From Dance to Dodge Ball, to Harry Potter - there's a society out there for everyone here at Northumbria University, and joining is a great way to make friends!
University has the potential to be lonely in the first year and joining a club or society (or multiple!) could really aid you in making friends who share the same interest as you outside your course and halls. Being a part of a society also helps you feel involved with your university.
Northumbria offers a wide range of societies and clubs and I remember looking through the list before coming to England and was really impressed with what they had to offer! I spotted the Pole Dancing Society and was sold! Knitting was a close second though.
Usually when joining societies and clubs, you’ll be required to pay a small membership fee but fear not, it’s not a huge amount. It ranges from £1.50 to a rough £5.00 for a membership fee. Some might cost more such as Cheer-leading because you’ll be paying for your uniform which is totally understandable.
Here are a few societies that the university offers and you might be interest in:
1.Cocksoc (Cocktail Society)
-If you love making cocktails or just enjoy drinking them, why not join this quirky society and meet people who share the same interest with you? They claimed to be the best society ever invented so I guess you’ll have to join and find out? The membership fee is only £1.50 so what are you waiting for?
2. Northumbria Dance Society
-It has always been a dream of mine to join a dance society/club when I went to university. This one’s a little bit more expensive but not by much! Only £5, what a steal. They offer a wide variety of dance such as ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemp, tap and so much more.They hold a lot of events such as charities and fundraising, a good way to give back and enjoy what you do in my opinion!
3. DJ Society
-A standard membership for this society is only £4. They offer a platform for people to create and share their love for DJ-ing and ideas. Martin Garrix created his infamous track ‘Animals’ while in school. You might be the next world known DJ, who knows? You get to hang out with like minded people and go to workshops that will only benefit you.
4. Northumbria Architecture Society
-There are a few course related society too. It is an award winning society and has already celebrated 10 years of success. They offer students and members guest lecture series, workshops, competitions and so much more. Their aim is to offer Architecture and Build Environments students the full experience of their course and only at £2.50!
5. Debating Society
-The Debating Society here at Northumbria offers students a platform to express their views in a constructive form and practice debating technique. Anyone can join! It doesn’t matter if you’re experienced or not. Membership fee is only £1.50 and they’re usually out for drinks at the pub after!
6. International Society
-This society is for people who show an interest in different cultures and traditions. It’s also a great place to start with meeting new people of different nationalities and backgrounds too! You’ll get to have field/school trips to different cities, social events like bowling, film nights and nights out! Membership fee’s only £0.50!
7. Specific Country Societies
-I decided to put these in one category. If you’re an international students and in a new city alone, joining a society that is close to home will be a good idea. Northumbria University offers a wide range of societies in this category such as Malaysian Society, Korean Society, African-Caribbean Society, Greek and Cypriot Society and so many more.
8. Feminist Society
-If you feel strongly about Gender Equality, Feminist Thought, Women's Rights and Body Positivity, then this is the society for you. They provide a place and platform for people to constructively tackle discrimination. They aim to run a wide range of socials throughout the year around member’s interests too!
If you don’t see a society of interest on the website, you could always create your own!
You only need to follow a few simple steps and you’re set. Just go on: https://www.mynsu.co.uk/getinvolved/societies/yourownsociety/ and:
- Download and complete a New Society Declaration Form
- Hand the form into NSU’s Welcome Desk at either City or Coach Lane Campus.
- Meet the society coordinators, Emily Carling or Lauren Marriott and find out how the team will support you.
- Your form will be given to to the Vice President Activities, Kristy Weegram,
- You will then receive a 50£ start-up grant when you successfully set up a new society.
Interview With Evelyn Chee Suang Wei about joining societies (specifically Malaysian Society) and what her experiences were with it and how she met her boyfriend:
Did you browse through all the societies Northumbria University had to offer?
Yes! I had looked through all the societies on NSU website before I came to the UK.
What do you think of the options?
I think Northumbria has a lot of fun and interesting societies such as LGBT society and Surfing society. Not to forget societies like Harry Potter society and Star Wars society, they are weird, but weird is good!
What made you choose to join Malaysian Society?
I chose to join Malaysian society to make more Malaysian friends in the UK, because I know my course has no Malaysians and this is the only way to know more like-minded friends!
Did any other societies attracted you?
Definitely yes! I had joined music society (acapella group) for awhile and it was really fun!
Best thing in your opinion to have come out from joining a society?
I was one of the committee in Malaysian society last year. It was definitely a great experience for me to understand how a society works and how to organise an event smoothly. Of course the best thing is, I met some nice friends in the society and the committee job is the reason of how I met my boyfriend!
What were the pros and cons in your opinion?
I think joining a society and especially being a committee, I learnt a lot from the other committees. I understand how different is everyone and how the differences between people make things more wonderful! As for the cons…I think the biggest cons of being a committee is you need to has commitment and the will to sacrifice your free time for meetings!
What sort of activities did you like to do?
I was the production director in the society, which was responsible for graphic design and some media stuff. I also had the chance to organise events with the event team!
Would you recommend people to join societies?
A big yes! Joining a society can definitely know more friends!
