Why join a society?

I am here today to bring you another student life post. I like to use my experiences at university to hopefully help better future freshers’ experiences at university, as I know it is a daunting experience.

I want to expand on a point I made in my “How to survive your first semester at university” post, which said, “Get involved. Join a society!”. I cannot quite stress enough how much joining a society has shaped my university experience. Although your course is extremely important and should be your highest priority, first year is not as intense as you might expect. In my course, I have a lot more free time than expected as first year is really about finding your way and getting into your course before the intense work starts in second year. Of course there are times where you have lots of deadlines and it’s very stressful, but if you manage your time and stay on top of it all, you will have free time to spare.

You are at university to get a degree. You study for 3 years to get a qualification at the end of it, but you are also here for an experience (wise words from Jordan Shiel). You chose what you do the rest of the time outside of your course, make it count! You won’t remember your seminars and lectures when you leave, it will be the unforgettable things you do and the lifelong friends you make that will have a lasting effect on you.

When I went to the freshers fair and saw the friendly faces at the Musical Theatre society stand, I internally freaked out and signed up right away. I was added to the Facebook group, and went along to the taster session that week. I was very nervous, but luckily I bumped into a girl on my floor so I wasn’t completely alone. I loved the taster session and paid my membership straight away. The next couple of weeks were nerve racking, getting to know everyone and trying to make friends. But everything really changed when I had the nerves to go to one of the socials completely by myself. I’m so proud I did, I broke the ice with everyone and really found myself feeling comfortable around everyone. Then the next week I was paired with boy called Kye for our couples dance number for the showcase and I knew immediately that we would get on like a house on fire (and till this day we are best friends!)

Now, here I am, 5 months later. This weekend I played the female lead in Footloose, in front of two sell out audiences. I have been at rehearsals every night for the last 4 months…tired, aching, emotional drained…but I would’t change anything. It was without a doubt the most exciting, nerve racking, incredible weekend of my life. Working along side such humble, talented people is a privilege I feel I don’t deserve. I have made best friends (more like siblings), to whom I am inseparable with, and a huge number of great friends. We are a tight netted family, we stick together and we have each others back. Joining this society has helped me to feel comfortable, find confidence and have faith in myself to achieve something I never thought I could.

So, if you are thinking about joining a society but worried about going alone, BE BRAVE!!! I was and I am so thankful!

Are you a part of a society? What society would you join?