The final bell rings in the enthusiastic, beaming school, and the real action begins. Students rush around from a football ground to a painting class, maths tutoring to a gaming console, from science textbooks to the guitar collecting dust for ages. And the plot? The delicate art of balancing one’s passion with one’s scholastic education.
Schooling years are the only days when a student can focus on his/her personal development, be it physical, mental or emotional, and extracurriculars play just the part. still, why is it not uncommon for them to be anxious when it comes to balancing their tasks?
I have always wondered about this. I wanted to ace my studies, but also to do SOMETHING, anything apart from studies as a hobby. It was difficult, but once I got the hang of it, I began introducing more hobbies into my lifestyle without compromising on schoolwork! Now, I have more hobbies than I can remember, each adding its unique learning experience!
That was when I came up with the ONE THING to attaining mastery in balancing academics with extracurriculars- find out what WORKS FOR YOU. This is a trial-and-error process. When there’s a load of work and a hobby that just cannot be avoided, taking time to understand yourself would work best. Experiment with different time periods and schedules, make a different strategy, know when you study best, night or day time, filter through your hobbies and academics, and prioritize. Set your goals clearly and defined. Having a fancy notebook for jotting down your goals (which is fun as well), is never more functional than having a precise mental visualization of your day.
I’ve had so many sleepless nights trying to accommodate my hobbies along with my homework, and many times I ended up doing none with the standards and quality expected from me. But after I established a set of rules that helped me get my work done, balancing my tasks was always a piece of cake.
For instance, on a heavy workload day, I start after school by doing the most difficult task, and following that, I spend some time relaxing from the restless day, here is when I get to practice my extracurriculars; I put together melodies on my keyboard, work on my overdue knitting project, read a fascinating book, or (my favourite!) simply take a power nap. Later on, I proceed with the rest of my tasks, have dinner, and continue with assignments.It’s always good to make sure you get the right amount of sleep in order to wake up refreshed. I prefer doing tasks requiring mindful thinking in the morning before leaving for school (by waking up earlier than usual)
The main key to exploring extracurriculars while focusing on school, based on my experience, can be narrowed down to just TWO things. : 1) You cannot do everything, and that is perfectly okay and 2) prioritize and set realistic. goals.
To establish your priorities, first and foremost get to know yourself, your shortcomings, assets, tasks that are time-consuming and so on. Based on that, one can prioritize in a way that’s productive!
It’s always good to have something apart from your studies to keep you engaged. In my opinion, an extracurricular activity benefits you in countless ways ONLY if balanced properly. Extracurricular activities can improve your overall outlook on school, they provide you with a broader range of talents and interests you never knew you had! Also,they are an essential aspect to add to your resume (and make for great opportunities to flaunt your new skill!). They provide you with more than just notable achievements, they grant you the gem of a happy student life: confidence.
Once that is taken care of, you’re ready, set and free to delve into the majestic world of hobbies and extracurriculars with no unnecessary apprehension about school!
Deepanshi Pareek
Grade 9
