Check upcoming open days and book your place arrow
Uni Life

Why you should join clubs and societies at university

Bangor University explain why you should sign up to a club or society at freshers’ week.

Bangor University
by Bangor University
Last Updated:
26 Jan 2024

University is about so much more than studying for your degree. Your time as a student is a valuable opportunity for you to try new things and get involved with clubs, societies and volunteering.

What clubs and societies will universities offer?


Most universities offer extra-curricular opportunities for students to enjoy in their spare time, such as sports club membership through the Athletics Union; societies associated with particular courses and also societies that bring together like-minded people to share a common interest, such as drama, photography, comedy and cooking.

For example, Bangor’s Students’ Union offers over 150 student-run clubs and societies – and they’re all free to join, which means students can try out as many as they like! And if none of these activities match your interests, get in touch with the Union to create a new one!

Like sports?


Universities various sport clubs will give you an opportunity to train, compete and socialise with fellow club members. You can get involved with traditional sports or try something new like quidditch, canoe-polo or octopush (underwater hockey)!

Around 180 universities and colleges in the UK compete in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) league, which sees individuals and teams from across the country compete against others within the region in a wide range of events, including team sports such as football, rugby, netball and cricket and individual sports such as boxing, climbing and gymnastics.

Why should you join clubs or societies?


Joining a group can have a positive impact on your student life, which of course will benefit your personal development, employment prospects as well as boosting your social life. 

So how does Bangor University ensure its students have the best possible opportunities and experience?

Becca Kent, Vice President of Sport and Healthy Living at Bangor Students’ Union explains.

"We pride ourselves on making our clubs and societies inclusive and accessible to all students. This is achieved through free membership and proactive engagement and development activities with all of our student leaders and upcoming talent throughout the academic year. 

“Clubs and societies help students find a home and student family within Bangor. We know that it benefits our students’ mental health and helps with retention as students are supported and get a break from stressful times in their course. 

“We have such a dynamic and varied range of clubs and societies in Bangor, meaning that there is an opportunity to suit every student. Our activities all allow students to gain further skills and grow further alongside their academic studies."

The clubs and societies were a definite selling point for Megan Bradley, one of Bangor’s Digital Ambassadors.

“The wide range of free societies and clubs attracted me to Bangor University. I have been a keen dancer all my life and am now a teacher and committee member of the dance club here at the university. I have even won an award for my choreography so far this year.”

How to join clubs and societies at university


The best place to start is by visiting Welcome Week when you’ve arrived at uni. At Bangor University, the Serendipity Fair is held over two days, where you’ll get the chance to see all the clubs and societies available and sign up for the ones that take your fancy.

Charlie Wilson, writer for the University’s newspaper Seren, has some advice on navigating your way through the clubs and societies fair.

“Everyone signs up for about 100 different societies. You’ll be inundated with emails and Facebook notifications and, once you finally get around to sorting out the flyers you picked up, you’ll realise that you don’t want to go to 95 of the societies you signed up for. This is normal – don’t feel bad!

“Welcome Week is for you to try things out. If you sign up for pole dancing, attend the taster and realise it’s not for you? No biggie. Try new things to find the ones you enjoy.

“You’ll go to Serendipity before you get to know people on your course, so you’ll end up going with people you’ve met in halls. It’s pretty normal to sign up for things with near-strangers and then end up falling out with them. It might be awkward, but you can still go and do things you enjoy! Lots of societies have different meetings, and most of them are big enough that you can work round any clashes of personality.

“There are lots of freebies. Almost every stall offers sweets (yay!) but a lot of stalls have pens, notebooks and stickers. The pizza man will be there. Get leaflets from him. These will save your life. Trust me.

Ultimately, Serendipity is huge, busy and sometimes overwhelming, but it’s fun too. You get to try new things and you’re all thrown into it together.”

And finally, keep an eye on social media for updates on events and socials – most clubs and societies are active on Facebook, X, Instagram etc. 

Similar articles