Societies...

How many societies does everyone think is alright to join? I'd love people already at Uni to talk about this, because i don't know how many people normally join etc..and also clubs?

Thank you :smile:

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Reply 1

ladyportacabin

Well, as many as you can handle without it affecting your education! Join ones you are genuinely interested in, not the one with the best stand at the freshers fair.

Reply 2

Tarts_n_Vicars

Most people have one or two, the hardcore groupies have many. Usually if you're a drama student you're in drama club, music student in band etc. My uni is heavily saturated with political ones and I have no interest whatsoever.

Reply 3

gianthead

I'd go for two or three that you're really interested in

Reply 4

dremmel

none! i have FARRRR too many other things to do in my uni life... like going out with friends, work, shopping, drinking, and uni work!

plus some of them you have to pay for! BLOODY CHEEK! lol

Reply 5

<A-S-H-I-Q-U-E>

Tennessee

It really depends on your course (how much time you need to put for studies) to decide the number of societies to join. For instance, if you are studying Medicine or Engineering you can hardly get any time to be an active member of more than one society.

As others have said, you should join societies in which you are more interested in.

Read this if you need more advices:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=154376

Ashique

Reply 6

FarnhamBoy

As someone with an anorakish obsession with politics, I'd quite like to join one at uni, but I don't like the way many of the political societies seem to be based around parties, you know the "Labour Society" or whatever. I mean I think a lot of young people who are fairly apathetic towards politics are put off because of the constant focus on parties who can only juggle a few interests at a time.

Reply 7

pete42

i might join a tennis club or summat to keep me fit, and get to know some more people. other than that, i think you might have loads of work to do for uni depending on your course, so you don't want to join too many

Reply 8

Melon1687

I'd say something sporty or active, somethign related to your course and somethign random that takes your fancy! Many people sign up for alot of societies at freshers but don't continue them all year, so take the oppertunity to go along to taster sessions and first meetings to see whether or not a society is for you!

Reply 9

Tennessee

I'd say something sporty or active, somethign related to your course and somethign random that takes your fancy!

I think your right...yes, thank you :smile:

And thank you every ones for their help! I'm not doing a medical course or anything, i'm doing film and creative writing so i think i'll have a fair amount of time so yeah, although i do plan to get a job if i can!

About 2.

I'm nominally in two - the physics society, who begged all the physics freshers to join (they get more money the bigger they are), and the French society, which seemed a good idea at the time, but they were far too cliquey and I stopped attending. Might get round to joining CU next year, but tbh I don't really feel I'm missing out on anything.

Reply 12

thePhantom

sign up for however many look vaguely interesting at the freshers fair (get on the mailing list!) - and then go to a few meetings for each, and see which ones you like/have interesting people in ...

then, pretty quickly, you find one or two that you're really interested in. I signed up for quite a few, then found that the Student Radio was my new calling! I spend more time doing stuff for it then my course!

most people can't handle more than 1/2 societies, don't forget societies have socials as well as regular meetings, and so you'll have to find time to socialise with the societies as well as your hall mates and course mates ...

Reply 13

White_redrose

It really depends upon how involved you are in the society to be honest. I mean, you could be a member of 6 or more societies and just keep up with email correspondence for each and turn up to a few social events every so often. But if you take an active role, obviously you'll make it easier for yourself if you limit the number you do that in. So, I'm on the committee of two societies and am very active in those two for instance, but I also have a handful of others that I try to go to as often as I can, but there's obviously less pressure to do so there, if any.

Reply 14

littlemissalex

Hey, great thread, im glad i came across it!!
Id like to ask thoes of you who are at uni already; how demanding are societies? When you join, how much time per week do you spend on them? Because i dont know how many to join (i want to join over 10.. yes i know.. too many!! lol) and i dont know how my work load is going to be after a month, you know? Any help is appreciated x

Reply 15

Tennessee

(i want to join over 10.. yes i know.. too many!! lol)

woahhh lol yes i think that would be too many, i havent even THOUGHT of joining more than three and one club i just dont think there will be time...although, i like this idea...

sign up for however many look vaguely interesting at the freshers fair (get on the mailing list!) - and then go to a few meetings for each, and see which ones you like/have interesting people in ...

i think thats pretty good advice! Except like dremmel said some of them you have to pay for! :eek:

WHICH...is crap, but, i recon im just going to join anything that takes my fancy and see who i click with ya kno?

Reply 16

littlemissalex

You can sign up for them and if you dont like it, you quit ye? Theres no compulsory attendence right?

Reply 17

PieMaster

alexandra

how demanding are societies? When you join, how much time per week do you spend on them?

Depends on the society. Some will have socials once a term and that will be it; others will have things for a few hours a week. For drama I can have nothing for a month, then suddenly 2 performances in a week spending 5 hours a day on each.

Most societies require some sort of payment. At my uni, there is a minimum charge of £3 for any soc, or the students union won't give out a grant. For sports societies (including fencing, cheerleading etc) you'll need insurance and equipment too.

The real fun begins in 2nd year when you can run for committee!

Reply 18

PieMaster

alexandra

You can sign up for them and if you dont like it, you quit ye? Theres no compulsory attendence right?

Of course, but if you pick and choose which events you do, you might find that they dont let you do the fun things if you havent done the fundraising, for example.