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Sports and societies: how can I get involved?

At University there are so many opportunities to thrown yourself into, whether it be joining a society or a sports team. The benefits to this can be endless, ranging from making new friends to developing a new skill. With this in mind, I want to give you an idea of how you can get involved and make your university experience unforgettable.

Contact your SU to see what is available

Believe it or not, the SU is the hub of opportunity. It offers you new and exciting things to do, if you just know where to look. At Nottingham, we have members of staff on the societies team who help societies grow called ‘club development officers’. These employees work closely with all the societies at the university and it’s safe to say that they know lots of valuable things. This makes them perfect people to chat to about available opportunities. Why not send an email or set up a meeting to discuss things?

For sports, it’s a good idea to head down to the sports centre to find out about all the clubs you can get involved in. Things like the ‘engage’ scheme allow you to get involved in sports clubs without having a membership. This is such a good way to experience sport without having to splash out on expensive sport centre or club membership.

Another person to talk to is the activities officer at the SU. This person has been elected for the sole reason of promoting student engagement in everything that goes on at the SU. Also, they were a student just like you. They bring an amazing amount of knowledge about societies and events at University that can help make your experience at Uni the best it can be.

Speak to current students

This would probably be the best piece of advice I have for you if you’re considering joining a sports team or society this semester or next year. The students who are currently involved definitely know what’s best and what isn’t. They can offer you advice on what being a part of the team is really like. Many sports team have what is called a ‘recruitment officer’, a student dedicated to all things recruitment. They are probably the best person to contact when considering joining or not. Their job is to help you. Even talking to students you know in the society is such a good idea. They know what it’s really like and can reveal lots and lots about the different events or opportunities on offer.

Do your research

However, one of the best things to do is research what is out there and what actually interests you. There is no point in chatting to other students of a society that you totally aren’t interested in. It wastes both your time and theirs! If you do choose to contact members of the society, or committee members, have some questions in mind. Maybe you want to know how often they meet? What the training schedule is like? Do they have any socials? Come armed with these kinds of questions and nothing can get in your way!