text: In addition, a mandatory extracurricular activity encourages students to branch out and try something new that they may come to love. I am a living example of this. Before this school year, I dreaded participating in any form of a performance in front of anyone. When I stood onstage, my stomach twisted into knots, my knees shook, and my palms became slippery with sweat. It was torture! After participating in my school's extracurricular choir program, though, I learned to push past my initial fear of performing and enjoy it. Now, thanks to this activity, I find being on stage and entertaining exciting and enjoyable. As you can see, new activities are a chance to learn and grow. In an activity that they've never tried before, a student can find a passion they didn't even know they had! Many people won't try something new on their own, though, so making extracurricular activities mandatory would be a smart way to encourage students to embrace a new opportunity.