Issue 145

It's Up To You

25th September 2006

I could very well sit here and tell you exactly why joining a society is the best thing that a student could ever do. Let's face it, there are the obvious benefits of meeting new people, learning new skills and having an extra something to add to your CV, but if I wrote that then I would only sound like a prospectus. So I'm not going to bother. Instead I'll give you an insight into life in a society, and then you can make up your own mind.

Perhaps one of the most daunting things about considering which society to join is in fact choosing what to do! Wandering around the Freshers' tent with every other person in your face trying to make you sign up, could well end in you unwillingly parting with your cash, a mistake that I myself made, leaving me a couple of pounds poorer and with a membership that I didn't really want. The best advice I can give in this situation is to stay focused and enter the Freshers' tent with at least a vague idea of what it is you want from a society, whether it's trying something new or carrying on an activity that you already do.

Having taken the plunge to find your way through the crowds, making sure you pick up all the freebies on your way, you may well emerge as a fully fledged member of a society. Many of you may not even want to go anywhere near the Freshers' Fair, as it isn't the best place to make rash decisions; in hindsight I would suggest taking a look at the student union website, this will give you all the information that you'll need about any particular society, including contact details.

Once you've decided which societies to join, if any, the next step is to go along and see if it lives up to your expectations. Most societies will start the term off with some form of social, usually illustrating the finer points of Swansea's nightlife. There are several methods to help take the edge off this nerve racking social experience. Some of us may choose to hope for the best, others go for the Dutch courage option, whilst those cool headed individuals don't worry at all. Ideally go for the last choice, otherwise stick to my first suggestion.

Now you've arrived it's time to exercise your social skills, plant yourself next to the nearest friendly person and get chatting. You may be thinking that joining a society really doesn't sound like much of a laugh. I thought exactly that until a friend persuaded me to go along with her one night. Granted I did spend the first thirty minutes downing as many cocktails as possible, but as it unsurprisingly turns out, the majority of people there all had the same interests as me. With my inhibitions dissolved I was left wandering what it was I was worried about. Now that the first meeting was over it was time to put in the dedication, the meetings were interesting and annoyingly I did learn new skills and make friends, just as the prospectus had promised.

Joining a society is a great chance to share your interests and passions with likeminded people, so don't delay, sign yourself up for any of the societies that take your fancy from Swansea's comprehensive societies list.

Waterfront Online