Apathy towards extracurricular activities

Post Reply New Topic

Anybody else refuse to be bothered with it? I can't stand social groups, can't play sports, and find it easier do my own thing, on my own time than join a club. I would like a job or somthing but my parents think I would screw up. I just wish I didn't have to worry about what it does to my college resume. Why the hell is it that only activites that are done with other people are considered to have value? I spend a lot of my free time reading on current events and resarching various interests, but apparantly colleges would rather I play basket ball.

if hanging out at a bar with my friends and get drunk and stoned in weekends counted as extracurricular, i would be the greatest

ah well i have a job and i do archery beside school so i have my share, i'm not the most excited about working but my co-workers are fun and it isn't that bad.

Go for a job. If it doesn't work out, you don't have to include a mention of it in your resume. School is for learning skills that employ you or which you will otherwise find useful later in life, not for idle chitchat. Otherwise, if you're going to do something labor intensive or which requires you to interact with people, you might as well be getting paid for it.

I lucked out, because I took band in order to get out of having to do P.E. (it counted as exercise because of marching band, which was only half the school year--the other half of the year was orchestra) which is an "extracurricular activity".

I will say that a friend of mine, who was proud of the fact he never did ANY extracurricular activities, got accepted into his first choice school. Just keep your grades up as high as possible, take the PSAT as well as the SAT (the PSAT helps you study for the SAT, as well as being the basis for the awarding of National Merit Scholarships, which will have college recruiters practically begging for you if you win one) and take Advance Placement courses if your school offers them---you'll get into college just fine.

Not all school clubs revolve around social chit-chat; in fact, some of them can be pretty fun if you can get into the topic.

If you are interested in current events, then maybe a club like Model United Nations or Mock Government would be ideal for you.

I'm not saying that you have to join a club though if you don't want to - colleges just see it as extra experience, and it shows that you are willing to try new things and to apply your academic knowledge to more than just your schoolwork.

A job is another thing that would be advantageous to have had before entering college, because it will make it easier to find jobs in the future if an old employer is willing to give you a good referral. This can be especially useful if you are one of those types who "do the job exceptionally well, but fail on the social interaction aspect".

Hope this helps,

~SOS

Maybe volunteering, like at the local library, might be something you'd be interested in doing. And, it looks good on college applications, and resumes.

Yes, volunteering is something that looks great on college resumes, but so does doing something obscure.

Build a ten foot trebujet!

Get creative doing something with all the reading and research you do.

It's initiative that colleges look for, not the actual groups you're in. The initiative to join these groups and stick with them is the big thing for them.


Good luck!

Even you don't do these activities, you should try to make an effort to look for alternative interests outside schoolwork. Don't force yourself to join this and that, they will ultimately make life sad and bad without enough emotional coping...

I never did see the point of extracurricular activities. I only participate in clubs/activities that have a strong academic basis, because these are about learning, not social interaction. At my college, I'm a member of the chemistry club, but I only participate in academic-based activities. I never go to the social outings. I've been a chemistry TA for three years, and I was a statistics TA last fall. I really liked these, because I got to teach other people the material. That's the only time I like to be social with people I don't know- when I'm either teaching them material I like, or when we're discussing material I like.

Anyway, I always have hated how colleges and grad/med/law schools like to see a person have lots of extracurricular activities. Yes, some people like to be social and "have fun" outside of school, and these are the people who should be encouraged to join clubs and sports and not just study all day. But I love studying. That IS my source of fun. So why should I be forced to take time away from what I LIKE doing, to join a club and have to engage in hated social interaction?
-OddDuckNash99-

The teachers at my old school recommended everybody participate in at least one extracurricular activity. Get lost, I thought inside my head. All the clubs were sports clubs anyway, I hate sport enough when I HAVE to do it, never mind doing it VOLUNTARILY.

I agree with OddDuckNash99 that studying is my source of fun. People say things like, "Why do you never just have fun?" and I say that I do have fun, just not the same sort of fun that they have. I enjoy reading about random topics on Wikipedia.

Before, I didn't link this to AS as I didn't know about AS, but I'm a person of genuineness. If I really do not have my heart in something, I don't see the need to bother with it.

I've compensated enough to hold jobs and such, but frankly, with outside activities, if I'm not interested I don't see what's the point in bothering. This keeps me out of a lot of "social networking" groups (like the Civitans) which could open doors for me because I'd have to "fake it" to bother with what they do.

So don't get so upset if you think you're 'forced' to join an extracurricular activities. After all, only you know and you decide what is best for yourself.

Thanks for the thoughts. I just wanted to rant about this because a few weeks ago my science class was pulled so we could all put down our job experience, sport teams, clubs ect. and I felt very inadequate with nothing to put down. I think OddDuckNash and Gina-ghettoprincess really summed up my feelings on the matter. I'd like to do some voulanteer work but school has kept me busy and I havn't found much I'd be interested in. I wanted to participate in the schools blood drive but I didn't weigh enough. Maybe over the summer I can do some kind of academic activity.

Glad we'd helped you. Hehe...

My high-school got the brilliant idea of forcing its students to join faculty approved groups. Fortunatly for me the policy was started during my freshman year so I only had to play along for two of my four years as opposed to the current classes who have to have one each year. I joined the Technology Student Association, and strangly enough enjoyed it, except for the fact that it was forced. For what it's worth this policy is of little value in improving student participation. There are plenty of groups that one can be counted as participating in just for showing up or paying dues.

I never felt like I fit into any of the clubs at my college. I tried goining four different clubs. None of them worked out.
I also don't play sports, as I am very clumsy.

I do have a part time job though, I need the money after all...

In high school I volunteered during charitable events a lot, so I (thank goodness), have a fair bit to put on a resume.

My problem is that I'm no good with long term social commitments. Going to those types of social commitments eventually turns into a chore for me.

I get pay for going to work, it's supposed to be a chore so that's alright, but things like clubs aren't supposed to feel that way.

One time deals like the volunteer work I did in high school are ok for me though.