The reality of university societies

Societies are one of the cornerstones of any Students’ Union. There’s almost no way to survive university without hearing about them, whether that is through having flyers pushed into your hand at freshers’ week, or seeing a drunken group of students in matching costumes flood into Market Shaker on a Friday night. The question is, do they live up to the hype?

There are over 160 societies at Newcastle University. Whether you want to bond over sports, hobbies, identities or your course, there’s more than likely a group that fits what you’re looking for. If not, a determined student can look into setting up their own. The benefit here, obviously, is that societies bring a lot of options to the table.

Not everyone is lucky enough to be friends with their flatmates. Not everyone can even tolerate them. If that’s the case, and you’re struggling to make friends on your course, then I’d argue societies are the perfect avenue to go down. By joining a society, the hard part of making friends – finding common ground – is done for you. It may be a lot easier to find friends amongst those who’ve paid (at least) £5 to join the same club as you than it is to befriend your flatmate who won’t wash up.

Admittedly, I’m writing from a biased perspective. I’ve been involved with societies ever since my second year, when they were able to function in-person. Maybe it’s the fact I experienced a year in lockdown that makes me see them in such a positive light. Last year, I was president of LGBTQ+ Society and aside from all the generic "it’s good for the CV", I’d say it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done during my time here. For all students, but especially those with marginalised identities, finding a community is incredibly important, and joining a society is a great way to do so.

Joining societies can be scary. Though I have no doubt that most committees make a conscious effort to combat this, things can feel cliquey and intimidating, especially if you’re trying out something for the first time when everyone else seems like a pro. Luckily, though you might not realise it, a lot of people will be feeling exactly the same as you.

Overall, I’d argue that joining societies is worth it. There’s always room for improvement and I think the increase in sober socials and accessibility information shows we’re heading in the right direction. And, if all else fails, you get to try something new and move on. Who doesn’t want to say they tried beekeeping at uni?