Blog article by Aziza Mumin
Nowadays, education extends beyond your lecture theatres (or more recently, your Zoom classes) and should involve developing your skills and experience. Your time at university is a prime opportunity to try new hobbies, see what you're interested in and figure out what you're passionate about — which is where extracurriculars come in.
Benefits and types of extracurriculars
Participating in extracurriculars comes with many advantages that have favourable impacts on students’ achievements. This includes higher grades, greater social development, and a better understanding of the significance of community involvement. Additionally, extracurriculars are a benefit to your resume and career prospects, as they provide a complement to your academics, allowing you to become a more well-rounded candidate.
There are a diverse range of extracurriculars available for students to get involved in. With so many options available, students can easily find something they’re interested in and passionate about.
Leadership extracurriculars
One of the most crucial extracurriculars to include on your resume are those involving leadership. Many firms are on the lookout for candidates with leadership abilities that can be transferred to different settings, such as conflict management and maintaining team morale. Having leadership positions on your CV will help you stand out from the crowd. Examples of these include:
Student council
Student society executive team
Peer mentoring
Tutoring
Creative extracurriculars
When it comes to job applications, creativity is always a plus. Students who participate in creative extracurriculars are more open-minded, flexible and have a strong ability to think outside the box. These characteristics allow you to easily bring innovation to a company which will make you stand out in the eyes of employers. Examples of these include:
Music
Learning a new language
Drama
Visual arts
Student literary magazine or yearbook
Technological extracurriculars
In today's fast-changing market, keeping up with your preferred industry is more vital than ever. Stay up to date on the newest trends, whether they are marketing practices, stock movements or new software. Employers are seeking people who are dedicated to staying current in the industry and devote time and initiative to grow their understanding of an industry or company. In addition to reading the news and reaching out to industry professionals, extracurriculars that can show you’re keeping up with the latest trends include:
Hackathons
Programming clubs or competitions
Participation in an IT or robotics student society
Business and entrepreneurship extracurriculars
Certain extracurricular activities will demonstrate your motivation, time management, and teamwork skills. Additionally, they provide you with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience on a commercial project, in which you can contribute to business decisions and develop your project management abilities. Examples of these extracurriculars include:
Joining a business student society
Attending conferences
Starting a small business or startup
If you don’t know where to start, apply to be part of ABSA’s executive committee!
How to make the most out of your extracurriculars
Develop a schedule and follow it
Scheduling allows you to organise your activities, so that you can prioritise and accomplish your goals. A schedule can be in the form of a calendar, timetable, planner, or anything else that works well for you. Make sure to include time for exercise, socialising and self-care. Additionally, ensure that you schedule regular breaks to improve productivity and prevent burnout.
Apps you can use to create a personalised schedule include:
Evernote - allows you to create planners that you can customise and color code, and comes with the added benefits of priority flags, due dates and reminders
Trello - organises tasks on boards that can easily be moved around. It features an easy and visual format so you can effortlessly see the status of each task
Maintaining a good balance between all aspects of your life is vital as it allows you to reduce time spent being unproductive and achieve more in less time. If you want to learn more about tips and tools on how to work at home better, check out our recent blog.
Choose extracurriculars wisely
When selecting which extracurriculars to participate in, ensure that you consider what you are actually interested in, your current strengths and what skills you would like to develop. It can be tempting at first to dip your toes in a little of everything, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Committing to too many extracurriculars can lead to high stress levels, meaning that you miss out on the benefits. Quality over quantity is always a good rule of thumb.
Don’t forget to follow the Australian Business Students’ Association on LinkedIn to get the latest news and updates. We post business related content such as blogs, news and hold events to provide students with more opportunities to network and grow.
Stay connected with ABSA on social media!
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