Fun school activities impress colleges, offer friends, good times

Katie Steiner Online Editor in Chief

As new freshmen walk the halls of Millard South, many of them are already questioning what they need to do to prepare for college. One of the most important things everyone should do to prepare for college is to participate in extracurricular activities.

Extracurricular activities include sports, clubs, and organizations. Millard South offers many different opportunities for students to become active: 11 boys sports, 9 girls sports, 3 representative organizations, 4 spirit groups, and over 21 clubs. With so much to choose from, there is something interesting for everyone.

Most students choose to participate in clubs, because they do not play sports or know how to cheer and dance. Some of the clubs offered at Millard South include foreign language clubs, computer club, DECA, and literary magazine.

One of the reasons that students participate in activities is to put it on college applications. Many schools look for someone who has been active in the community and school. But it’s important to remember that colleges’ main criteria for selection are academics.

“Activities just add to your application,” counselor Sheri Harrach said. “It shows that you are a well rounded student who can handle activities and academics.”

Another reason forjoining an activity isallthepeople involved.Extracurriculars areagreatway tomeetnew people who have thesame interestsandlikethesame things.Manypeople have met their best friends through clubs and sports. For freshmen, it means having the opportunity to make friends with upperclassmen, who they wouldn’t have known otherwise. And it always helps to have upperclassmen asfriends.

Activities aren’t always just fun and games. They offer a way to learn important skills such as teamwork, leadership qualities, and communication skills. It also shows that practice makes perfect, and how to learn from mistakes.

“T Activities] teach you life skills like how to make decisions on your feet,” principal Jon Lopez said. “It’s like a dress rehearsal for life.”

School spirit is also a result of activities. Through participation, a sense of school pride is developed. Everyone wants his or her school to do well in everything. And school spirit is not limited to sports; it can also be for drama, band, forensics,debate, and anything elseMillardSouthcompetes in.

“We are going to have a great season in everything,” Lopez said. “I don’t anticipate being second in anything.” over the four previous years differs a great deal. Some believe the classes themselves haven’t changed simply the students. With time comes wisdom, and students realize this, and willfully admit that the classes may be stressful, but for the best.

With so many opportunities and great reasons for joining, there is no reason not to join an activity. So stop reading this article, get up, and get involved!

“The classes have gotten more challenging, such as math. The class challenges your mind, how much you know, and how much you can do,” senior Christina Sapp said.

Fellow senior, Jeannine Mullins, acknowledges this belief and concurs.

“The activities we do are more complex, the teachers expect you to know more,” Mullins said.

Faculty who have had students in both courses, those younger and others on the brink of adulthood, aren’t sure what to expect.

“I think it depends on what the teacher demands. The seniors are getting ready for life, so the materials covered are going to be more complex. Many of the seniors have goals, and feel that by piling on work it will provide more opportunities for their future. This is the moment they've been preparing for, the time that they've been gradually moving toward since they were freshmen. Yes, the seniors have learned many life lessons over the past years, but they have not learned all the discipline needed, and I don’t want them to fall on their face,” AP chemistry teacher, Ron Kaspar said.

Whether students like it or not, classes have evolved, and will continue to change and grow. With possibilities of college, looming in the future, teachers are assumed responsible for preparing their students for college. Teachers expectations will rise, curriculum starts getting tougher and the students will need to be able to handle all the changes.