From the article: Can Rubik's Cube and Other Quirky Passions Get You Into College?
College applicants should think of extracurricular activities in broad terms - they can encompass much more than band, drama club and student government. If you're involved in a creative, quirky or unusual extracurricular activity, please share your experiences with our readers. Describe Your Experiences
Volunteering
- I used to volunteer in the Community Development Office of Gaza/Jerash-camp. It is located just short of an hour's drive north of Amman in Jordan. I have been member in the advertisement committee since I was in ninth grade. The committee focuses on attracting the attention of organizations, companies and donors that may help in improving the camp's situation through transferring the image of Gaza-camp for people around the world. Furthermore, I am responsible about the public relations. I had several duties, including keeping the committee in-touch with other local facilities and its contacts. Moreover, I am responsible for welcoming foreign volunteers, as well as I used to help them in communicating with the camps people through translating, from Arabic into English and the contrast. I believe that volunteering is valuable, and will help in improving the situation of Gaza-camp and other places around the world.
- —Guest Mahmoud
Puzzles
- I love to solve puzzles. No, not jigsaw puzzles, but Rubik's Cubes and similar puzzles of all sizes. So far I can solve the 2x2 Rubik's Cube, 3x3 Cube, 4x4 Cube, Megaminx, Pyraminx and one cube that uses shapes instead of colors. I just love to challenge myself with a new one every few weeks!
- —Guest H.N
Horology and Art
- Over the years in high school (still a senior), I have taken up watchmaking/repairing because of my passion for horology. I have never been so fascinated with mechanical items, and it was incredible to fix a watch from the 18th century and see it running again. Long story short, watches have taught me so much and it really is a passion, something that I can take with me till the day I die. The second passion of mine is art. This one came much later, though. I took art history last year and I was hooked. Since then, I founded an online art gallery that not only sells art by high school students but is also filled with articles on artists and art periods to increase the education of art because I feel that it was such a great experience to me that other students should have it too.
- —Guest monsieurhorloger
Dr Who fan club
- We're Dr. Who fans organized by our art teacher. As well as talk about our all around love for Dr. Who, we discuss the film-making that went into both old and new series, costume design, set design. We discuss the acting, and a lot of history and architecture that's gone into the show along the way. When I joined I didn't expect to learn half the things I have, and it's fun too!
- —Guest anonwhovian
Mother of a Rubik's Cuber
- As the mother of a HS Jr. I came across your article while surfing the web. As the mother of a Rubik's Speedcubing National and World Champion, I have to disagree with your article. Cubing is a hobby, not a vocation. My son's cubing sucess had absolutely nothing to do with his admission and attendance at a top tier University for both undergraduate and graduate programs. In both cases, it was his drive and desire to study in a particular field along with a strong high school transcript, extracurricular activities that included leadership and excellent SAT scores. By the time he was applying for undergraduate programs, he already held several world records in Speedcubing yet he wasn't accepted at the school he now attends working on a graduate degree. For that school, it was necessary that he prove himself elsewhere as an undergrad prior to acceptance. Oh, and my younger son, his resume will include his rank as an Eagle Scout, possibly the most influential activity of them all.
- —Guest Guest A
Politics
- I was a paid employee (Congressional Page) of the House of Representatives for 5 months. I worked on the House floor and in the cloakroom, delivering different items throughout the Capitol, and helping members of Congress with their duties. I attended school in the Top floor of the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress and lived in a dorm two blocks south of the Capitol.
- —Guest MysteryGuest
hand made envelope craft
- I collect newspaper every summer from my neighbourhood and I make Envelopes for medical stores to pack small amount of medicines in it to save paper.
- —Guest yogesh
Re-using
- For a couple of years now I've been re-using magazines, newspapers, bags and anything I can find to make gifts and now that's the only presents I give out, re-used.
- —Guest Kit
Martial arts
- All through high school, I was heavily involved in Martial Arts, which was the school's only option for a gym class. It eventually grew into a passion that would consume the next 3.5 years. I even taught for two of them, 11 hours total a week and even took the title of Senpai (assistant) and created the vetting process for my Sensei's Black Belt Club... Regretfully, colleges don't like it enough, and it isn't viewed as an official extracurricular.
- —Jared480
Sweepstakes
- I am a stay-at-home mom and housewife who recently reentered college online. In the last week or so, I have started "sweepstaking". Surfing the internet, finding sweepstakes and entering them. It is actually really fun. I don't really expect to win anything, but I can have fun trying. It doesn't matter what the sweepstake is for: cash, toiletries, cars, scholarships, trips. I just have fun entering them and hoping someday I may just win something.
- —Guest Krystal Scarbrough
Remodel Baby Dolls
- Okay, this is actually my moms weird hobby, but I couldn't resist posting it. She goes to thrift shops and finds dolls that are kind of beat up, takes them home, cleans them, puts new wigs on them, sometimes touches up the paint on their faces and fits them with new cloths. They look new when she's finished.
- —khayesrn
Volunteer Work
- I'm homeschooled (start college this fall) so a lot of traditional extracurricular activities aren't readily available to me. But one of my main extracurricular activities is connected to the local public school. I'm manager for the dance team. Last year I would hang out with them for after-school practice & just helping out a little (had friends on the team). Some members suggested I ask about being manager and after clearing it with the school I started volunteering there 3 times a week & at games. Also, some of my public school friends are required to do volunteer work outside school. I go along with one friend and do some of the same volunteer work she does. When I showed up at Goodwill they didn't know how to classify me because most of their volunteers were there because of forced community service or school requirements. They finally found a form that classified me as a "do-gooder" volunteer. That was funny. It all helped get me into my first choice of college.
- —Guest Lyla
Real World Experience
- When I was in high school I organized a group that would go out and spend a day shadowing some local business or organization. We went to a hospital emergency room, an orchestra, a bakery, a fire station and other places that we thought might be interesting as careers down the road.
- —Guest Judy
Needlework
- My passions was (and still is) needlework. I did speeches about it in high school and college, taught friends to stitch and wrote about it in my admissions essay. I got experience in public speaking, teaching, and mentoring. I actually use needlework skills in my current job too. I think it turned out to be a worthwhile niche activity!
- —Guest Connie G.
Music
- Okay, this isn't completely quirky, but my husband was obsessed with playing guitar all through high school. (Even on prom night, he decided he wasn't that into paying tons of money to go with a date he wasn't too excited about, so he stayed home with his main squeeze--his guitar!) Well, that guitar talent translated into college acceptance as well as several scholarships! Our son is now taking guitar lessons at age 9.
- —Guest Elizabeth369
Freebies
- Hi! After reading this article, it made me think of my "passion" of hunting for free things on the internet. I've done it on and off since I was ten, and I've had some minor successes. I got lots of toiletries, boxes and textbooks and novels, and free food. I've donated them to several charitable causes throughout the years, and at the beginning of this year, I consulted with one of the vice-principals at my school regarding creating a Freebie Club in which people would collect items based upon a monthly theme (ie, animals) and donate the collected goods to a chosen charity at the end of the month. She said it sounded solid, but that the school didn't want to pay overtime for a teacher to advise it, which is required at my school, and suggested that I join a club that had a similar goal. I did that, and presented a plan, which involves a charity I already volunteer at, to the club leader. She said it sounds good. Regarding niche-extracurriculars, am I on the right track? From, Sarah
- —sarahwinston2
