8 Benefits of Outdoor Sports for College Students

If you’ve ever tried to apply for a job then you must have heard them talk about extracurricular activities as something your resume has to have. But what’s the whole point of extracurricular activity? What are extracurricular activities and why are they so important for college students?

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What are Extracurricular Activities and Outdoor Sports?

Before we talk about why outdoor sports are so good for college students, let’s take a look at the broader term: extracurricular activity. As you might have guessed, the term “extracurricular” refers to anything that is outside the curriculum. In essence, it is anything extra. When you take part in extracurricular activities, the message that you are sending out is that you have gone above and beyond what your curriculum requires you to do. You have gone the extra mile, so to speak. This signals that you are a hardworking and determined student who not only has time to do what is required of them but enough to do something extra as well.

There are many different types of extracurricular activities, ranging from volunteer work to sports. Outdoor sports are therefore one kind of extracurricular activity, and they are quite important for a variety of reasons. Outdoor sports have many untold benefits for college students, some of which we are going to explore today.

Outdoor sports enhance academic performance

A common worry among many college students is that participating in outdoor sports may take away valuable time that they could otherwise have used to concentrate on their academics, thereby impacting their grades in a bad way. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Participating in outdoor sports that you enjoy can actually improve your cognitive performance. It helps you concentrate and makes you a better manager of your time. This makes you a better performer inside and outside of class, helping you get higher grades. Endurance sports, in particular, teach you to build your stamina so that you can withstand periods of immense difficulty. Studies have shown a positive relationship between outdoor sports and academic performance, with students who took part in outdoor sports performing way better than those who didn’t.

Outdoor sports broaden your perspectives

When you try out a lot of different things, it makes it easier for you to explore the different interests you might have and discover passions you had no idea dwelt within you. Diverse interests are also going to open up your mind and broaden your perspectives.

Outdoor sports build your self-esteem

With increased participation in outdoor sports comes increased success, which leads to increased confidence in self. If you’re really good in the classroom, participating in outdoor sports will enable you to explore other things you might be good at, which will build your confidence even more, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Similarly, if you’re struggling with academics, finding a sport you enjoy and are good at can build your confidence. This confidence can spill over into academics. It can enable you to approach your academics with higher confidence. You can start taking proactive measures, such as seeking online assignment writing help or reading essays to improve your understanding of different subjects, which might lead to higher grades.

Outdoor sports are a great way to socialize

Making friends in college can be hard when you’ve got a huge workload and don’t have time to go to social events, especially if you’re the introverted type. However, if you engage in outdoor sports, it makes it easier to build and expand your social group. You will also have the opportunity to meet and socialize with people that have similar interests and passions, making for stronger friendships overall.

Outdoor sports make for productive breaks

Outdoor sports can be a great way for you to take a break from your academics without necessarily wasting time. By engaging in sports in your free time, you’ll be building up other aspects of yourself as you take time away from academics, thereby making you more productive overall.

Outdoor sports give you some essential life skills

Outdoor sports are a great way to build important soft skills that will come in handy at your job and in life as well. These include such things as goal setting, teamwork, leadership, time management, and problem solving, among others.

Outdoor sports help you build your resume

Hiring managers are very keen on candidates fresh out of college who can demonstrate that they did something outside of their academics to improve themselves. When you participate in outdoor sports, you give yourself an edge over others, showing yourself to have a superior work ethic and more rounded personality.

Outdoor sports are good for your health

This may be the last point, but it is certainly not the least. Perhaps the most obvious, and also the most powerful benefit of outdoor sports is that they are good for our health. They strengthen our lungs, regulate blood pressure and sugar levels, improve energy levels, improve balance and co-ordination, reduce chronic muscle tension, and reduce our risk of getting lifestyle diseases like obesity and cardiovascular illnesses. The dividends of outdoor sports will keep paying themselves throughout your life and your body will thank you for it.

Conclusion

Outdoor sports are fun and beneficial. If for no other reason, participate in them because they make you happy. Do what you love and keep doing it as you reap the benefits. I certainly enjoyed doing them in my school years, and I’m benefitting to this day. I’ve never stopped, by the way. Once you start, you can never really stop. And that’s a good thing.

Author Bio

Sandra Larson is a writer and editor with many years of experience writing about a variety of subjects. Her favorite things to write about include sports, health, education, technology, and self-improvement. When she’s not writing, she’s playing badminton with her local community team.