10 Benefits of Joining a Society in University

During your first week of university, you might have come across colourful posters and stalls that seem to pop up overnight. Voices attempt to pull you in, urging you to join a society. With education as your first priority, a society might seem like a distraction. But there are so many benefits of joining a society in university that students often overlook.

If a “Should I join a society?” search led you here, you’re in the right place. To make your decision easier, here are ten perks of joining a society at university.

10 Reasons to Join a Society in University

1. Learn to Strike a Healthy Work-Life Balance

This might be a hard pill to swallow but your sole purpose in university isn’t to run after a degree. You might think that anything remotely resembling “fun” might come in the way of you and your success. Newsflash! The burnout from not taking a break might take you out before the society events you attend once a week.

Humans are not robots and we all need a little downtime. A society is a fun and harmless way to bring some life back to your exhausted and overworked brain. Once you throw your graduation cap in the air and start working, you will have to maintain a work-life balance. Joining a society might be exactly what you need to put in a few hours of practice. Attending events, mixers, and festivities will be a welcome change when you switch off your work mode after class hours.

2. Discover Yourself and Your Interests

When you’re in a new university surrounded by new things, you might start to lose sight of who you are. Your degree might seem like your identity but you are so much more than the mathematics major you are pursuing. Your interests and hobbies might have been put on the backburner to get into your dream university. But now is the time to explore them once again. You have the chance to discover yourself in a different way than you were able to before. If your major isn’t what you imagined it to be, you won’t have to box yourself into your study stream. Societies and clubs offer you the opportunity to experiment without the opportunity cost of choosing to study one thing over another.

Universities have a wide variety of ethnocultural and interest-based societies as well as sports clubs that would tick anyone’s boxes. Students can find exactly what they are looking for in a society. If you are unsure of where your interests lie, you also have the opportunity to explore. You could try your hand at martial arts by joining the taekwondo club or attempt improv by joining the drama society. Most societies offer the option to participate in their activities for a short period of time on a trial basis. This will help you figure out if they’re the right fit for you. Who knows? Maybe you might find that you have interests in something you never knew of!

3. Platform to Socialize

Making new friends in a new place is a bit of a challenge for anyone. But hanging out with friends makes your time at university so much better. You might wonder how you can make friends in a foreign country or university. Well, apart from your classroom, a society might be the next best way. In fact, societies might be exactly where you find your new best friend.

Societies match you with people with the same background or interests as you. One of the many benefits of joining a society in university is that you get to meet new people. Sharing an interest in the same society is a massive conversation starter. Socializing on Saturday nights at a society event would make your university experience a lot more lively and memorable. You might even make friendships that could last a lifetime.

4. Spruce Up Your CV

While maintaining a good CGPA is undoubtedly important, joining a society enhances your CV to a huge extent. As a matter of fact, it might be what you need to set yourself apart from the crowd. Most students will be focusing on getting good grades. But to be able to balance a good CGPA with contributions to a society is a bit of a feat. If you can show that you can juggle any amount of things thrown at you, you will definitely stand out. Besides, joining a club as a member or a part of the society committee allows you to showcase your skills beyond what you learn in your degree.

As we have already mentioned before, a society makes for a great conversation starter. Talking about your society is an amazing segue into expressing what you have accomplished during your time in a society. You and your interviewer for a potential job might even share similar interests, which will definitely help you leave an impression.

5. Up-Skill and Re-Skill

Speaking of skills, joining a society is the perfect way to pick up new skills and work on pre-existing skills. Joining a sign language society would motivate you to continue learning. You could also join a guitar club if you already know how to strum a guitar or start from scratch if you've never held an instrument before. There are so many different clubs and societies at different universities that focus on skill development. Being a part of such a society and sharing space with people who are learning with you pushes you to keep going.

Joining a skill development club is not the only way to gain skills out of your time at a society or club. Being a member or a part of the committee helps you pick up a lot of skills. The people skills you gain go a long way in life - professional or personal.

Some of the other skills that you may gain by joining a society include:

• Teamwork
• Event planning
• Problem-solving
• Time management
• Leadership
• Organisation
• Public speaking

Again, these are excellent ways to add weight to your CV!

6. Seizing One-Time Opportunities

When you’re fresh out of university and busy with your career, you will look back on your university days. These memories will be filled with joy and regret. More likely than not, you will think about the opportunities you did not take. Trust us, when you have long office hours and short, far-apart vacations, you’ll wish you had gone on that one trip.

One of the benefits of joining a society in university is getting to participate in unique activities and events. When else can you go on exciting trips to another country or have random costume parties? Or enjoy weekly festivities with your fellow club members and friends? When you’re tied to a desk, these will be the memories you replay in your head.

7. Applying Lessons from the Classroom and Vice Versa

Joining a society will let you take lessons you’ve learnt in the lecture hall and put them to practical use. If you are pursuing Gender Studies, you will get the opportunity to put what you’ve learnt into activism societies. A degree in Law will allow you to put your debating and argumentative skills into practice. This will help you decide whether you want to pursue your field of study as a career.

Similarly, what you learn in societies are skills you can transfer to the classroom. The practical use of knowledge in societies will make you more critical of theory application in classrooms. Being around people in societies will make you a team player and, in turn, make you more effective in projects. This is one of the benefits of joining a club in university that a lot of people overlook.

8. Reap the Benefits of Joining Sports Clubs in University

University dorm rooms or apartments mean that you no longer have access to delicious, healthy, home-cooked meals. Staying healthy can be an afterthought when you are stressed about classes and have very little time on your hands. The lure of your bed when you’re exhausted leaves little to no room for physical activities. This will inevitably lead to your health, both physical and mental, taking a turn for the worse. We know you do not want that.

Instead of getting an expensive gym membership, you can opt for a sports club instead to get your miles in. Most universities have societies that focus on different kinds of sports. You can participate in a well-known sport that you have always wanted to try by joining the football or swimming club. You could also try out some completely new and exciting sports like Aikido, Muay Thai, and whitewater rafting. There goes your excuse to not stay fit.

9. Keeping Your Passion Alive

You might have chosen business as a major because that is exactly the profession you envision in your future. Pursuing a career in any field may be overwhelming, but don’t let it completely take over your life. There are so many other aspects to your personality that make you, you. And societies may be what you need to keep up with everything that you’re passionate about.

Whether your passion lies in singing or dancing, there is always a society out there for you. While your hobbies and interests may not be something you want to turn into a profession, they definitely aren't something you should forego either. Joining a society would allow you to let your passion thrive while focusing on your major. Your chemistry degree will never make you less of an anime lover or cinephile. There is nothing stopping you from joining a society at university that’ll help you find people with a shared passion.

10. Open Doorways to Career Opportunities

In any kind of society, you come across different people and different opportunities. Yes, societies are a great place to make connections with people who can help you excel in your career, too. Joining an economics club as an economics major will connect you to others who can direct you to career opportunities. You might come across alumni or a faculty member at a society event. Connecting with them might land you a job opportunity that you weren’t even expecting.

Career opportunities might still come your way if you’re an economics major in a writing society. You will learn how other people work and get exposure to people thriving in their fields. The diversity of skills that you pick up and the experience in itself might distinguish you from other applicants.

Our Concluding Thoughts

Hopefully, we have given you enough reasons to want to join a society at university. Societies can become a second home to everyone they welcome in. From learning new skills to socializing - the benefits of joining a society in university are endless. Instead of serving as a distraction, societies are the push that you need to succeed in different areas. It might be time for you to throw out that list of pros and cons. Why join a society in uni? You may have found your answer. Go ahead and sign up for the society you have been eyeing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I know which society is the right fit for me?

It depends solely on what you prioritize. You may join a club that aligns with your degree, interests, culture, or views. Most societies allow you to participate in their activities for a week or so. You will get a feel for whether you would like to join the society full-time. You can find a list of societies available on your university’s website.

How much do society memberships cost?

The society membership fees vary from society to society. Some societies have free memberships while others are $10 (USD) and above.

Can I join multiple societies at a time?

Most societies do not impose a restriction on the number of clubs and societies you can join at a time. You can join multiple ones if you want, unless one of your chosen societies explicitly requires you not to.

What if there isn’t a society that suits my interests?

Well, you always have the option of creating your own society. All you need is a good pitch and permission from the authorising body. The Student Union is a good place to start. More likely than not, you may become the founder of your very own society.