Extra curricular activities and academic performance of college student leaders of Central Luzon State University and Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology

This study was undertaken to determine the extent of involvement of college student leaders in extra-curricular activities along the areas of religious, leisure, employment/part time jobs, socio-political and sports and its influence in their academic performance. Student leaders from Central Luzon State University and Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology were asked to supply information from a three-part questionnaire. Results revealed that the student leaders of CLSU were sometimes involved in religious activities, leisure activities, socio-political activities and sports activities while they were never involved in employment/part time jobs while for the student leaders of NEUST; they were sometimes involved in religious and leisure activities, never involved in employment/part time jobs and rarely involved in socio-political activities and sports activities. Correlation analysis proved that there was a relationship between extra-curricular activities and academic performance. For religious activities, being a church officer proved to have a positive influence to the college students' grade point average. For leisure activities, watching television as a traditional leisure activity have strong evidence connecting to high academic performance while on the other side of leisure, involvement in drinking alcoholic drinks has yielded positive results, showing that the more involvement means lower academic performances. However, employment/part time jobs did not influence grade point average. In case of socio-political activities, result show that non involvement in fraternities and sororities indicated higher academic performance. Lastly, involvement in sports activities, the more involvement in intercollegiate athletics and brisk walking were associated with lower academic performance. Student leaders have gained spiritual in praying and attending church services and also were transformed into better persons by attending spiritual retreats, seminars, camps and conferences with their involvement in religious activities. From their involvement in leisure activities, surfing the internet have broadened their knowledge; watching newscats, documentaries, magazine shows and public affairs programs have educated and informed them; testing funny and inspirational quotations have built close relationships; reading not related to course work have broadened their knowledge because of the information they got; and listening to music calms their nerves before an examination. Employment and part time jobs can help them gain experience in preparing for a career. For their socio-political activities, they have gained a sense of value by volunteering in civic and community work; their involvement in a course or subject related organization have developed their leadership skills; they can express their personal views on issues by discussing politics and reading the newspaper for social and political issues gives them self-confidence knowing that they can share important information. And lastly, for sports activities, team sorts develop camaraderie, unity and teamwork and engaging in sports have made them refreshed and relaxed. For the problems encountered in their involvement in religious activities, they encountered problems in attending spiritual retreats, camps, seminars and conferences. They had financial problems for the registration fee and it conflicted with their examination schedules. For leisure activities, they encountered problems in using the internet. Because of internet rentals their allowances became inadequate. Being employed, they cannot cope u with their studies because of working so hard. In terms of their involvements in socio-political activities they encountered problems in reading the newspapers as it took some of the time supposed to be used in studying lessons and in discussing politics, as it turned to misunderstanding with family and friends. For sports activities, they have no time for sports because of the many activities they were involved with. And lastly, for the general problems encountered, they were so stressed because of the many activities they were involved with.