Why you need to join a university society

You’re starting university soon and what an adventure you have ahead of you! You’ll no doubt be intending to work hard while you’re studying, but that’s not all being a student is about.

The next three years will shape the direction of your life, so it’s vital that you make the most of them and joining a club or society can help you do that.

So, why exactly should you join a society or club while at university? We explain all below.

Getting the most out of your university experience

Studying for a degree isn’t cheap. The course fees are eye-watering, so it makes sense to take advantage of every opportunity your university offers you. That could be in the form of student discounts, course trips, or societies based on your passions.

Uni societies have access to all manner of equipment and experiences that you’d otherwise pay a fortune for. Think sailing equipment, sports equipment, travel discounts, and more.

Additionally, these three years may end up being the only time in your life that you have this level of freedom.

Trust us; when you’re in a full-time 9-5 job it’s not possible to pop for an impromptu shopping trip mid-afternoon or party every night!

So, make the most of now. YOLO.

Continuing to be you

Yes, you might be studying medicine, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also continue to enjoy your other interests. You need to celebrate all facets of yourself, whether you’re into jogging, art, or your faith.

While studying for a degree, it’s essential to have other hobbies to turn to when you need a break from revision or written work. The further removed it is from your subject of study, the better!

So, don’t let your interests slip because you’ve started university — embrace them instead by joining a related club or society.

Want a gluten-free baking society, and it doesn’t exist? Simple — just set one up yourself and watch your fellow Coeliac and gluten intolerant students come together and get their bake on!

Making friends

While you’re bound to make friends on your course and in your student accommodation, you’re more likely to find friends for life by joining a society or club. This is because you’ll instantly have at least one interest in common with every member of a society you join.

If you are passionate about veganism, for example, you’re bound to click with a few people in your university’s vegan society. Not only that, but you’ll learn from each other too.

You may be vegan for the animals, but others may have gone vegan for the environment. With different motivations ending in the same result, there’s bound to be some fascinating discussions and learnings to be had.

Not only that but what vegan doesn’t want to discover all the incredible vegan food that Leeds has to offer? And who better to taste it with than a bunch of fellow vegan students.

Not a cook? Given a few of your fellow students’ recipes, you might change your mind.

As you can see from the above example, there’s so much to enjoy in a club or society.

Go into your society taster sessions with an open mind and see what happens.

Keeping fit

If you love keeping fit, you could join your university’s gym or sign up for some yoga sessions near to your Leeds student accommodation.

However, another option is to join a club or society at uni that focuses on fitness — this could be anything from pole dancing to running; from rugby to triathlon.

Not only is this an easy way to get involved in a sport you love (or one you may come to love), but it will bring a whole host of benefits along with it.

Firstly, you’ll make a whole new bunch of friends. Secondly, you’ll save a load of money on gym fees. Thirdly, keeping fit is known to reduce stress, which you’ll appreciate when those course deadlines are looming.

Finally, sports societies tend not to shy away from partying hard! Depending on the society you choose, expect fancy dress nights, tours abroad, and big tournaments and competitions. Not to mention Leeds Varsity, the biggest Leeds student sports event of the year!

Giving your CV a boost

While there are so many benefits to being a club or society member, it does, of course, involve time management skills. You need to balance your uni work with your society meets and events.

Depending on your role within the society and how involved you get, you’ll probably learn or improve upon a whole bunch of other skills, too. For example — problem-solving, organisation, teamwork, leadership, and so on. If you set up and run a society at uni, you will learn even more.

For this reason, having a society membership on your CV gives it a real boost. Employers will be aware of the commitment you made throughout your studies.

Not only will your CV impress, but the clubs you joined (or ran) at university will make a great talking point in a job interview. Having been involved in societies allows you to showcase your skills to potential employers.

You can find a full list of Leeds University Union’s clubs and societies, here. Or, are you heading to Leeds Beckett? Find out all about its union’s societies, here. Finally, information on Leeds Trinity Students’ Union’s societies is here.

Which society do you want to join at university? Let us know over on X (Formerly Twitter)! Want more information on being a student? Check out our student blog here.