How Extracurriculars Help Your Freshman Now That They’re in College
Now that your child is a college student, the pressure of having enough extracurriculars to put on a college application is removed. Phew!
Actually this isn’t fully true.
Arguably extracurriculars matter more now than they did before college, but that doesn’t mean your freshman should be diving into countless student clubs and groups.
Below I share why your freshman should consider adding an extracurricular and how this choice can benefit them.
Extracurriculars can motivate your freshman to stay in college.
Fitting into college is hard. It takes time. Your freshman likely won’t feel like they fit in at college for a while.
After the fanfare of the new year dies down, the reality of all the work ahead of your freshman settles in and they want to drop out.
Extracurriculars may be able to help with that.
According to Williford & Wadley (2008) students who stay in school also participate in more extracurriculars than those who drop out.
If your freshman is ready to call it this school year, encourage them to connect with a club, a group, some activity that will get them connected in their college community.
Extracurriculars can improve your freshman’s academic performance.
Even if your freshman was an excellent student in high school, college will feel more difficult academically.
The actual classes typically aren’t that different, but the management of the college schedule is more challenging for most incoming college freshmen.
As a result, your freshman isn’t likely to earn their best grades at the start of college.
Extracurriculars may be able to help with your freshman’s grades.
According to Wang & Shiveley (2009) participating in “extracurricular activities [has] a very positive impact on the academic performance of students.”
If your freshman’s grades are poor, consider encouraging them to find one extracurricular to get plugged into.
Extracurriculars can connect your freshman with a community.
One of the biggest challenges of starting college is struggles with homesickness and loneliness.
It’s hard uprooting to a new place with new people.
If your freshman hasn’t experienced starting over in a new social environment, this transition can be especially tough.
Extracurriculars may be able to help with these struggles.
Cicognami et al. (2008) point out that participating in social activities (like extracurriculars) can impact a student’s sense of well-being and create community with other students.
If your freshman is feeling miserably alone or far from home, encourage them to connect with a smaller community at college (like a club).
Extracurriculars can provide your freshman with a healthier coping mechanism for stress.
It’s no secret that students tend to lean heavily on coping mechanisms during their college years.
Sometimes these coping mechanisms (e.g. alcohol) when used extreme can be debilitating and harmful.
Extracurriculars can be a healthier outlet for coping with stress.
In a study in the College Student Journal, Bland et al. (2012) point to college students participating in extracurriculars as a coping mechanism for stress.
While participating in extracurriculars alone won’t change how stressed your freshman feels (Çivitci (2015), encouraging your freshman to find healthy outlets like extracurriculars, exercise, etc. may help your freshman feel more in control of their stress.
Extracurriculars can help your freshman feel like they belong at college.
Your freshman probably still doesn’t fully feel like they fit in at college.
Finding that sense of belonging takes time for most college students.
Extracurriculars may help your freshman find this sense of belonging sooner rather than later.
Çivitci (2015) points to getting along with friends and faculty as being a factor that impacts if students feel like they belong.
If your freshman doesn’t feel like they fit in or belong at college, encourage them to get plugged into one extracurricular to speed up this process.
In balance, participating in extracurriculars can greatly benefit your freshman.
While you shouldn’t research all the clubs or groups and pick a group for your child, nudging them in the right direction can help.
Encouraging them to take that first step and visit a club or to visit with a roommate can help your freshman get a little closer to participating in an extracurricular.
Their participation is a choice to take action and control of their scary circumstance, rather than letting it control them. And you can help them take control of their feelings that feel so out of control.
