“Join a society!” I told my little sister as she headed into her first year of university. She had asked for my top tips for adjusting to university life, and I repeated the age-old line of ‘wisdom’ that students have been offered for generations.
While I stand by that advice, the reality can be overwhelming.
It is week one in a brand-new city. You have just moved into a flat with complete strangers. You head to the University of Manchester’s Societies fair, where over 400(!) societies have gathered, offering you free sweets and a pitch as to why you should join them. Some societies are self-explanatory (Hiking, Board Games, Debating, Birdwatching and most of the sports societies). But you also spot Quadball, Skydive, RoboSoc, Kilimanjaro, PondSoc, Vinyl Frontier, Rollercoaster Society (to name just a few!). How on Earth are you supposed to know which is for you, and where you might end up finding your forever friends?
The truth is, you don’t. There is a mountain of pressure in trying to find ‘your people’, ‘your place’ and your society. You probably won’t get it right first time. And no amount of research can fully prepare you for what you may actually find in person.
The good news? Noone is stopping you from trying as much or as little as you like. The Student’s Union offers an excellent ‘Give it a Go’ programme, with free taster sessions at the vast majority of societies. You can also join societies halfway through the semester, in the second term, or even in your final year. There is no right or wrong time. But it is definitely worth joining at least one – from helping you to keep up with old hobbies or discover new ones, to meeting your people and finding your community, societies truly are one of the best parts of the university experience.
I am now in my final year of university, and it is safe to say that I have dabbled in many societies along the way. I spent two years as part of the University of Manchester Chorus, giving me the opportunity to perform in the beautiful Whitworth Hall with the university’s symphony orchestra. I absolutely loved singing Carmina Burana with hundreds of talented chorists, musicians and conductors. As a Geography Student, I have also been a part of the Manchester University Geography Society (MUGS), giving me many memories of crazy pub crawls, guest seminars and a fantastic end-of-year ball.
But there is always room for more! In my second year, I decided to test out new things, joining Kickboxing, Surf Society and Salsa and Bachata (all societies that I hadn’t even thought of joining in my first year). While I loved everything that they had to offer, it is safe to say that I couldn’t quite balance it all (which is also okay!). What mattered was being able to try.
What did stick, though, was Salsa and Bachata society, something that I have now been doing for nearly two years, attending weekly classes and great themed socials, picking up new partner dancing skills and making great friends along the way.
Finally, while I may now be a cranky old final year who grumbles about freshers and talks about my dissertation far too much, apparently it hasn’t stopped me from joining the climbing and mountaineering society in my last semester. After all, I only have a few months left, so I might as well make the most of it!
All in all, societies really are instrumental to the university experience. You don’t have to be like me (overly eager to try absolutely everything), but it really is worth going in with an open mind and giving something a go. Whether you join something for three weeks, three months, or three years, I promise that it is absolutely worth it.

Written by Bo Ana Murphy.

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