Societies at uni
Do the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Reply 1
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
It definitely depends on the university and the cohort! For example at my university societies are free so majority join at least a couple, but at some higher cost universities its not accessible for all, most do taster sessions/ periods if you're unsure! Id definitely recommend trying them!
Reply 2
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hi there,
I’m a second year student at Exeter uni and I’ve found that the majority of people I know have joined or are active in at least one society. Particularly, most people I know have joined their course’s academic society - as a Natural Sciences student I’m part of the NatSci society and found it a really good way to bond with and get to know my cohort, especially in first year.
Outside of academic societies, at Exeter we have over 300 others covering a wide range of sports, cultures, activities and interests (I’m currently in the Taylor Swift and Benchball societies!) so I’d really recommend looking at the societies page on uni websites to see if anything takes your fancy. Of course there’s no pressure to join any societies if nothing appeals to you, but I’d definitely recommend taking advantage of any taster sessions at the start of the year as they’re a great way to meet new people and try things out before committing, especially as some societies may have membership costs.
In short, while it will vary between unis, from my experience at Exeter societies do make up a part of lots of people’s uni experiences and there really is something for everyone. Let me know if you have any more questions!
Bella
University of Exeter Student Ambassador
(edited 1 month ago)
Hello!
I'm a first year film student at Coventry University! While it does vary from university to university I would say the majority have a large population of students who are in at least one society.
A decent amount of students will go to a society that links to their degree in addition to a society that they are interested in. Sport societies are popular but are usually cost more than others. Most students go to societies not just for it's activities but also for the social side. Either to hang out with friends on your course or expand your social circle with people who share interests with you! I only go to the crafting society which meets weekly and it's yearly membership is only a few quid. I also have friends who have started their own creative writing society because there was not one.
It is definitely not rare for students to be in societies but it definitely depends on the university.
I hope this helps!
Let me know if you have any further questions
Esther
Film Production Student Ambassador
I'm a first year film student at Coventry University! While it does vary from university to university I would say the majority have a large population of students who are in at least one society.
A decent amount of students will go to a society that links to their degree in addition to a society that they are interested in. Sport societies are popular but are usually cost more than others. Most students go to societies not just for it's activities but also for the social side. Either to hang out with friends on your course or expand your social circle with people who share interests with you! I only go to the crafting society which meets weekly and it's yearly membership is only a few quid. I also have friends who have started their own creative writing society because there was not one.
It is definitely not rare for students to be in societies but it definitely depends on the university.
I hope this helps!
Let me know if you have any further questions
Esther
Film Production Student Ambassador
Reply 4
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hi,
I hope you are well! Societies seem to be a very popular thing at university and I can probably say that the majority of people I know and have spoke to are part of some sort os society. Societies aren't just sports related remember so there are so many different opportunities that cater for everyone. I know at LJMU there are societies that range from the casual sports society to the Taylor Swift society so there is literally something for everyone!
Joining a society is such a good way to meet new people and make friends also! You are surrounded by people who share a very common interest with you which makes starting a conversation a lot easier. I am part of a football team that is a society and I have met so many new friends, some of which I am very close with now! My best advice to everyone would always be to try and join a society when you start university. Even if you just give it a go and then decide you don't like it at least you tried! It opens up so many more opportunities and they are great fun too!
I hope this response has helped, let me know if you have any other questions, I am more than happy to help!
Thanks, Matt 😊
Official LJMU Student Rep
Reply 5
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hiya,
How has uni been going for you? Did you find any societies that piqued your interest?
Ultimately, I think it really depends on personal preferences 😀 Societies are a great way to meet new people outside your course as well as a way to schedule some down time and socialising within your weekly routine 🤗
Personally, I would highly recommend giving trying different societies, you may not end up committing long term but they are a great way to meet people with a similar interest 🙂
Wishing you the best of luck in your university journey!
Zhi En
(Kingston Student Rep.)
Reply 6
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hi there!
It's definitely not a rare thing, and I believe most of people at least give it a try. Joining a student society does not put any responsibilities on you (as long as you are not a committee member), and you can stop attending events at any point. However, most of the students I chatted with (and me included) actually enjoyed being a part of some student society.
I hope that helps.
Ilya
Cyber Security student at De Montfort University
Reply 7
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hi,
At my uni, it is not rare at all. Most people I know are a part of at least 1 society. This is because it is not only a good time to be engaged in your hobbies but also a great way to socialise. I liked being involved in academic societies as well as I was able to meet more people from my course and make friends.
At Kent we have over 250 societies which includes academic, cultural, faith, sports and other societies. I think having a look at your uni's society page and attending the welcome week fair would be a good way to decide which society you find interesting. Additionally, you can join societies at any time you want, it does not not have to be at the start of the year. Following the society social media pages is also a good way to see if you like their events and want to give it a try.
Best wishes
Srijita
Uni of Kent student reps
Reply 8
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hey,
I agree with the other posts on here and have to say that a lot of people do. Its a great way to try out new things, or continue hobbies, especially as its so readily available and most likely the most affordabble way you'll get to try those hobbies as everything seems to increase in price if you're no longer a student. It is also a great way to enhance your CV ready for when you graduate and start looking for jobs, for example, I have a few friends who are part of the events society, where they plan and put on events for other students tp enjoy.
Most universities will also have a huge range of societies, for example, UWE has over 160 active student groups, including more than 40 competitive sports clubs, from the Taylor Swift society, to a Surf society.
With this being said, not everyone will join a society, and some look for external clubs, for example running clubs. Overall I'd say its more common that people join at least one, and I think its a great way to meet new people whilst trying new things.
From Cara (2nd year Marketing student)
Reply 9
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hi there!
I would also agree with most people here in that most people at uni will join a society while they are here! Especially in first year a lot of people that I know ended up joining at least one society and they are great ways of making friends and also doing something fun at the same time!
There will usually be academic societies, as well as social ones and then also lots of sports societies. The best thing to do would be to go to the societies fair/the sports fair and have a look around and see if there are any that you like the look of. You can often do trials so so you can see which you like, or if you like the look of it at all before committing to joining which I would recommend doing.
I would say that quite a lot of people will tend to join the academic society for their course if there is one as this if often free or inexpensive and it is a good way to connect with people who are on your course that you otherwise may not have met so I would recommend looking to see if your course has a society and if you want to join it.
Then you can join social ones or sports societies too. Sports ones can be quite competitive and you may have to try out for them, but they also often have a social team too where you can just do the sport for fun rather than competing which I preferred. I haven't been a part of a society every year that I have been at uni, except for the one for my course, but in my first and third year I was part of some fun ones and I really enjoyed them!
Don't worry though if you don't want to be a part of a society as there will be so many other ways to meet people, and not every person will be a part of one!
I hope some of this helps,
Lucy -SHU student ambassador 🙂
Reply 10
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hello,
I would say a very good chunk of the student body joins societies. Some societies don’t have to be particularly about a special niche interest. Some are just about gathering people from the same country like the Malaysian society. Some societies are also very simple such as film society, where they meet to watch and discuss movies. there is something for everyone and a lot of the people i know are in one society or another. It makes uni fun to find your people.
Best of luck,
Malak
Reply 11
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hi!
I’m a student rep at Lancaster and a final-year Physical Geography student. I’d definitely say that while joining a society isn't "mandatory," the vast majority of people here join at least one, and it’s usually where they find their closest friends.
From my experience here at Lancaster, here is how it usually works:
•
The "Core" Society (LECSoc): Since I'm in the Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC), I'm part of LECSoc. It’s basically the social hub for anyone studying Geography, Biology, or Environmental Science. They do everything from massive Summer Balls and Christmas meals to casual quiz nights. They also have a netball team (with different levels of skill) which meet at least once a week. It’s the best way to meet people in the years above you who can give you tips on modules!
•
The "Interest" Societies: We have over 200+ societies here. I’ve seen everything from the Wildlife & Conservation Society (great if you’re into the outdoors like most Geographers!) to really specific ones like the Taylor Swift or Disney societies.
•
College Sports: Because Lancaster has a Colleges system (like Bowland, County, etc.), you can play sports for your college. It’s way less high-pressure than the main university teams. I know a lot of people who join "social" football or netball just for the Wednesday night socials.
•
Cost: Most society memberships are really cheap—usually between £5 and £10 for the whole year. Most also run "Refreshers" fairs in January, so if you don't join anything in your first week, you can always jump in later.
•
The Social Safety Net: For me, societies were less about the "hobby" and more about having a group of people to go to the Sugarhouse (our student union nightclub) with or grab a coffee in the LEC Atrium between lectures.
It’s definitely not rare, in fact, you’ll probably find it harder not to join one once you see the Freshers Fair! If you’re curious about any specific types of societies (outdoors, creative, academic), let me know and I can tell you what the Lancaster scene is like for them!!
Suze
Lancaster University Rep
Reply 12
Original post
by AnonymousDo the majority of people at uni join societies or is it more of a rare thing?
Hi there,
This really varies from person to person however, a lot of students do. I do believe it's a great way to get to meet people with similar interests and find your people. But this isn't the only way to meet new people and make connections. We have over 100 different Student Groups for you to get involved with! There really is something for everyone to get involved in however, there are also many events organised by universities and their SU to make sure there are events also for everyone.
Societies are great for different things not just the activities but also being a part of a group and for the social side. It really is up to you but it might be worth signing up to one during your first year. But as everyone has said it definitely, isn't a rare thing to see. It's worth attending the societies' fair during freshers, no matter what year you are in. You could always join a society after first year.
Hope this helps,
^Zac
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