Question
Full-time university students need to spend a lot of time on studying, but it is essential to get involved in other activities. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample answer
On college campuses, extracurricular involvement is a key tool to develop the "whole student." It is appropriate to say that full-time university students should not only spend a lot of time on studying but also interact with their peers in social activities, thus improving their social skills. While time spent on studying can enhance academic achievement, time spent on getting involved in out-of-the-classroom activities will help students mature socially on the individual student level and the professional level.
The development of the well-rounded individual is a principle goal of extracurricular activities during college years. A variety of personal experiences that these activities provide could positively impact students' emotional development. When working together with other individuals, students learn to communicate and gain more self-confidence, autonomy and appreciation for others' similarities and differences. Further, by identifying a peer group, that group may influence one's affective and cognitive development as well as one's personal behavior. In addition, taking part in activities outside the classroom enables one, among other things, to learn to negotiate, manage conflict and cooperate with fellow students. And last but not least, almost any type of extracurricular activities may help students understand the importance of critical thinking skills.
Students can also upgrade their social skills specific to their career paths and imperative for future job successes in different fields. Extracurricular involvement allows students to associate academic knowledge with practical experience, thereby leading to a better awareness of of their abilities, talents and career goals. Nowadays, good social skills are nearly as important as good academic qualifications since future employers seek exactly these remarkable skill standards. This is understandable, considering that participation in extracurricular activities is positively linked to attainment of one's first job and managerial potential. The campus is a place where students can work together, discuss pertinent ideas and issues, and accomplish common objectives. It is nothing less than an environment for students to feel socially connected with others and the university as their community.
To sum up, for young people, attending higher education is meant to advance academically and to mature socially. University students ought to be encouraged to get involved in activities ranging from students' government to athletics to professional organizations to multicultural events and to volunteer service-related projects. Such activities exist to more fully complement the university's academic curriculum and augment the student's social experience.
