Written by: Mehek Hathiramani
They say university is the best time of your life. Now that I’m in second year, looking back I can verify that this is true. But experiences won’t come to you if you’re sat in your room, hunched over your laptop, eating a sharing box of Maltesers every day. In this blog, I’ll be detailing how to make invaluable experiences at university by getting involved in our clubs and societies.
At Newcastle University, we have a wealth of societies to offer (see the full list here) so there's pretty much something for everyone. Our societies range from surfing, the Taylor Swift society, and there is even an investment society. These societies are great fun and are run by students, for students. If you’re more of an out-of-the-box thinker, you can even create your own club or society, and Newcastle University Students’ Union (NUSU) will provide you with all the help you need.
With so many exciting options, it can be hard to shortlist a handful of societies you’d like to join. Thankfully, NUSU organise incredible clubs and society fairs during the year to give you an insight into what each society has to offer.
You’ll get the chance to speak to the committee and get a feeling of which societies you’re most drawn to. I’d also recommend following societies on social media to see which events they’re holding.
If you’ve been blown away by all of our societies and are still struggling to pick (trust me, I’ve been there) then attending taster sessions are a brilliant option to delve into lots of different societies without committing to just one or two. Some societies offer a free 6-week membership, so you can attend all the events for free before deciding which ones you enjoy the most. There are no strings attached, so if a society’s not for you, you don’t have to sign up.
For me personally, joining the entrepreneurship society in second year has enriched my university life in many ways. I am the Head of Marketing for the society, meaning that I raise awareness of our society through social media, so it doubles up as a great addition to my CV as well as a chance to socialise. Entrepreneurship society is quite a niche society and has allowed me to meet like-minded people and build connections.
A recent highlight of my time with the entrepreneurship society was when I delivered a spontaneous speech at one of our networking events. We had an audience of about 50 attendees and needed someone to suddenly fill in and speak about our society, giving details of our events to promote us.
This pulled me out of my comfort zone and gave me valuable experience of working in a team, and has been a great talking point at interviews. Whilst that is quite a specific experience, I can guarantee that you’ll gain teamworking, leadership and creative problem-solving skills as part of any committee role you opt for.
A general word of advice on clubs and societies is that they can greatly enhance your employability. I’ve been asked about extra-curriculars during several interviews, and I think being a proactive committee member can help spice up your CV much more, making it a valuable experience to draw up on at interviews. At the end of the day, demonstrating these hobbies and interests emphasises you as a well-rounded person, and who knows, these might resonate with your interviewer as well!