With the new coronavirus pandemic and the recommendation of social distance, it became difficult to carry out actions that involve leaving home and meeting with other people. Therefore, remote extracurricular activities can be an outlet for you to add to your application. But do they have the same weight for universities abroad as face-to-face activities?
Remote extracurricular activities: will universities accept it?
Many students fear that colleges will not take remote extracurricular activities as well as traditional activities. But the truth is that while universities value qualities such as teamwork and competitiveness – which are easier to obtain when you are in close contact with others – there are several ways to make home-based activities more attractive to colleges.
In that case, if you can demonstrate a combination of dedication, skill and leadership in your extracurricular activity, it will be completely legitimate for colleges and universities, regardless of whether you did it remotely or not.
It is also important to note that colleges are aware that, due to COVID-19, students will not be able to participate in extracurricular activities for the next months as they wish. As such, colleges will not give them the same weight when analyzing applications. Either way, resorting to new remote extracurricular activities shows your ability and flexibility, which are essential skills for selection processes.
How to transform a traditional activity into a remote activity?
Even if you are no longer going to school and spending a lot of time in your home, it does not mean that all of your current extracurricular activities have to stop. There are three main ways to adapt an activity so that it can be done at home.
1. Make everything virtual
As much as one of the best parts of extracurriculars is spending time with the people you care about, you can still do a lot in a virtual way. You can conduct videoconferences and video exercises, accompany other members through messages and e-mails, and transform fundraising events into virtual events.
It may not be the ideal scenario, but with current technology, many aspects of extracurriculars can be moved to the online environment for now. This will help you feel part of the community and will also allow the group to still do important work.
2. Focus on preparing for next year
Perhaps you had a competition or a fundraiser that needed to be canceled. It can be extremely disappointing to have your plans changed so suddenly, especially if you have spent a lot of time preparing for the event. However, one of the best ways to stay engaged is to look to the future.
As long as you are not graduating, you and your teammates can shift your focus to preparing for the coming year. You may not participate in this activity this semester, but you may decide to focus on studying, practicing and / or training to be prepared for next year’s events.
3. Focus on doing your part
It can be difficult to maintain team performance when no one is able to meet in person. However, you still have control over how to stay in top shape, either physically or mentally. If you are on a football team and are unable to meet with other players to train, you can still exercise and practice on your own. It is impossible to control all extracurricular activity, but if you do your part, you will regain the feeling of having some control and you will be able to create new goals to work with.
Remote extracurricular activity ideas
There are actually many remote extracurricular activities that you can do. Here are some ideas:
- Create a blog
- Create a website
- Start a podcast
- Play an instrument
- Join an e-sports team
- Develop a new application
- Teach online
- Participate as a remote volunteer in a political campaign
