What if I Don't Have Any Extracurricular Activities?
extra-cuˈrricular adj. outside the normal curriculum
If you’re not on an athletic team, or in the band, or in student government, or involved with any school-organized clubs, chances are you still have extracurricular activities.
All “extracurricular” means is “outside the normal curriculum.” That means anything you do on a regular or semi-regular basis outside of school and homework.
Do you take care of your siblings?
Do you help out your grandparents?
Do you volunteer at a church or non-profit organization?
Do you hike, code, or practice yoga? Do you play chess, board games, or even video games?
If the answer to any of these (or any other activities you imagine) is “yes,” then you have some extracurricular activities under your belt already.
Extracurricular activities lists are a chance to demonstrate your engagement with the world beyond school. Extracurriculars are what you do when you’re not working for a grade. They’re the space for you to be creative and to carve out an identity outside of school.
If you eat up all your spare time with escapist activities, such as playing video games just for fun instead of, say, creating levels or coding, then shift gears—get critically and creatively engaged with your hobbies so that you can reflect on their meaning.
That’s the trick of college applications in general: translating your day-to-day activities into a meaningful account of who you are. Think about how your actions today could translate into a written application. What would be impressive? What would stand out?
And no, volunteering just one day last year at the county fair doesn’t count—extracurriculars must be activities with some degree of regularity (once a month, or even just three times a semester).
If you’re a sophomore or junior, you have time not just to craft and cultivate what you already know, do, and love, but also to take on new activities. Volunteer or work at a camp or nursing home this summer. Babysit. Learn how to code. Start learning a new language. Pick up an instrument. Find a hospital, museum, or business that would allow you to volunteer.
If you’re unsure of what to do, ask your classmates, teachers, counselors, and parents. Find out what opportunities are out there for you to not only improve your applications, but to learn something new and do something exciting and enriching.
Thanks to the powers of search engines, it has never been easier to find things to do, even from your own home.
Want to learn more about modern poetry? Sign up for this free MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) out of the University of Pennsylvania. Interested in learning more about computer science? Choose from a number of these courses offered through MIT.
Of course, you’re not limited to courses; maybe you feel as if you get enough of that in high school. But keep searching: there is a community or organization out there that would be well worth your time.
Stephen P. is a writer and teacher based in Los Angeles. He has taught literature and writing courses at several universities and has taught writing and reading at Elite Prep Los Angeles since 2010.