We asked mathematics student Thea how to find the student society that's right for you.
One of the best ways to integrate yourself into university life is through joining societies. At Queen Mary, there are well over 150 different types of society, ranging from academically related groups such as the Mathematics Society to recreational societies like the Harry Potter Society. So, which one should you join? If you're still unsure about which society might be best suited to your needs and personality, then below is a list of important information and advice about the societies on your doorstep!
Joining a society is an investment, so like all investments it's a good idea to do some research about the society (or societies) that you're considering joining. The University website is likely to have a lot of information on what the club is about, their goals and achievements and the events that they are planning throughout the academic year.
If you're still not completely sure whether to join a specific society, then you might consider contacting the president directly! You could simply ask them questions about what they do or you could go one step further by requesting to join one of their get togethers or meetings. These will allow you to gain first-hand experience into what the society is like.
Do you want to have fun with people who share the same interest as you, do you want to improve your employability, do you want to meet other students from your home country, or do you simply want to join a society related to your degree?
One way to get to know all of the societies is to attend the welcome fair. During the welcome fair at Queen Mary (and many other universities) the different clubs have interactive stalls, well trained staff (who are happy to answer your questions), and colourful displays to showcase their society. If you're completely unsure about which society you want to join then it might be a good idea to attend the welcome fair, maybe one club in particular will catch your interest.
There is no limit into how many societies you can join, however given the amount of work that you're expected to put into your lectures and the amount of time you're likely to spend with the friends you make from your degree programme, it may be a good idea to join only one or two societies at first, at least during first year. This way, it's easier for you to manage both your time and your workload at university.
Societies fit into many different categories. Above I've mentioned academic groups and recreational groups, however there are also many more categories to take into consideration. At Queen Mary there are also cultural societies such as the Austrian society, employability and enterprise societies including the banking and finance society, faith societies such as the Christian Union, social societies including the travel society, and many more.
When choosing a club or society, it is important to think about what you want to achieve by joining. Do you want to have fun with people who share the same interest as you (e.g. baking or photography), do you want to improve your employability (app development), do you want to meet other students from your home country (Turkish society), or do you simply want to join a society related to your degree? For me, I joined the mathematics society to make friends with the people on my course and to improve my skill in Maths!
If none of the societies catch your interest, then you can simply create your own! Many of the societies at Queen Mary were created by a single student who had a unique idea, and you could be the next president of a society yourself! The application process for creating a society may differ from one university to another, so first talk to your personal advisor and then maybe the student union to receive their support and guidance.
But don't forget, the leaders work very hard to make sure that their members receive the best experience from joining, so you have to be willing to put in a lot of extra work and dedication to ensure that you also give your members a great and memorable experience from the very beginning.
By Thea Paraguas, BSc Mathematics with Management (2019)