When most people think of going clubbing at university

University Day, 1911 (Photo credit: jjorogen)

they might picture somewhere late at night where the music’s loud and the lights are low, somewhere where people drink and dance and end up stumbling home in the early hours of the morning.

However, there’s another type of clubbing at university and it’s got a lot of advantages over the other type of clubbing: it won’t cost you nearly half as much, it won’t leave you feeling awful in the morning, and it’s so much more rewarding. Clubbing is of course to join a club or society. But how exactly does joining a club or society at university benefit you so much?

Meet new people
Most of the people you know from university during your first few months will either be from your course or living in your halls of residence. Joining a club is a great way to meet new people who share your interests, and you’ll find that these people become some of your closest friends.

Even if you’re in your final year and you think you’ve met everyone worth knowing, you’ll be surprised at the great relationships you can develop in one of your university’s societies.

Distraction from studies
While university’s primary purpose is to get you a degree, sometimes the stresses of continual studying can get a little bit much for people.

Societies are a great way to just take some time out and forget about the pressures of your studies. Everyone needs a release and yours could be by challenging yourself physically by taking part in a new sport or putting your focus into rehearsing for a play.

A chance to get creative
Whatever it is you enjoy doing, it’s likely that there’s a society out there just for you. However, instead of becoming just another member of a society, why not create one all of your own? As long as you don’t let the power get to your head you could have the potential to create a club that grows and grows, remaining popular amongst students long after you’ve graduated.

Universities allow pretty much any type of society (as long as they’re not discriminatory or offensive) so if you absolutely love cheesecakes why not come up with a cheesecake tasting society and share that love with likeminded students?

Gain new skills and make your CV stand out
Many clubs and societies give their members chances to develop new skills just by taking part. However, for the skills to catch the attention of employers you should think about getting an official position within the society such as treasurer or events co-ordinator. While there’s a little more work involved, by helping the society function you’re pleasing a lot of people, which is very rewarding.

They’re just plain fun
From ridiculous clubs such as the Pirate Society to more serious ones such as the Debating Club, the main reason for joining a club is simply that they provide a great deal of fun. When you leave university you might find it difficult to continue taking part in many of the activities that you enjoyed while a student, which is certainly regrettable. But unless you decide to take part you’ll never know just how much fun you missed.