Knowledge is important, yes. Because of that, we spend our first until second decades of our lives studying many things required for life. It can help us a whole lot in the future, from achieving a dream job, to contribute more in our community or even the nation. Knowledge is gained from both academic and non-academic skills, provided by mostly educational institutions (formal) as well as extracurricular academy (non-formal).
For most parents, they expect their children to improve in school performance, by gaining support from the school community (teachers) and receive good academic achievements. Understandable because, with good academic achievements it will be easier for their children to be accepted in the higher education levels. Studying in reputable and high ranks educational institution gives them a higher chance of excel in professional lives and a promising future they always wanted. Of course, everyone around the world is after that opportunity.
Academic achievements have a tight connection with teaching and learning activities in school. It is affected by our capability in understanding every subject, quality of the teachers and how effective are their teaching methods. This achievement can be earned with good school assessments result, also by participating and even winning the academic competitions.
Building an academic achievement isn’t something easy everyone can do. It has a few challenges such as:
- Lack of self-discipline and motivation, comes from the students own studying pattern and family support.
- Lack of support from the school, with this, the students will have doubts or uncertainty of their own capability in academic performances.
When students perform well academically, they usually eligible to be shortlisted in participating some academic competition held by numerous organizers, such as government institution, universities and even reputable companies. Competitions are merely a tool to measure the student’s ability and their strength through advanced assessments of the subject students chose and learned in school. Therefore, it is important that the student fully mastered the subjects they’re currently learning in order to be able to compete well.
To build a good academic achievement, we need to maintain some habits I considered important for us to have. Here are few of them…
1. Be Responsible
A good character must have great sense of responsibility. Our expectations and the results are our responsibility. To achieve good result, we mustn’t act lowly with our responsibilities for this will also affect our future habits.
2. Study Intentionally
This is one of the most important habit, intention to study. However, when you study, don’t just finish one subject, turn the page and go on to the next one and if needed, find another source to learn the subjects, such as online learning courses for example. What I mean is, you have to challenge yourself even further to really master a subject.
3. Manage Your Time Appropriately
Time management is no less important in this manner. If you don’t manage your time well, there will be consequences such as missed deadlines, poor quality of work and even stress. With good time management, you could reduce the chance of being late to any agendas. Hence, it will make you a more reliable and responsible person.
Non-academic achievements are no less important than academic achievements. Because while academic achievements focus on formal education, non-academic achievements are more directed towards activities outside of school such as art, communication skills, coding, sports and so much more.
I always thought that academic skills are enough. But as I learned that non-academic skills are also necessary to equip us for certain roles in life, academic skills couldn’t stand alone. Examples of non-academic activities are art, self-defense, robotics, writing and so much more. In fact, non-academic activities can help us improve in our hobbies as well.
Non-academic skills have its own benefits too, such as:
1. Shape our behavior
In academic institutions, the assessment/ grading agenda is planned for every student. But in non-academic achievements, your skill determines your ability to compete or to level up. It is our responsibility to keep practicing in order to elevate our skills. When you realize that your skill isn’t enough to level up, joining or even winning a tournament, you must have the patience and respectfulness towards the result.
2. Builds a decent personality
Opportunities in non-academic varies from personal grading, and many competitions held for specific skills. To take part, we must have the courage to do your best with the support from our family, coaches, but most importantly, it comes from ourselves. Winning or losing is not the final gain. It simple taught us to stay resilient.
3. Develop a strong social bond
Many non-academic activities require coordination with others, such as robotics, sport games like basketball, futsal and even some martial arts. Keeping humble and accepting others’ opinions, will help us build a stronger bond with those around us. As a result, everyone will tend to help each other and teamwork activities will be solved faster together.
4. Get to be good at something you love.
Each of us have different talent and passion. There are plenty of places we can train and develop the skills according to what are passionate about. The training and development with help us obtain non-academic achievements. There, we could have a place to be good at something we love to do!
There are many challenges in obtaining both academic and non-academic achievement and every one of us experience them differently. What are those challenges like?
1. Lack of self-confidence
When trying to build a good academic or non-academic achievement, you’ll have to obtain it through good school assessment results or competitions. In carrying out competitions, it is necessary to build our confidence. But there are some difficulties that can cause someone to have lack of confidence or unsureness in participating a competition.
It could often occur because: they feel like they’re not good enough, they’re worried of their opponents and much more. This is why when someone is determined to join a tournament or a competition, they need extra support and motivation from others.
2. Brief period of preparation
Some competition needs quite an extensive preparation period. In my experience, the further you pass the qualifications, the more challenging it gets. Therefore, you’ll have to study or train harder, but also manage time to focus on your school subjects. To overcome this, you’ll need guidance from your teachers and coaches so they can help teach you advanced the subjects and even cooperate with your time management.
Being a champion in both academic and non-academic achievement is remarkable, but it’s not the most important thing. What matter most is that you know your passion, your interest and what most suitable for you to achieve. Know your strength. Because trying to become good at something you are not passionate with, will less likely produce maximum results. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a try, with enough support from family members and the school community, it may just be possible to obtain an impressive achievement.
On the other hand, building achievements on something you love to do will more likely produce satisfactory results. Giving you a higher chance of obtaining many achievements in the future!
But what if we fail to obtain those achievements? Does that mean we should give up trying and do something else? Absolutely not. Failing is just a steppingstone to success. In fact, learn from your mistakes, like, think about what made you fail and how to overcome it in the future. It’s also necessary to seek support from our friends and family, as our motivation to keep trying harder. Make every failure a lesson to learn from, not as an obstacle that blocks your path.
Keys To Balance Academic and Non-Academic Achievements
1. Good Time Management
Our school daily agenda predominantly absorbs our time and energy. Therefore, it is important to switch to other different activity while we are out of school. Once or twice a week, do something you love, or even enroll in any academy or tuition programs that supports your specific hobbies.
Managing your time properly will also help safeguard your mental health from pressure. This is why a good time management to your activities is important.
2. Support System
Our family, friends, teachers/ coaches and even tutors, play an important role for our physical and emotional well-being. Their support can help release our stressfulness between school and tuitions. Even our friends are the ones that can help us get back up again after failing to obtain some achievement.
3. Time-break/Recess
t’s fair to conclude that nothing in life comes easy, everyone sees our result but not everyone set their eyes on our training grounds. In the process, it is normal that we felt exhausted, drained and giving up. Hence, my personal advice in order to keep us going, we must balance our expectations with a moment to have a break and have a deep connection with our own self. By having a break after working so hard to achieve something, doesn’t mean we are stopping. But it allows us to reset our goals and energy.
My Experience
I started my elementary school in one of Integrated Islamic School in Malaysia, where Karate is the compulsory extracurricular activity. Just when I level up to the yellow belt in Karate, I moved to Sekolah Indonesia Kuala Lumpur, and I am fortunate that Karate is also part of their extracurricular activity. Hence, I continued. However, I didn’t pass the karate exam and remained in yellow belt for a long time, I almost gave up. But I never stopped trying to improve myself. Fortunately, my efforts weren’t in vain for I have made it to brown belt. Just a step closer to black! My sensei (teacher) motivated me to join Karate Competitions ranging from school level up to state level. His motivation led me to won several medals and that’s where I thought my dream is to be a Karate Champion. From this experience, I learned about Resilience & Self-confident.
It was in 2023 when my teachers invited me to join a National Science Olympic (Olimpiade Sains Nasional/OSN), held by Indonesian Ministry of Education. At first, I only joined just to try it, and I choose Elementary Science (IPA SD). The selection process started from School level, Regency to Province/state level, and National. Surprisingly, I qualified again and again until I reached the National level. My parents reminded me that not everyone can get this opportunity, only 115 finalists from all over Indonesia can get to this level, I have to make the most of my effort in order to meet my expectation. That’s when I took it seriously. Thanks to the support of my family and school teachers, I gained the motivation to push myself further and brought home a Silver Medal. Alas, a new dream unfolds, I want to become a scientist! This experience thought me about Courage & Responsibility.
I know that one day I might have to choose between my two dreams. Even until now, I haven’t decided. That’s why until the time comes, I’m hoping to obtain more achievements!
Have I ever failed or lose? Numerous times! Some of my hobbies are drawing and writing fictional stories. I always feel happy when I draw and write. However, I have not succeeded yet in winning drawing competitions, but that wouldn’t stop me at all. Whilst in writing, I got qualified to get to the final of National Student Literature Competition (Lomba Sastra Siswa Nasional), also held by Indonesian Ministry of Education in 2024. However, it was not my time to brough home any medal. But I won’t give up and will try again. This experience taught me about Patience & Acceptance.
We all have the chance of becoming a champion and we can start by something we love to do. A little advice from me, try to improve in your hobbies. Who knows? You might end up being a professional or even a champion. Don’t forget to try something new as well, we won’t know how far it will get us. Keep in mind to also not underestimate others and not think too high of ourselves. Instead, share your experiences and build a closer bond, maybe that way, we could improve together.
To balance your academic and nonacademic skill, you also need to have the empathy feeling to others…to put yourself in other shoes to be exact, be willing to listen and absorb feedback. With this character then you can understand more how to be a winner and a leader at the same time.
Whenever you see the opportunity, to improve and challenge yourself, seize it. We won’t know when the next opportunity come again. Never wait and never doubt. Take every chances and push yourself to the very top. Prove to the world that you exist!
Never stop over one failure but keep trying to improve and move on to the next challenge!
Thanks for reading!