Extracurricular activities can be a fun, rewarding way to help make the most of high school. They can also help you make the most of your future by helping you determine what you like to do.

As with any stage of life, it is possible to be too active and perhaps stretched too thin, but a good balance of academics and extracurricular activities can help prepare you for the future.

Consider these benefits of extracurricular activities:

• Developing new skills: Public speaking skills are the first thing that comes to my mind. Although many people profess to dislike speaking in front of others, public speaking will likely be something that everyone will need to do. It's great to become comfortable speaking when you are younger, so you can continue to craft your skill throughout your life.
• Exploring careers: Extracurricular activities are a great way to expand on your interests and potentially find what you would like to pursue as a career. Some clubs have competitions that allow you to specialize in a particular field to get a better idea of how much it interests you.
• Making new friends: It almost goes with saying that new friends are a bonus of a new activity. It might be a way to meet students from other schools, too, at meeting and competitions. You might catch up with those friends again in college or your career.
• Managing money: Being involved with different activities likely comes at a cost, but also provides a way to manage your money for dues, shirts, and other activity costs. Being a treasurer for an activity also provides you with an opportunity to track receipts, pay bills, and work with sponsors.
• Managing time: Balancing your classes, homework, and activities takes some coordination, which you will be refining the rest of your life. Pay close attention to deadlines and don't wait until the last minute to get homework or studying done.

Whatever activities you decide to do, keep track of your accomplishments and have fun along the way. Tell us about your favorite benefit of extracurricular activities.