16 going on stressful : students’ perspectives on extra-curricular activities (ECA’s) and stress in post-secondary education

Abstract

A noticeable number of students participate in extra curricular acivities, some play instruments, some are involved in sports, others are into art, and so on. This qualitative study aims to understand the reasons behind this engagement, the effect of participation and the interplay of this participation with stress. This study focusses on the experience of Sixth Form students and participants were recruited through their respective Sixth Form College. The sample consisted of seven first year students, six females and one male. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews and Thematic Analysis was used for Data Analysis. Major findings from the analysis were that sixth form is a stressful but enjoyed period of time, and that ECAs teach a number of skills, might lead to a career and often lead to new friendships. ECAs can also be a source of stress and thus students must balance their activities wisely, between academic work, extracurricular activities and other activities. The outcome of this study might be useful for teachers and the education boards, in promoting activism at schools.