Super/Supra-Curriculars: What are they and how can they help you?
In Year 12, Super/Supra-curriculars might sound like another thing to add to your already busy schedule – this is what I initially thought but it can actually be one of the most interesting and enjoyable parts of preparing for university.
What are Super/Supra-Curriculars?
Super-curricular activities are things you do beyond your school subjects to explore your academic interests more deeply. Extra/supra-curriculars are activities like sports etc, that can help develop teamwork or leadership. However, that being said, extra-curricular activities are just as important because you want to show balance – so definitely don’t neglect those! There are a lot of skills that can be showcased in activities like sports 🏸 so having those also helps. Let me give some examples of each:
-> Super curriculars (related to subject) – books, articles, podcasts based on subject topic
-> Supra or extra curriculars (developing personal skills) – sports leadership, volunteering, public speaking etc.
My top tips:
Super/Supra-curriculars can help develop independent thinking, discover what you like or don’t and build confidence.
So, my top tips
- Start with one article, podcast🎤, or short video. The key is not the quantity but the quality of what you can learn instead, A little, done regularly, is more effective (and much less stressful) than cramming everything in later.
- Try to do something related to your interests, genuine curiosity can really show through in the things you do.
- Mix up the formats and go for a range of supra-curriculars e.g. books📚, lectures, talks …… the list is endless
- Take a note of what you do and don’t forget to think about what you learnt and how it relates to your course interest – did it raise any questions?
*Having a note helps so you don’t forget when it comes to writing your personal statement or for anything further down the line!
- Get involved in competitions or challenges based around your subject – this can be a fun way to push yourself academically – this can be essay competitions, Olympiads, problem solving challenges etc.
What did I do?
When I was in college, I attended a few talks about new research that was happening surrounding medicine which were arranged by my Chemistry faculty. I then went on to read an article and reflect on what I had learnt, focusing on what was interesting to me. I also volunteered in a hospice nearby to gain patient exposure, and this made me look into conditions like Parkinson’s and research what interventions had been created to support such patients. I also completed some online work experience to gain knowledge of medical content itself and confirm whether medicine was the course I wanted to go into. These supra-curriculars really helped me to reflect on the depth of what medicine had to offer and decipher whether this is something I really wanted to pursue.
Hopefully that’s helped you to brainstorm some ideas! Let me know if you have any thoughts or questions and I’d be happy to help!
Varsika😊
