Be involved but not too involved

Students are instructed at a young age to get involved with sports, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work, and while you grow up adults continue to push involvement. However, getting involved can produce problems.

Starting in middle school, adults persuade you to become an active person. Parents, teachers, and other adults persuade you to join sports, choir, and, if available, theatre.

In eighth grade, I joined the volleyball team, basketball team, and track and field. Along with school-related activities, some parents encourage their children to begin down the path of volunteerism. I was a volunteer clerk/store assistant for the Alliance Mission Store from fifth grade through high school.

Once you get to high school, adults go from persuading you to be involved to harassing you to be active. Teachers tell you that getting involved will be a great resume builder.

Also, when you are applying for colleges and scholarships, the more active you are, the better chance you have in being the top pick.

The problem with getting involved, however, is being too busy for other important responsibilities. My brother has been part of basketball, baseball, track and field, and football since he was old enough to be, and as a junior in high school he has not had a job because he does not have time.

This has two effects on him. The positive is that he will get scholarships in academics and has already received offers from colleges in athletics. The negative is he has no job experience.

In high school, I played softball for two years, bowling for three years, and joined FFA and choir my senior year to fill up time. I also had a stable job from the time I was a 16-year-old. I was not over-involved and did not try hard to differentiate myself from my classmates.

Toward the end of my senior year, when I was applying for scholarships, I began to realize how uninvolved I was in high school. That backfired on me when I did not receive any scholarships or grants and was only eligible for loans. I was blessed with my job because I have had no problem being hired due to my experience in various jobs.

College is not different than middle school and high school in the sense that adults are still encouraging participation. In college however, this becomes an even bigger issue.

As a freshman I was involved in two different clubs associated with my major. Through the years I have been involved in the school newspaper, various clubs, Student Senate, and have had a job every year of college. Recently, I applied for a position on campus and was denied.

After receiving my letter of rejection, I was informed I needed to be more involved; but with clubs corresponding with what I applied for. After three years of college, I have realized that getting too involved in different campus organizations it will backfire.

I was involved and was not told to leave one over the other, but I felt a strong tension between them. My character was beginning to be questioned because of this, and I made the decision to drop a few involvements.

Through my life I’ve been told to be involved. Where I have the problem is when people encourage you to be active, then turn around and attempt to persuade you to choose their organization over your career path, all for their personal benefit.

People who encourage students to be involved should do so to benefit the student, not themselves.