Being in societies has been the absolute highlight of my university career. It has allowed me to meet some of my closest friends and be in projects which have profoundly changed me. During my Undergraduate here at Manchester I was heavily involved in Drama Society, Filmmaking Society, Italian/International Society and participated in a number of Society Volunteer projects, but as I started my Postgraduate degree, I initially felt resistant to joining societies. Most people I knew had graduated and left and I felt that I might now be older than most of the participants. But instead of not getting involved, I started thinking about all the things I wanted to explore during my Undergraduate but didn’t have time to. I decided to take this year as a second chance to broaden my interests, experiences and meet new people. 

First of all I started writing for the ‘Mancunion’ Theatre Section and I absolutely love it! So far, I’ve had the chance to attend press nights, review shows at HOME Theatre and at the Royal Exchange and even interview an actor who I love. If you are interested in writing articles (not only reviews, there are lots of different sections you can write for), this is a great opportunity to learn a new skill and it is very accessible to Postgraduate students as you can chose how much you take on. You can write one article and then never again, you can write every week or just when you’re less busy: there are no rules as long as you meet your deadlines.  

Another society which I had always been interested in joining but never had the time to was the Women in Media Conference Society. I decided to apply to be part of the committee and am now a part of the Speakers and Scheduling team. The Society meets once a week and organises events, fundraisers, talks, workshops throughout the year and most importantly a conference which will be held in May. My role within the Society is to think of potential Speakers, contact them and generally organize what the panels will look like: these range from Film, Theatre, Radio, Social media, Publishing, Producing and so many more. It is really creatively fulfilling and a great opportunity to develop your organizational skills and potentially get the opportunity to speak to and interview some really cool people.  

The students who are involved in these societies are of all ages, degrees and range from first year Undergraduates to PhD students- here is no need to feel out of place or like you don’t belong at all! 

If you really want to make the most of your time at Manchester, I truly believe societies are a must. Through both my Undergraduate and Postgraduate degrees I have had the opportunity to gain invaluable experience which will help me in the post-graduate world. I have had the chance to act in plays and short films, direct a devised piece of theatre, review shows, organize a conference and even have my own writing performed for the first time in the Student’s Union Theatre. And on a lighter note, I have had the most fun at Drama Society’s themed socials and the International Society’s Italian Nights… a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and have a boogie!   

Written by Giulia Fincato, a Playwriting MA student

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