Write about the following topic: “Do you think extra-curricular activities are important in a student’s life?” Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

There is

such

a spectrum of extra-curricular activities available nowadays, ranging from gardening to reading and playing sports. When discussing the importance of these, it is vital to note that not every student will shine in the classroom, and some may stumble across something they are passionate about or somewhere they really excel

in

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- outside of the classroom. Whilst academia is of the

upmost

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utmost

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importance, extra-curricular activities play an essential role in aiding the development of a wide array of

skills

outside of the classroom,

thus

making sure that students are well-rounded. During year 7, I took

up

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debate classes after

school

which broadened my knowledge on a variety of topics,

such

as the death penalty, and compelled me to conduct my own research and form my own opinions on topics that would

otherwise

not be covered by the national curriculum. My critical thinking

skills

were enhanced when having to filter through the numerous sources on the internet, and I learnt how to look at the other side of an argument, even though it may not necessarily be in line with my personal thoughts and beliefs.

As well as

that, I took up badminton weekly after

school

, which not only improved my

team-working

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teamwork

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skills

,

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but actually increased my fitness and encouraged me to always take part in some sort of sporting activity throughout my adult life. It was the start of my fitness journey, and to

this

day, I still love playing badminton! Some may argue that

such

activities may distract students from the real aim of

school

- studying hard to pass exams. Time spent at

after

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after-school

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school

clubs may

take-away

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take away

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from homework time, resulting in the student falling behind during

school

hours, and becoming unmotivated.

This

inevitably will have a knock-on effect on other subjects. Certain schools charge a fee for classes taken after

school

and those whose parents are unable to afford the extra fees might find themselves feeling

left-out

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left out

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and divided from the others, so it would be better to abandon these classes altogether. In conclusion,

skills

developed outside of the

classrom

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classroom

can be carried through life, and come of use at a far greater rate than in-classroom topics,

such

as physics, perhaps.

Therefore

, it can be a wonderful idea.

However

, it is important to keep on top of your studies first and not allow yourself to be sidetracked by things occurring outside of

the

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school

hours.