Last week, my 13-year-old cousin asked me for advice about choosing high-school extra-murals. I, obviously, wanted to give her the advice I never had, like “Do these because then you’ll make more friends and I regret not doing this, so you should do it.” However, the two of us are completely different. What I loved she could very well hate. I realised this as I was going on and on about how she must try all the things I wish I had done.
In the end, the best thing she could do would be to ignore all my well-meant advice and, instead, choose the activities she has an interest in. Nowadays, there are so many different extracurriculars to choose from which makes the choice all the more difficult. There’s also always someone, a friend or family member, who has their heart set on the new high-schooler doing some extramural so that they can live vicariously through that.
I’m of the opinion that the after school activities teach just as much as the actual school lessons. These activities are not trivial or just for fun, and that makes the choice between them so much more difficult. Parents worry about what their child commits to and often get involved in that choice.
I believe that children shouldn’t listen to anyone’s enthusiastic advocacy for one activity or subject, but rather choose exactly what they themselves enjoy the most. If you try everything and continue with the things that give you a buzz (not your parents, uncles, cousins, but YOU) – you won’t have any regrets!
By Sarah Martinson.