Should Extracurricular Activities Be Required? by Jaime

Should Extracurricular Activities Be Required? by Jaime - October 2015 Scholarship Essay

There are a multitude of extracurricular activities out there, but should they be required to graduate? Realistically, I do not think so, for many reasons. I am a member of FBLA, FCCLA, yeabook, the school musical, and National Honor Society, so I feel like I'm well advised here. No one should be forced to participate in extracurricular activities because they may not be able to afford it, they won't be as dedicated to the club or activity as those who signed up, and some people can’t handle being in an extracurricular.
To start off with, I’m a teen who does struggle to pay class dues. Being in as many clubs as I am causes my wallet to be particularly parched in the beginning of the year when my organizations come calling for money. That’s not even counting if we go on a trip. That’s money to go, to eat, and then there are the scraps that might go towards something else, depending on the event. Now, though I struggle getting the money, I do get it, one way or another. I know that these clubs and groups will be a good incentive for colleges to accept me, so I grin and bear it. However, some people cannot get the money. If we make them participate, that’s money they can’t give. It just puts them in an uncomfortable position that is not necessary or humane.
I’m a hard worker. If I sign up to do something, I do 110%, regardless of what it is. I understand that there are people who are the exact opposite, and I can’t judge, but making them join a club that they are not going to help in the least just shoves the ones who actually want to be there to the side. It’s an obstacle that we shouldn’t have to climb over. I dislike making people do something they don’t want to do, if they don’t want to do it, they don’t want to do it. By making them do it, we’re only building resentment and bitterness that could make whatever project they have to do, a disaster from the start.
Lastly, I’ll mention a friend of mine. One of my closest friends is also very determined and a hard worker, but she is not in any extracurricular activities. She has a completely separate life outside of high school. A job, a fiancé, a dedicated Christian, and that’s all fine and dandy. She also takes things at a slower pace, so she goes home with pounds of homework on her back that keeps her awake until one a.m. to get it done. By stacking a club onto her already high pile of things she has to get done, it would cause her more stress and incite a possible breakdown.
Whether it is money, laziness, or stress, I feel like any one of these reasons is a good reason not to require teenagers to have to be in extracurricular activities. Not everyone can handle them, afford them, or want to be in them. It shouldn’t be a way to measure if they’re ready for graduation.