Today, I wanted to share a little project I’ve been working on, something I’m calling “Extracurricular Brand”. It all started because I noticed a gap in how we usually think about extracurricular activities. You know, it’s all about resumes and college apps, very transactional. I thought, “What if we could make it more about personal growth and exploration?”
So, I started brainstorming. I grabbed a big sheet of paper and started jotting down everything that came to mind related to extracurriculars – sports, clubs, volunteering, everything. Then, I tried to group these ideas into categories, like “Creative,” “Leadership,” “Community,” and so on. This helped me see some patterns and connections I hadn’t noticed before.
Next, I started thinking about the “brand” part. What makes a brand appealing? It’s got a story, a purpose, and a unique identity. I figured, why can’t we apply the same principles to a person’s extracurricular involvement? It’s not just about what you do, but also why you do it and what you get out of it.
To make this a bit more concrete, I started creating some simple templates. Nothing fancy, just some basic layouts where you could plug in different activities and reflect on them. I made a section for “Skills Developed,” another for “Lessons Learned,” and one for “Future Goals.” I played around with these for a few days, filling them in with my own experiences.
After that, I wanted to see if this was something that could be useful to others. I reached out to a few friends who are still in high school and asked them to try out the templates. I got some really good feedback. They liked the idea of framing their activities in a more reflective way, but they also had some suggestions for making the templates even more user-friendly. I made some changes using their opinions.
Now, I’m at the stage where I’m thinking about how to share this more widely. I’ve set up a simple website to house the templates and some guiding questions. It’s pretty basic right now, but I’m hoping to add more resources over time. I’m also playing with the idea of creating a little workbook or guide to go along with it.
The Big Takeaways So Far
- Reframing is powerful: Shifting the focus from “resume-building” to “personal growth” can make a big difference in how you approach extracurriculars.
- Reflection is key: Taking the time to think about what you’re learning and how you’re growing is just as important as the activities themselves.
- Iterate, iterate, iterate: This whole process has been about trying things out, getting feedback, and making adjustments. It’s definitely not a finished product, and I’m okay with that.
I’m really excited to see where this “Extracurricular Brand” project goes. It’s been a fun and rewarding experience so far, and I hope it can help others find more meaning and purpose in their extracurricular pursuits. I’ll keep you all updated on how it develops!
