Being a teenager is hard. You are learning who you are and you constantly hear adults telling you to do something with your life. They say, figure out what you want to do before it’s too late, but also, enjoy life while you’re young, you have time.
For many, high school is the place where people discover their interests and find their talents. Some find their love of art through performance and painting, some find love in competition through academia, and others choose to compete in a sport.
Everyone knows that playing sports comes with rivalry, however, there can be competitions in clubs as well. There are multiple clubs that have contests or tournaments, such as the debate club, chess club, gaming club, and even the music club. In sports there are scrimmages, games, and meets. These places are not only where your competitors are, but it is also a place where you can meet new people and potential friends.
Majority of students join clubs to either show they were involved in high school, or because they want to meet new people. While the rest of the students choose to not be a part of anything, and most likely either have other responsibilities or simply not interested.
Students who are into athletics will join a sport, and being in a sport means being a part of a team. There are traits that you need to exhibit before joining a sports team. Those traits include being confident, being committed, and being energetic. You need to be able to push yourself beyond your limits and abilities. You have to be strong and competitive. For some people being in a club is sometimes just another thing to put on a college application. For example, Alexa Lucius, sophomore at UACHS, feels that clubs are not as beneficial as playing a sport is. Lucius thinks that joining a sport could lead to more opportunities in the future, such as scholarships and activeness.
“Sports is more interactive, and you can meet new people when you’re at games or meets,” said Lucius.
Clubs are not just a hobby for numerous students. It’s a way to connect and also express the different facets of their personality. Unlike Lucius, Meryline Aguilar, another sophomore at UACHS, believes that clubs are easier to take part in rather than sports. Aguilar is a part of drama club, poetry club, and art club. She was interested in playing softball for UACHS, but changed her mind at the end of freshman year.
“I’ve been playing softball ever since I was little, but when I got to high school I saw that it required so much paperwork and time that I didn’t want to do,” said Aguilar.
Both clubs and sports have their pros and cons, but they have something that everyone gets, pressure.
Ineesha Hill, President of the Student Council, tries to partake in everything she can. She sings for the music club and runs for the UACHS track team, all while staying active in Student Council. Hill feels that all of the activities she does can sometimes be a hassle. Trying to juggle all of these responsibilities can get tiring, but in the end Hill knows her hardwork and effort will all be worth it.
“Since I participate in a lot of extracurricular activities, it can get stressful at times, but it gives me a chance to push myself,” said Hill.
To be a student athlete means to focus on your education before the sport you play, and with that comes pressure. To be a club member means to enjoy the activities you’re doing, enjoying the people you’re with, while also honing in your skills in a particular subject. While being part of a club or sport team can ultimately help you with who you want to be when you grow up, the decision of which you choose is completely up to you. It’s your decision and you should decide what is more beneficial to you.