Interests and hobbies and achievements

[xalicex]

Hey, this may be a stupid question but I am quite stuck on it at the moment!

I have plenty of volunteer work and I've written about my interest in science and so on in my statement...talking about the reasons for why I want to do medicine etc.

However, I'm struggling when it comes to interests and hobbies and achievements. I have done the usual reading and I also play the clarinet, but achievement wise...I don't think I have anything! I am not sporty and I never did Duke of Edinburgh, so I don't know what to say! The only achievement I can think of is academic (I got the best mark in the year for my chemistry coursework) but otherwise, my extra curricular achievements are pretty poor.

Any advice or suggestions?
x

[cat_bach]

Is there any thing you take particular interest in- politics, art, drama ect could you mention? The impression I ve always gotten is that admissions just want to see that there is a extra-curricular side to you, that you do have ways to let your hair down rather than evidence of you "acheving" anything such as awards or qualifications. So you dont need to be able to say that you play hockey for your country, just saying that you enjoy going for a walk or take an interest in modern art or something will be enough. They will assume that your sufficiently academic- you just need something to show that there`s more than academia to you.

[Fried_Rice]

Have you played anywhere in particular with your clarinet, or done well in terms of music?

[Fried_Rice]

Grades achieved in music could be an extra-curricular achievement.

[Rosebot]

have you ever taken part in anything school based eg young enterprise, something to do with harvest festival, taking food parcels to the elderly, fund raising for a charity etc
or taking part in any sponsered events or done something challenging like a walk or run?
im sure you have sone some extra curricular stuff you probably just dont realise it counts

[xalicex]

Um, clarinet grade 6- i have it down.

I always feel like my academic stuff counts. I have also been a form prefect but I haven't done much on the organising front!

And I have had the opportunity to do plenty of work experience and volunteer work and I have a part time job.

It's just I got feedback from Leeds last year and I got low marks on extra curricular and I am looking for things!

x

[Rosebot]

try taking up a new hobby then starting over the summer
how about like swimming or something less sporty if you hate sport such as starting a book club or something once a week with some friends? then you can say something along the lines of "a new hobby i have recently taken up is ____. it helps me relax in times of stress/it gives me opportunities to take part in an activity i would not previously have experienced on a regular basis and i hope to continue building on my interest at university"
dont make it a fake hobby just for your ucas form though
it has to be something you're genuinely interested in else it will show at interview
i think waterstones run some book club evenings if that was your sort of thing. Or you could take up knitting or something similar

[Lahola]

say u go 2 church. hope this helps.

[Rosebot]

yeh but dont lie

[Gizmo says -]

no interests?? lol

why live ?