March 2, 2023, by ahyeo2

Why You Should Join a Society Whilst at University

By Emily Oxbury, MA History student blogger

On first impression, university societies may seem purely about socialising, trying new activities and widening your friendship circles. Most university courses have a corresponding subject based society, which is a great starting point for finding interesting talks, demonstrations and trips which directly link to your area of expertise!

However, there are many societies which can also teach important skills, provide training and award qualifications which can be taken into the workplace. Below are just a few examples of societies which may link into potential career paths.

Amnesty:

The University’s Amnesty society represents the organisation Amnesty International on campus with the main goals of protecting human rights and ensuring freedom, justice and peace in the world. This society seems great for anyone thinking of going into advocacy or charity work, as the group’s weekly meetings organise a whole host of fundraising events. The society also discuss how to create effective campaigns – perfect for anyone seeking a career which may involve presenting to an audience and creating a persuasive speech. Finally, the group regularly attends the annual Amnesty Student Conference – a great chance to meet like minded people and a chance to really focus on making positive social change in the world. 

Public Speaking Society:

If you think your future career may require presenting to new audiences and you’re a little nervous at speaking to a crowd, public speaking society may be able to help! Offering weekly opportunities to talk and present on a variety of topics, their overall goal is to help people eradicate any feelings of stage fright and flourish when presenting in a public setting. The society even offers the chance to gain the ESB Level 4 Award In Professional Presentation Skills during semester two, which is great for widening your CV and demonstrating a proficiency in public speaking. 

Nottingham New Theatre:

Creative students may find a perfect role within the student-led theatre, NNT, which organise and run numerous productions throughout the year in the on campus studio. If being centre-stage isn’t your forte, there’s plenty of production roles to get involved in behind the scenes including social media and publicity, props and costume design and script writing. Perfect for any students aspiring to careers in the world of media or events production. 

Conservation and Nature Society:

For the more green-fingered student ConSoc offers hands-on conservation volunteering projects in partnership with local organisations. The society provides a fantastic opportunity to increase your volunteering hours, whilst also opening up the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the ways in which nature-based charities are working to conserve the habitats and biodiversity of Nottinghamshire.

Debating Union:

Politics and current affairs are at the heart of Debating Union. They host regular debating sessions, training programmes and competitions. Anyone interested in going into politically inclined careers need to possess the ability to argue their case in a convincing manner, and Debating Union is a perfect place to start practising! On top of the chance to practise your debating skills, the society hosts a number of events with external speakers including academics and politicians. 

All these societies provide a great social space alongside offering the chance to gain invaluable skills. The above mentioned groups are just a taste of the wide range of societies available at the University of Nottingham.

If you want to get involved and enhance your CV even further, check out the university’s full list of societies. 

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