If you’re a fresher (aka 1st year university student) like me, one of the biggest parts of freshers’ week (at least in the daytime) is the clubs and society fairs that many universities run. The question of whether you should join some of the many different clubs or societies offered by your university is ever looming in the first few weeks of term.
In short, you should join a society if you feel it’s right for you. I would personally recommend it due to the many great benefits from meeting new people to learning new skills. However, you also need to consider your own schedule, if you would like the society and what you need to invest into it.
In this article, we’ll take you through all the pros and cons of joining a society at university and more! This article will give you all the necessary details to help you make your decision on whether you should join societies at university.
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What are societies at university?
It can be difficult to keep track of all the terms and new concepts that come along with university study. If you’re completely new to university study, the term society may just be one of these.
In the UK, at university a society is essentially a meet up of a group of students. This group will be for a specific interest or activity, such as fashion or chess.
In this way, these are very similar to the clubs that you may have had at college or lower down in primary or secondary school. However, there are some differences.
The main difference is that these societies will typically be run by and for all students, including postgraduates. The leadership will typically be a student committee of older students so 3rd year and sometimes 2nd year students.
You can learn more about societies at university by checking out this Think Student article.
Should you join societies at university?
When it comes to things like joining a society at university, it’s not a simple yes or no. There are many considerations that you need to think about some of which are in favour of and some that are against joining societies.
Although, when it boils down to it, the simple answer is if it’s right for you. I would personally recommend joining societies as they can be a great way of making the most out of university. However, it may feel that it may just not be right for you or fit into your university career.
We’ll look more at what this actually means as we consider the pros and cons of joining clubs and societies at university in the following sections.
Pros of joining societies at university
Figuring out whether you should join a society is all about weighing up the pros and cons for yourself. However, these can be hard to think of so while this list isn’t exactly extensive, we’ll help get you started.
First of all, let’s start with the positives. The following list goes through the benefits of joining university societies.
- Can meet new people – One of the biggest benefits of joining a society at university, especially in your first year is that it allows you to meet a whole range of new people. Plus, this people will all be linked to you in some way, either with a shred course or a common interest. This can be a great way to socialise and make some new friends.
- Gets you out of the flat – As a uni student myself (and an introvert), I know just how easy it is to just stay in if you have no classes on and no other plans. Joining a society, is a great way to force yourself to go out and be somewhere for a set time.
- Looks good on your CV – Joining a society can be a great way to boost your CV as it gives you so many interpersonal skills that will be useful in the workplace, such as communication, teamwork and much more.
- Can learn a new skill – Depending on what society you decide to join, there may even be a chance for you to learn a new skill. This could be a new sport, a language or even something more niche.
- Can improve your mental and physical health – As previously mentioned, joining a society is a great way to get you out and socialising. This is good for your mental health, especially if you’re just starting university. Plus, if you join a rather active society, such as one for sports or dancing, it can really help your physical health too by keeping you fit and healthy.
Cons of joining societies at university
As we’ve seen from the previous section, there are lots of benefits to joining a society while you’re at university. However, there are certain issues that may arise if you do end up joining a society.
It’s important to have these considerations in mind while deciding if you want to join a society. In the following list we’ll take you through some to get you started.
- Can be time consuming – The main issue with joining a society at university is that it can take up an awful lot of time. You may find that the society you want to join is a lower priority compared to the rest of your schedule, whether that’s studying, working or even just hanging out with friends. If you do end up joining the society, you may need to rework your schedule so that you can fit everything in.
- Could lead to you neglecting your studies – As a society can be so time consuming, you may find that it’s not only absorbed your free time but also cutting into time that you should be studying or resting to prepare for the next day. If joining a society leads to you overloading your schedule like this, it could affect your studies and even your mental and physical wellbeing.
- Can be expensive – Previously, I mentioned that societies at university were a bit different to ones at secondary or even primary school. This is also because they will generally require a membership fee. While these tend to be affordable costs, some are higher than others and you may also find that any extra equipment you need may also be rather pricy. This can make joining a society at university rather difficult financially. Although, you should first check if your university gives you access to a bursary fund to help with extracurricular activities.
How to decide which societies to join at university
Even if you’ve decided that you do want to join societies at university, you still have the hard decision of which societies you want to join and how many.
For me, I was really excited to join a bunch of different societies after seeing them at the clubs and societies fair that my university held. After the sheer excitement and enthusiasm wore off, I felt a little lost on which ones I actually wanted to join.
However, there are a few tips and tricks to help you decide. Courtesy of a final year student that I met at my university’s clubs and society’s fair, the following list is full of tips to help you decide which societies to join.
- Go to taster sessions – If the society offers taster sessions or social events to help you learn more about the society before you officially join, you should most definitely go. These events are normally free or at discounted prices and can really help to get a feel for the society, what it would be like and even what the people are like. I’ve been to a few and found myself signing up straight away to one and ruling out others.
- Talk to students in the societies – Talking to students, who have been a part of the society for a while can help to give you an idea of what the society is like. They should be able to tell you about their experience, what events are normally planned and generally if it’s worth joining.
- Consider your schedule – Some societies have regular meet-ups that may end up clashing with your studies, work or even other societies or events you want to go to. If these clashes are often and you have higher priorities, it may not be worth joining in the first place as you won’t be able to get much out of it.
I suggest you check out our Think Student articles below to learn more about university societies: