[olddad]

(Original post by dragonsatemylaptop)
Oh man, Hide and Soc is awesome! Albeit occasionally exhausting if you're a massively lazy person like me

Think I'm going to sign up for that, for English Soc (I'm an English student, I'm obligated! :P), Sci Fi & Fantasy, maybe Creative Writing and proooobably the New Theatre. Going to make myself sign up for some sports-based societies this time round too

Creative Writing has really got its act together this year. Worth joining.

[DarkWhite]

(Original post by A.Fitzgerald)
How many societies can you realistically join?

That completely depends on you as an individual, how much time you'll need for your course, and what you'll do elsewhere.

In my first year I joined about a dozen societies (some Student Loans Company gave me like £2k the day I arrived, no brainer). I was doing them 4 nights a week then spending pretty much every weekend away with one of them. In general, I actively took part in about 6.

In my second year, work was a little harder, and I got involved in committees, running the societies, being a School Rep etc, and I dropped down to about 5, and kept them all up really - DofE, St John Ambulance, Scout & Guide, Real Ale, CompSoc.

Now in my third year, I'm down to 2 main ones: DofE, CompSoc; and I do Scout & Guide every few weeks, and Real Ale I attend the big events - beer festivals, beer by tram etc. Only reason I don't do St John still is because I have the first aid qualifications I need now.

What I would say is although I don't still do a dozen societies like I signed up for in first year, it's worth giving it a go for a few weeks - it gives you a chance to find the societies you like best, give less commitment to the ones you thought might be a bit different, and means that later on you end up doing the clubs/societies you enjoy the most, and possible get involved in being a committee member and helping run them

(Original post by scbond)
How deep are your pockets? There's usually a membership involved with each one.

(Original post by scbond)
Love how people are going through loads of societies that they wanna join...don't think most people realise pretty much all of them have membership fees to join.

This is true, but then minimum membership for a society is £1, and something like £5 for a club (that £5 one could be wrong though!). I'm not sure what the average is, but all of my societies are between £1-£6/year. It's not a great deal and you easily get your money's back from being a member of the society.

e.g. I pay about £10-15 to societies/clubs each year. It's less than what I'd spend on a night out and you get much more for your money!!

[scbond]

(Original post by DarkWhite)
That completely depends on you as an individual, how much time you'll need for your course, and what you'll do elsewhere.

In my first year I joined about a dozen societies (some Student Loans Company gave me like £2k the day I arrived, no brainer). I was doing them 4 nights a week then spending pretty much every weekend away with one of them. In general, I actively took part in about 6.

In my second year, work was a little harder, and I got involved in committees, running the societies, being a School Rep etc, and I dropped down to about 5, and kept them all up really - DofE, St John Ambulance, Scout & Guide, Real Ale, CompSoc.

Now in my third year, I'm down to 2 main ones: DofE, CompSoc; and I do Scout & Guide every few weeks, and Real Ale I attend the big events - beer festivals, beer by tram etc. Only reason I don't do St John still is because I have the first aid qualifications I need now.

What I would say is although I don't still do a dozen societies like I signed up for in first year, it's worth giving it a go for a few weeks - it gives you a chance to find the societies you like best, give less commitment to the ones you thought might be a bit different, and means that later on you end up doing the clubs/societies you enjoy the most, and possible get involved in being a committee member and helping run them






This is true, but then minimum membership for a society is £1, and something like £5 for a club (that £5 one could be wrong though!). I'm not sure what the average is, but all of my societies are between £1-£6/year. It's not a great deal and you easily get your money's back from being a member of the society.

e.g. I pay about £10-15 to societies/clubs each year. It's less than what I'd spend on a night out and you get much more for your money!!

I guess looking at it that way does work. I do think people are picking massive numbers now not realising there's a cost involved after taster sessions/meets.

[hwoain]

I'm gonna join the pool society.

[Reformed2010]

(Original post by A.Fitzgerald)
How many societies can you realistically join?

About three or four I'd say is reasonable. I am currently a member of Labour, Conservative, Amnesty International, Working in Tandem and the LGBT society. I couldn't afford (time and money) to go to every social/event, so some times have to sacrifice one for the other. Any more than five and you'll probably either lose interest in one or two I'd reckon. But it is purely up to you, if you have the time and money then you have no serious limits.

(Original post by dragonsatemylaptop)
Oh man, Hide and Soc is awesome! Albeit occasionally exhausting if you're a massively lazy person like me

Think I'm going to sign up for that, for English Soc (I'm an English student, I'm obligated! :P), Sci Fi & Fantasy, maybe Creative Writing and proooobably the New Theatre. Going to make myself sign up for some sports-based societies this time round too

I am very close friends with the incoming (starting when you become a Fresher) President and Vice President of the Hide and Soc society. You'll be in good hands

[AllyCoolKid]

I am undecided but there are sooo many I want to join, such as PhilSoc (cause I'm studying philosophy ), Harry Potter soc, the tennis club, the Revival Gospel Choir, the archery club, but also Creative Writing and maybe the Games soc and Musicality and... aarggh there are too many, they all sound awesome!

Oh and charitable ones, like Amnesty International and Oxfam and AEGIS...

[FDR]

(Original post by Reformed2010)
...I am currently a member of Labour, Conservative...

How do you manage that?

You must have a dual personality...

Tory soc: "Take from the poor, give to the rich"

Labour soc: "Take from the rich, give to the poor"

[scbond]

(Original post by FDR)
How do you manage that?

You must have a dual personality...

Tory soc: "Take from the poor, give to the rich"

Labour soc: "Take from the rich, give to the poor"

If that's your jaded view on politics then I sincerely hope you never bother to vote.

[TheBrownTown]

(Original post by AllyCoolKid)
I am undecided but there are sooo many I want to join, such as PhilSoc (cause I'm studying philosophy ), Harry Potter soc, the tennis club, the Revival Gospel Choir, the archery club, but also Creative Writing and maybe the Games soc and Musicality and... aarggh there are too many, they all sound awesome!

Oh and charitable ones, like Amnesty International and Oxfam and AEGIS...

When I was at my visit day we walked past the gospel choir practicing and they were really good!

[FDR]

(Original post by scbond)
If that's your jaded view on politics then I sincerely hope you never bother to vote.

Ouch.

Of course that's not my view. What I was trying to get across was that the poster would be subject to a lot of conflicting views, and that it would be difficult to take part in a lot of the activities of both - e.g I intend on Joining the Labour Students, and as such, I would have a hard time campaigning with the Conservative society because of the difference of opinion.

[helen-a-ravenclaw]

(Original post by AllyCoolKid)
I am undecided but there are sooo many I want to join, such as PhilSoc (cause I'm studying philosophy ), Harry Potter soc, the tennis club, the Revival Gospel Choir, the archery club, but also Creative Writing and maybe the Games soc and Musicality and... aarggh there are too many, they all sound awesome!

Oh and charitable ones, like Amnesty International and Oxfam and AEGIS...

Ah! I didn't know there was an archery society. Though it makes sense seeing as it's Nottingham...

Argh, what sport do I do on Wednesday afternoons now.... quidditch, or archery...?

[Reformed2010]

(Original post by FDR)
How do you manage that?

You must have a dual personality...

Tory soc: "Take from the poor, give to the rich"

Labour soc: "Take from the rich, give to the poor"

I good friends with some of the members and when I went to one of their socials I automatically was given membership, as it came with the event ticket price. They are not all bad, but admittedly some of them are horrid. Plus It can get very boring when you debate among people who agree with you. You don't have your views challenged (and mocked) and lack a chance to either re-evaluate them or better them.

[scbond]

(Original post by FDR)
Ouch.

Of course that's not my view. What I was trying to get across was that the poster would be subject to a lot of conflicting views, and that it would be difficult to take part in a lot of the activities of both - e.g I intend on Joining the Labour Students, and as such, I would have a hard time campaigning with the Conservative society because of the difference of opinion.

Just as long as you weren't going to start spouting the anti-Thatcherite crap which usually comes from people who bury their heads in the sand lol.

[py0alb]

Its not a question of finance, its a question of time. A lot of sports take place at the same time, so you can realistically only commit to one of those. Other sports take place in the evenings so you're ok.

I'd recommend joining 3-4 societies and getting really involved over joining 6-10 societies. You just won't have time to enjoy any of them.

[AllyCoolKid]

(Original post by TheBrownTown)
When I was at my visit day we walked past the gospel choir practicing and they were really good!

That's awesome! I was on a visit day too and I was in the Portland Building when they suddenly just burst into song out of nowhere in the middle of the hall, it was amazing!

[TheBrownTown]

(Original post by AllyCoolKid)
That's awesome! I was on a visit day too and I was in the Portland Building when they suddenly just burst into song out of nowhere in the middle of the hall, it was amazing!

Yeah they were brilliant, can't say I'll be joining it though! Weird how we both heard them on our visit days in Portland, you weren't on my visit day were you?

[DarkWhite]

(Original post by scbond)
x

(Original post by Reformed2010)
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(Original post by FDR)
x

If you did want that stereotypical view reinforced, the Conservative Association has "Port and Policy", whilst the Labour Students have "Pints and Policy" Believe that may have changed now.

I did consider joining NUCA or another society purely for debate and discussion.