It might feel like you have barely any spare time at university to dedicate to extracurricular activities and hobbies which aren’t necessarily part of your course – but if you can find the time to engage in extracurriculars, then you definitely should. And here’s why!
Teamwork is a vital skill
If you join a sports (or other) team at university, it’s beneficial for so many reasons. One of these is that it allows you to continue your team-specific skills: working with others, communicating, learning from other people, interacting with people from different backgrounds and much more. Employers love people who can show they have successfully worked as part of a team and that doesn’t necessarily just mean within other job roles. Being part of a team is definitely a valuable asset for your CV, especially if you get the chance to take on more of a leadership role. Research from the University of Bath shows that employers really are focusing on ‘soft skills’ – defined as non-technical and not reliant on abstract reasoning, involving interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities to facilitate mastered performance in particular social contexts (Hurrell, Scholarios, and Thompson, 2013)
It allows for study breaks
Extracurricular activities such as teams, clubs and societies are so important to give you a break from your studies. Spending all of your time with your head in a textbook isn’t good for the soul – or for your mental and physical health. Granted, studying is so important at university (obviously…) but having regular breaks and spending time on other things means you’ll actually learn better! You’ll be giving your brain a chance to focus on something else, so when you get back to your desk and open a book again you’ll be ready to absorb everything you read.
You’ll make (even more) friends
While you will have already made some friends at university, from your student accommodation and on your course, it’s so good to immerse yourself in situations where you’ll meet even more people. This is the joy of university – everyone’s away from home, somewhere new, somewhere different. People are so open to making new friends and connecting with others, and you’ll give yourself more chance to make meaningful relationships if you open up your world a little bit more with extracurricular activities!
Boost your confidence
Clubs, teams, societies and other extracurricular activities are a great confidence boosting opportunity. From winning sports games to being chosen as a leader of some sort or absolutely smashing a new skill, it’s an incredible way to feel great about yourself when you see your hard work reflected in some success! Learning new skills is something which is so good for your self-esteem, and extracurricular activities at university are a great way to achieve this.
Here are just four reasons why it’s so important to try extracurricular activities while you’re a student. You’ll also find that adult life doesn’t often leave room for hobbies, something which is pretty tough. While you have the chance to be able to try something new or get better at something you love, grab it with both hands! PS – are you following our brand new Instagram account?
