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Societies - what floats your boat

All the University guides rave about the strength of the Oxbridge student societies

*so*

I just thought I'd just ask all prospective Oxbridgians and current Oxbridgians and even wannabe Oxbridgians, what societies and clubs do you want to be part of... or indeed are part of?

From the obscure to the 'oh so popular', please don't be shy. Tell us what you like about them both in rep & in reality.. & of course the *social life*

...and Please specify if you're talking about Cambridge or Oxf*rd.

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Reply 1

Sazzle

Riding Club and Dance Soc at Oxford

Reply 2

emzie

well definitlely swimming coz thats my sport and i'm such a nut about it n train 8 times a wk lol, but also i would like to do rowing but it would pros clash with swimming. I'll also join netball as I want to go for a double blue.

Reply 3

neildm

The gliding club definitely, and possibly the investment society...

Reply 4

tomek J.

Cambridge: Rowing, Drinking Society (there is one, right?), Debating Society

Reply 5

Mentally Ill

tomek J.

Cambridge: Rowing, Drinking Society (there is one, right?), Debating Society

These are the things I will investigate at the fair (cambridge)

Polo club
rowing
Riding club
ski and snowboard
swimming
boat club
canoe club (maybe)
windsurfing club
yoga society
Andean archeaology society
Black & Asian Caucus
The Cambridge Union
Clay pigeon shooting club
international society

Is there no yacht/sailing club in Cam?

For someone with reasonable time management skills, does anybody at cam/ox know, realistically, how much spare time people get to indulge in these kind of activities?????

Reply 6

MadNatSci

Mentally Ill

I'm pretty sure there is a sailing club because a friend of mine goes sailing. How much time you get depends on your subject to a certain extent but most people seem able to make time.

Reply 7

dreamer

erm...

debating/union
amnesty/human rights issues
badminton/squash
salsa dancing
anything connected with teaching
law soc
med soc
science soc

ive made those up- hoping some of these things are there!

Reply 8

Mentally Ill

MadNatSci

I'm pretty sure there is a sailing club because a friend of mine goes sailing. How much time you get depends on your subject to a certain extent but most people seem able to make time.

MadNatSci,

So do you think someone studying the least time consuming subject could find time for all of the societies I am interested in?

How much free time do you get as a scientist? And how many societies etc. are you a member of? and which ones?

Reply 9

Alaric

for a list of what is available see: http://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/socindex.cgi

College Student Union websites should have lists of college based ones too!

Personally I do college badminton + science soc and I'm on the lists for some physics and computing uni socs

Alaric.

Reply 10

MadNatSci

Mentally Ill

Probably not all the societies all of the time. But there's no harm in joining up for things - it just means that you'll get inundated with emails for a while!

Hmm, I joined up for a whole load of things at the freshers' fair last term and I've forgotten what half of them are...! You don't get loads of free time as a scientist because pracs and lectures take up pretty much the whole day, five days a week, and then of course Saturday lectures are added to that... But I'm an active member of the Cambridge Union and a member of my college chapel choir - it doesn't sound like loads, but the choir is a pretty major commitment even at Sidney. And then I like to have time for socialising as well :biggrin:

Reply 11

Mentally Ill

MadNatSci

OMG - Saturday lectures??? Is this common? Or is it only for scientists? I was hoping to drive back to london to spend time with my family every weekend (just so they dont forget who I am!) Is this out of the question now?

Reply 12

MadNatSci

Mentally Ill

Only natscis, don't panic!

Reply 13

Mentally Ill

MadNatSci

Only natscis, don't panic!

Oh no, I feel so bad for you. Although, I must admit, I am relieved that they won't be asking me to attend Saturday lectures!!!

There seems to be more societies than any other unis, but less time to take part in them....and in those unis that have a lighter workload, there isnt as much societies to join :frown:

I guess I'll be an excellent time manager after three years.

Reply 14

Alaric

MadNatSci

Only natscis, don't panic!

And compscis in the first year, because we're on the silly natsci tripos then :tongue:

I had 9am lectures 6 days a week last year, bloody nightmare!

Mentally Ill

Don't forget to get permission from your college and the motor vehicle proctor for a car if you intend to bring one!

Alaric.

Reply 15

Mentally Ill

Alaric

And compscis in the first year, because we're on the silly natsci tripos then :tongue:

I had 9am lectures 6 days a week last year, bloody nightmare!

Don't forget to get permission from your college and the motor vehicle proctor for a car if you intend to bring one!

Alaric.

That is so sad that you had 9am lectures 6 days a week. I could cope with 5 days a week as I work 5 days a week and have to be up at 6am every weekday! And on Saturdays I am normally up by 7am, so if I had to, I could cope. Hopefully, my timetable will be pretty easy on me.

I need permission to go home every weekend?

I kinda picked up the "we hate cars" vibe in the University, so I wasn't expecting to bring a car without having some kind of hassle :smile:

Do you know anyone who has a car? How about a motorbike?

Also, I have a Vespa that I was going to bring, do you think they'd have a problem with this?

Reply 16

Tina

Well if i got into Cam id love to join the debating society and get involved with Varsity as well. Anything else political/journalistic sounds good

Reply 17

Radagasty

Well... since this topic has come up... what is there by way of (classical) choirs in Cambridge that the amateur can join? Are there any non-choral-scholars here who sings in a choir at Cambridge?

I've sung at my undergrad uni choir (Bass I) -- my range is pretty much baritone -- for a number of years now, and I would like to continue singing in Cambridge.

From looking around on the Cambridge website, it seems that the CUMS Chorus is the university choir, but I suspect the standards in Cambridge would be much higher, so I don't know if I can pass the audition. Is there anything else available?

Thanks in advance.

Reply 18

neildm

Tina

Well if i got into Cam id love to join the debating society and get involved with Varsity as well. Anything else political/journalistic sounds good

Debating soc is supposed to be very expensive. I suppose if you're extremely passionate about debate you'd spend the money, but still, quite a charge.

Reply 19

Alaric

Mentally Ill

I am so not a mornings person. I took naps in the afternoon sometimes to make up for it :tongue:

Mentally Ill

I need permission to go home every weekend?

To get a degree the university requires that you spend a certain amount of time living within 2 (I think it may be 3) miles of Great St. Mary's church in the centre of town. That time is usually covered if you stay in residence during Full Term, any days not in residence during Full Term should normally have to be made up by staying for longer during Term. Some colleges, like caius I believe are a lot stricter about this than others like mine. They'll probably require you to sign out for fire reasons if nothing else, and if possibly have permission from your director of studies. Each college will vary with this.
I don't know of anyone who goes back every weekend as weekends are pretty much regarded as a time to do work still, though some people may go home for one weekend a term. On the whole though, people stay here, as you may appreciate when you get here and are faced with the kind of time restrictions you get!

Mentally Ill

I kinda picked up the "we hate cars" vibe in the University, so I wasn't expecting to bring a car without having some kind of hassle :smile:

Do you know anyone who has a car? How about a motorbike?

As I say you'll probably need a good reason and a permit, especially if you want to keep it on/bring it to college land. I know someone from my building has a car, but I think that's because he's heavily involved in the athletics club.
On a whole it's a bad idea to drive in Cambridge unless you have a long way to travel (ie one end to the other). The one way and pedestrianised systems are such that I believe there's a hundred yard stretch you can walk or cycle down but it's 3 miles or so by road. Oh and the traffic can be terrible.

Mentally Ill

Also, I have a Vespa that I was going to bring, do you think they'd have a problem with this?

Motorbikes/scooters etc I don't know about, I expect it'll be about the same as cars except maybe a little easier to convince them.

phd students tend to be allowed cars a lot easier because they have to live out in the sticks in private accommodation usually.

Alaric.