especially at a time when you are only just setting off on your career path. Future employers will appreciate seeing you managed your time in such a way that you were also able to be a part of the Student Council, play on a basketball team or write a blog.

Whatever you choose to do, remember to keep balance – it can be easy to forget to take care of yourself, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually during busy times. Make sure you take the time to decompress and relax, and do something fun just for the sake of it. The ultimate goal, after all, is to be happy. Or world domination, it really depends on who you ask.