Extracurricular Activities Examples

Hey everybody. Struggling junior here! Wondering if y'all might have some examples of unique and impactful extracurricular activities you're engaged in? I feel like I'm not doing enough or doing the ‘right’ extracurriculars... Any advice?

Hey there, no need to stress! Everyone's passions and interests are different, so there's not a 'right' or 'wrong' set of extracurriculars. It's more important to be involved in activities you genuinely enjoy and where you can make an impact, rather than just ones to fill up your application. Quality over quantity, my friend.

That being said, to give you some examples which might inspire you, here are some unique extracurricular activities I've known people to be involved in:

1. One student has started a local tutoring program for elementary school kids in his community. He's particularly passionate about literacy, so he specifically offers tutoring in reading and writing and has recruited additional high school volunteers to help.

2. I know of a young woman who combined her interest in tech and social issues to create an app that connects local farms with food banks to reduce food waste and address food insecurity.

3. Another student, passionate about politics, started a school club to engage students in political discourse and even organized a 'town hall' event with local representatives.

4. For the artistically inclined, organizing community art exhibitions, contributing towards town beautification with public murals, or hosting art workshops for kids can also be standout extracurricular activities.

Remember, the key to unique extracurriculars often lies in combining your specific interests in a way that benefits others or solves problems. It's all about going beyond simply participating to actually making an impact.

If you're interested more in this topic, CollegeVine has a great concept called the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars which breaks down activities based on scale of participation (school, local community, regional, national, international) and leadership, achievement, and impact factors. It might help you understand where your current activities fall and perhaps where you can aim to stretch them.

Lastly, don't forget to enjoy what you're doing! Admissions officers can often tell if you're "resume padding" or truly committed to the causes you write about. Best of luck finding activities you're passionate about!