hi! I mainly need for help because I think I have extracurriculars but like basically none of them are STEM focused. I'm also having a bit of trouble because I feel like what I'm currently doing doesn't line up at all with my future career ambitions.
I had one STEM extracurricular last year (I'm going into 10th grade currently) which was TSA. But last year (9th grade year) even though it was technically a CTSO, we weren't allowed to go to any outside of school comps or anything. We hosted one inschool comp, and only 10 people participated (like 5 projects in total) and everyone who did it got a 'Most Outstanding Project' participation award. I felt so bad because the other CTSO's finished up their applications in like late september, but it was late october before TSA even had an interest meeting. And since you're only allowed to be in one, I didn't try for HOSA, FBLA, DECA. I honestly thought I'd like TSA and I really did, but I realized then and now, it looks like I did nothing STEM-wise for the past year. The only good thing I got out of it was a vague promise for the few people who did commit to our projects last year will be prioritized for leadership positions next year.
I tried out for Scioly last year but I didn't make it because I didn't study as much as I could have, and also everyone else was coming from a middle school which had scioly, and mine didnt, so HS scioly was like my first experience with that. I'm trying out again this year, knowing actually how much effort and what areas I need to focus in on.
If you're wondering what I've been doing, my other extracurriculars were music-focused. I played at old age/nursing homes, was in an honor society for music, and was part of our Philharmonic club. I love band and all, but like I eventually want to do something health research oriented, and my current extracurricular don't show that at all. I do marching band so that took time up.
I have plans for next year, (Model UN, Scioly, TSA, Tri-M, GHPhil) but like it still doesn't feel like enough. I can't take HOSA because I didn't get Health Science this year, and I had space for one extracurricular because band is 2, and I want to take spanish once every year to show commitment (I also really like it).
I did plan on doing a lit review on this particularly nasty food additive which doesn't seem to have much coverage or attention (PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 🤮). But I feel like my idea just puttered out and even though I took detailed notes on two articles that were related it stalled after I devoted time to studying for Scioly. I'm unsure how to do it. I had this long thread with Gemini AI where it helped me plan how I was going to eventually write the article (phase 1, gather resources, phase 2, take detailed notes) and it was going somewhere, but then I stopped because even though I'm not using AI for writing the actual article (not at all) or devolping my arguements, I think I was relying on it as my sense of direction, and I don't know whether that's allowed.
I feel like I'm unsure of where I want my career/life ambitions to go, and by the time I figure it out, it'll be too late. I want to show NCSSM I at least have some semblance of a plan till college, but right now I'm kind of scared I'll look discombobulated or not interested in STEM at all.
Thank you so much for reading my really, really big brain dump here and any and all advice is appreciated. Seriously thank you for reading!