Although you might not believe, some people do not struggle with uni. Some people even find time to do other activities. And others are so passionate about something that they overcome the titanic task of studying and undertaking extra-curricular activities. There are many you can do, and you will soon find many people that are willing to share their time with you in doing such activities. Hence, we are going to go through most of the university extracurricular activities that you can do while studying abroad
Sports
Universities always promote sport among students. It is known that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. It is not strange to find sports teams built around faculties or classes. But you will have to choose wisely, for this kind of activity is very vast:
- Competitive sport vs not – Sometimes, the adrenaline of competition makes the experience worth it. Other times, the sport is about enjoying physical exercise or competing against yourself. Be aware of what kind of sport is played in each form (swimming, football, running, can all be both competitive or not competitive sports!).
- Team vs Solo – If you are very social, you will enjoy any team sport, even if you are not great at it, just because you will get to be around other people. Or if you need time to disconnect from classes and classmates, you can choose a solo sport. Swimming is probably the most isolating sport, whereas rugby is normally prone to forming close groups.
- Skill vs Health – All true sports are about physical condition. But the way in which this is expressed is different. You might need coordination, balance, control, resistance, brute strength, speed or great reflex. And the level of exhaustion after practice will also be different. On the one hand, CrossFit will drain all of your energy and have you ready to sleep. On the other hand, ping pong will require a lot of concentration and preciseness.
Research groups
Probably, the absolute opposite of sport is research groups. Some students gather to research about specific subjects, normally related to their studies. Research groups and PhDs are part of the life of University Professors, and those students that are to take the same pathway can take part in this adventure. This means you will spend more and more time in the classes and offices, library and others, helping teachers and research groups and also learning more than the average. It is a great opportunity to use university resources and learn if this new form of life is what you want to do in the future.
NGO´s
Another way of spending your time in university. If you feel a vocation to help others, if what you have learnt makes you see the world in a more critical way and you want to contribute to make it a better place, you should definitely become a volunteer in one of many NGO’s that cover anything from environmental issues to animal rights, political matters or socially demanding causes. Joining and NGO will not only give you a sense of purpose but provide you with many skills required in adulthood.
Internships & part time jobs
For some people, that are really focused on their future and want to quickly escalate the corporate ladder, it is a great idea to start having internships early on in university. Also, people that need to earn money or want to start saving can take part-time jobs. Both aspects are very demanding but will have you learn two very important lessons. The first one is the need for resilience and organization that a job requires. The other is the application of what you have learnt in class in the real world.
Music bands
If you spent your high school dreaming about being a rock star, you will certainly meet people in Uni that shared the same passion for music. It is also very usual to find music around universities: choirs or marching bands are a great tradition in many universities in America, and even in Europe.
University newspaper
It is very common in communication faculty, but you do not have to be part of the journalism degree to take part in the university newspaper or magazine. It is a great way to establish communication between students, outsiders, and teachers. You will also gain culture and knowledge while meeting new and interesting people.
Are you planning on joining any of these? Tell us in the comments!
You can review our Recommended Online Open Days to see webinars that can interest you. There, you will also be informed about university extracurricular activities. Studying Abroad is the way to go!
