Coming to University is all about finding two things: your independence and your people. Societies are here to help you do both. This week we're focusing on telling you all you need to know about societies - so keep an eye on here, our social channels and your emails for a crash course in how to make the most of your Student Union membership.
We also have 3 live Q&A sessions with Colin (VP Community) and Polly (Activities Coordinator) you can tune in to. We'll be using Teams, and if you want to jump in just click the links below at the times shown:
Session
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Date / Time
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Teams Link
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Live Q&A: How do existing societies reaffiliate with the Student Union? |
Tues 7th July, 12pm |
Launch Meeting |
Live Q&A: How do I set up a new society? |
Weds 8th July, 12pm |
Launch Meeting |
Live Q&A: How do I join a society? |
Thurs 9th July, 12pm |
Launch Meeting |
Today we thought we'd take things back to the start, and explain what a society is...
What is a Society?
A society is a group of students who all have something in common. It could be a shared interest like Eco Society, a religion or culture like African Caribbean Society, or enhancing your academic experience like Actuarial Society.
What do they do?
They run regular events, workshops and socials so you can get to know other people who like the same stuff as you.
What societies do you have?
We have LOADS. Our current list is here.
And if you don’t find one suitable for you, it’s really easy to start your own. There’s more info on that here.
At the minute, our societies are reaffiliating (re-registering) with the Student Union so we know which groups will be around when term starts again. If you’re already a society member and want your society to still be here in September, give the committee a nudge and ask if they’ve reaffiliated (you’ve got until 12th July).
Why should I join?
Now, more than ever, societies are here to connect you with like-minded people, get more out of your Uni experience and support you during your time at Heriot-Watt. What’s better than a ready-made group of pals, just for you?
Societies are run by students for students (with a little help from the Student Union) so if you really like a society, you might be interested in helping run it one day. Being on a society committee gives you really valuable skills too – great for beefing up your CV! They might even have some vacant positions so drop them a message if you’re keen to be involved.
Whenever we talk to former HW students, one of the main memories they have of University is the fun from being part of societies and clubs - they add an extra layer to your uni experience!
How do I join?
A good deal of our societies are FREE to join (bargain!), and you can get involved in as many as you like. To join a society, take a look at our current list here and click join! However... our societies are currently re-registering (we call it re-affiliating) for next year - so the "Join" button isn't available this month but will be up and running from August (we don't want you joining a society that might not be active next year!). We'll send another email to remind you to join in August.
I'm on the committee of a society next year...
Just a quick note if you're a society Committee Member next year - don't forget to reaffiliate your society by 12th July by completing the re-affiliation form here.
Coming Up...
Still to come this week, we'll be covering:
- Society Reaffiliations - for those of you who will be running a society next year
- New Societies - how to start a new society if there isn't one that takes your fancy
- Academic Societies - we're on a mission this year to have societies for each course
- Society Successes - let's take a look at some of the success stories from last year's societies
Thanks for reading - keep your eyes peeled for more information over the next few days!