A FINE BALANCE: ACADEMICS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT
May 28, 2023 2023-05-28 0:00A FINE BALANCE: ACADEMICS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT
Hello, young friends!
While it is important to do well in studies, it is also equally important to pursue extracurricular activities of your choice like sports, dance, theatre, poetry, singing, painting, etc. Now you may ask why only studying is not enough. You may also think that your parents already put pressure on you for studies and you don't want to take up the extra burden of co-curricular activities. But trust me, achieving a fine balance between academics and extracurricular activities is very important for your all-round personality development. Mayur Hazarika, a 26-year-old doctor from Assam, who has scored All India fifth rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022, used to play football. He was also a bright student right from his early years. So, there's no reason why you should feel that only studies are important.
Extracurricular activities teach us important life lessons like collaboration, patience, resilience, etc. while also letting us unleash our creativity. These activities prepare us to face the world later as adults by instilling qualities such as determination, perseverance, discipline, etc. in us. Pursuing sports helps us become disciplined and prepares us for teamwork. In today's world, where our lifestyles are sedentary, engaging in sports is even more important to stay fit and active. Activities like singing and dancing require practice and thereby instill patience and punctuality. Craftwork teaches technique, skills, and patience. Writing lets us express our thoughts and sometimes helps relieve our stress too. Painting is a great way to express our perception of the world. It's a means to tap into our creative potential. So, all extracurricular activities have multiple benefits and help in the all-round development of our personality.
However, it's very important to strike a fine balance between both academics and extracurricular activities. To achieve this, you will have to be organised, sincere, hardworking, and you'll have to manage time. And that can be done with a few changes in your daily routine. A few tips are as follows:
1. Limit the usage of gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, etc. Instead, use that time to learn a new skill such learning to play a musical instrument or try to pursue a hobby such as writing, singing, painting, etc. It'll not only enhance your creativity but also help you stay away from the screen, which is very important, considering the number of health issues (such as eye trouble, headache) we all are facing because of being glued to gadgets.
2. Categorise tasks into 'very important', 'important', and 'important but not compulsory'. For example, doing your homework for the next day would be 'very important' while attending a music concert would be 'important but not compulsory' in case you have to choose between the two. This helps you prioritise tasks when there's a time crunch.
3. Do not hesitate to take your teachers'/parents' help when you feel overburdened. For example, if you have to participate at an Inter-School Dance Competition the next day, you can politely request your teacher to give less homework the previous day. Or you can take your mother's/father's help if you need help regarding deciding a topic for a poetry writing competition.
4. Learn to manage your time. Time management is a vital skill that will help you prioritise tasks, accurately judge the amount of time needed to complete them, and divide your time between academics and extracurricular activities. You can set a timer to know the amount of time you require for various activities.
5. Even if you are a beginner in a particular field (for example, singing), do participate in inter-school competitions for singing, dancing, writing, or sports conducted by your school. Participation matters, winning or losing doesn't. Participating will make you confident and inspire you to learn better.
6. You could request your teachers and parents to jointly work out on periodically reviewing the activities, both academic and extracurricular ones, that you have been pursuing. Based on their review and suggestions, you will be able to make improvements, if required, in any particular area.
Thus, achieving a fine balance between academics and extracurricular activities will help in your overall personality development and help you become successful in various spheres, thereby making you responsible future citizens.
