Having too much on your plate. Biting off more than you can chew. To go to extremes.

These well known expressions at a glance seem overused and meaningless, but as a student facing the obstacles of school involvement, it is quite scary.

There is no doubt that high school can bring on the busiest of schedules. With more than 60 unique clubs and organizations, it is clear student involvement is encouraged on campus. Even with the multitude of options we are given as students, it important that we do not take on more than we can handle.

Putting yourself out there, in theory, sounds great. From the Student Council to the Drama Club, signing up for all the extracurriculars available can, at one point in your high school career, be the most exciting and reasonable decision to make.

But over the three years I have been at CHS, I have learned a valuable lesson: with all the options presented to us, less can be more. Although the long list of club choices and possible extracurriculars is tempting for some of us eager and go getter type students, there is more success in participating in fewer of these activities.

Being involved in less clubs can prove true the age old saying: quality over quantity.

Instead of attempting to take on a wide range of numerous clubs, there are more benefits in opting for only a couple that showcase a single interest you are truly passionate about.

In my time at CHS, I have enjoyed engaging in service oriented extracurriculars. Whether it be volunteering for a local event or participating in fundraisers, I can say that I have found satisfaction in the few extracurriculars I have joined.

I encourage that we students genuinely identify what we want to learn more about. Why take interest in things you are not fully committed to? It can waste time, money and energy.

Involvement can seem like one of the requisites on the to do list for attending your dream college or building the perfect resume. In this day and age, it is probably one of your biggest priorities. While yes, these factors are momentous milestones in shaping anyone’s future, overextending yourself is not the one way ticket to success.

Students that engage themselves in many school activities can often envision more success as more involvement means more opportunities to earn hours or experience. However great this idea may seem, taking on too many tasks delivers bad news for perfectionist type students: it actually minimizes your chances of succeeding.

Your focus and productivity diminishes as you do not give enough attention to one particular activity. With these risks in mind, it is wiser to take a load off the many clubs you plan to participate in.

In no way is school involvement a bad move for students.

With careful planning and consideration, it can be a great opportunity for students who are willing to give their time and take interests in new activities.

But when considering being actively involved in school, it is easy to put ourselves second. With the many choices of extracurriculars at hand, we should prioritize our wellbeing and productivity first.

Follow Christine @chriszacuai