Is Making Teaching YouTube Videos and Working on a Business a Viable Extracurricular Activity?

Choosing the right extracurricular activities can be a challenging task, especially when you have limited or no options available. If you're considering creating teaching YouTube videos and working on a business project with a friend as your extracurricular activity, you're on the right track. These activities can showcase your interests, talents, and essential skills. However, it's crucial to present these activities effectively in your applications to highlight their value and impact.

Why These Activities Are Valuable

Creating teaching YouTube videos and engaging in a business venture with a friend are multifaceted activities that can demonstrate a range of positive qualities and skills. Here's how:

Initiative: Taking the initiative to start a YouTube channel and a business project shows your proactive approach to problem-solving and goal-setting. Commitment: Dedication to these activities demonstrates your ability to follow through and stick to long-term goals. Time Management: Balancing video creation and business management requires effective time management, a crucial skill for any future endeavor. Leadership and Teamwork: If you're working with a friend, you're showcasing your leadership skills and ability to collaborate effectively. If you're working solo, you'll develop self-management skills. Interpersonal Skills: Whether you're working alone or with a partner, these projects provide opportunities to interact and communicate effectively with others.

Presenting Your Activities Effectively

While these activities are valuable, colleges and scholarship panels will need to see how you present them. Here are some tips to ensure your activities are highlighted effectively:

Writing Compelling Essays

Describe Your Projects: Provide detailed descriptions of your YouTube video series and the business venture. What topics do you cover? What was the initial concept? Explain Skill Development: Discuss the skills you've developed, such as video production, marketing, sales, and customer service. Explain how these skills are relevant to your goals. Highlight Benefits to Others: Talk about how these activities have benefited your community, whether through educational content or by creating a small business that impacts people's lives.

Less Is Sometimes More

While it's great to have diverse and meaningful extracurricular activities, it's equally important to maintain focus. Colleges appreciate depth over breadth. If you commit enough time and effort to a few meaningful activities, you don't necessarily need to add more just for the sake of fulfilling a list.

Consider Other Activities

It's also worth considering diversifying your extracurricular portfolio. While creating videos and working on a business can be incredibly enriching, it might be beneficial to include other activities that showcase different aspects of your personality and skills. For example:

Volunteer Work: Engaging in volunteer work can demonstrate your community service and empathy. Sports or Arts: Participating in sports or arts activities can show your physical and creative talents. Joining academic clubs or participating in competitions can strengthen your academic and research skills.

Conclusion

Creating teaching YouTube videos and working on a business with a friend can be a fantastic extracurricular activity. It's important to present these activities effectively and to maintain a balance to ensure you're highlighting your strengths and interests. By focusing on a few meaningful activities, you can create a compelling application that showcases your dedication and potential to colleges.