Non-Academic Activities Beneficial For College Students

Sure, attending lectures and organizations on campus is essential, but did you know that non-academic activities are also important? Having hobbies and being active in various off-campus activities can be beneficial to support your academic life and future work life. This article will discuss some useful non-academic activities for students while studying.

Why Are Non-Academic Activities Important?

According to a study by Palardy (2019) and Shipton & Bermingham (2018), students’ non-academic attributes, also referred to as non-cognitive skills and twenty-first-century skills, are associated with academic performance. Non-academic skills are associated with various positive outcomes across education, employment, health, and well-being, such as higher academic achievement, improved employability, and better physical and mental health.

Non-academic activities can be carried out on campus through organizations, volunteer work, and student organizations and communities. However, students can also do various other non-academic activities off campus! Those who only attend campus for lectures have to know that it’s not enough to just study in class to have a promising future.

Non-Academic Activities Useful For Students

• Internship or Part-Time Job

This non-academic activity may be most beneficial for students in the long run. Don’t wait until your college requires you to do an internship program to start an internship or part-time job. The sooner you join an internship or have a part-time job, the more experience you will accumulate until you’d actually get a full-time job.

Besides having more pocket money, going directly into the world of work will undoubtedly help you hone your hard skills and your soft skills. You will mature quicker and have superior organizational skills compared to other students. Who knows, you might end up making new connections or being offered a permanent position at the company you’re doing your internship or part-time with! Are you having difficulty in finding an internship? No need to worry. UMN students are constantly updated about internship, part-time, and full-time job vacancies!

• Campus Events

Not ready to jump straight into the world of work? No problem! You can start by participating in events organized by your campus. You can participate in campus events, for example being part of the equipment, events, or security department. Don’t underestimate your campus event, no matter how small! Being part of a campus event can hone your teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Also read: UMN Student Organizations

• Campus or Student Organization

Most students will definitely join at least one campus or student organization. Besides being able to do what you like, joining campus organizations allows you to meet new friends because you can be a member of your student organization until you graduate. If you can, try registering to be part of the student organization management (the heads of the organization) to beautify your CV! If you study at UMN, you have nothing to worry about. UMN has a variety of student organizations that you can join!

Just like the experience of being part of a campus event, being part of a student organization will give you a variety of unique experiences. You will learn how to organize an organization, brainstorm exciting events for the organization, solve problems, and be an open-minded person. Because think about it, you are bound to meet people from different faculties and personalities when you join an organization. Graduates with rich organizational experience will be advantageous when you apply for jobs later! Who knows, you might even find your soul mate there.

• Volunteer Work

You don’t have to be on campus to do non-academic activities. You can join organizations and volunteer work off campus! For example, are you an environmentalist? There are many environmental communities and organizations out there that you can find on the internet, like Linkedin. Since the organization is off-campus, you will have the opportunity to build connections with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Well, now that you’ve read about the benefits of non-academic activities for college students, which activity caught your attention?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What are the non-academic qualities?

You will gain soft skills such as empathy, tolerance, flexibility, and caring for others.

2. Why are extra-curricular activities important?

Taking extracurricular activities can help you build connections, hone your social skills, and help improve your academic performance.

3. How can extracurricular activities help increase student confidence?

When participating in extracurricular activities, students will be forced to socialize, try new things, and hone their skills. All of these can help students to become more confident.

Sources:

• UMN
• UK Parliament
• Frontiers in Education 

*by Levina Chrestella Theodora | UMN News Service

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