Why I joined a society (and why you should too) 

Hi, I’m Elaina, a Psychology with Counselling student at York St John.

I knew when starting University at York St John that I wanted to take the opportunity to start dancing again, so I joined the dance society. This decision was one of the best decisions I have made at university, let me tell you why. 

Taking that first step to trying something new can be extremely daunting. However, I vividly remember all my worries disappearing in that very first dance taster session. I was greeted so warmly and was made to feel so welcomed by everyone, people who would later on become some of my best friends at university. Every dance lesson is student-led which I loved as it creates a non-judgmental, relaxed, and fun environment. 

You can join a wide variety of classes, including commercial, contemporary, burlesque, tap, musical theatre, lyrical, jazz, pump it u,p and ballet. These classes take place on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings (6:30-9:30) so fit perfectly around lectures. The year of classes and performances are split perfectly into the two semesters. The first includes the winter show and the second includes the summer show. There is also an audition-based competition team, which I was grateful to be a part of. We competed at many other universities such as Liverpool and Northumbria. Last but not least, we have a social night out every Wednesday evening. We dress up in some crazy costumes, meet at the student union and head into the city centre. Our social secretaries organise fun games for us in our favourite pubs before heading to some busier venues later in the night. The socials are a great chance to get to know everybody better outside of the studio and are always a good laugh. Incorporated into these are sober socials (our most recent being laser tag) and awards evenings.  

Joining a society enabled me to settle into university really quickly; it kept me busy on evenings, stopping me from feeling lonely and meant that I always had something fun to look forward to. Learning and performing dances is so rewarding and something I have always loved. But most importantly, the friends I have made along the way have made me feel so loved and given me such a strong sense of belonging. 

The start of semester two (January/February) is a perfect time to get involved in a society. For example, in the dance society, everything is fully split between semesters so there isn’t a crossover from the previous semester. There is a new timetable, new dance teachers and new dances to learn. So, my advice to you is to not be afraid to take that first step to joining a society. Being a part of a team, group, club, etc., adds so much quality to your university experience, and I promise you that you will never look back, go and make the most of it! 

Find out more about societies at York St John SU