How the Politics Society shaped my university experience
Tamsin shares how the university's Politics Society, with events from debates to netball nights, helped her find her closest friends and land a committee role.
When I first joined university, a coursemate told me about a welcome event for the Politics Society, which is a student-led group for people studying or with an interest in politics. At the time, I didn’t know how impactful that welcome event would be in defining my university experience. Politics Society has enriched my university experience in so many ways academically and socially, and I have had so many amazing opportunities as a result. Although there are a range of amazing events, I think most people would agree that ‘Pour Decisions’ is the best. Once a semester, the Politics Society invites all the political societies to get together to dress up and debate on different topics in the Guild Chambers. The Guild Chambers is in the Student Union, located on campus, and is the perfect venue for the occasion. It gives everyone a chance to get involved or simply sit back and listen to a variety of opinions on topical issues.
As well as this, one of the most important things about the Politics Society for me is the Politics Netball team. I joined in first year, and played regularly in matches, which run twice a week. It was a very welcoming environment for those with any level of experience with netball, and as much as I love the matches, it has become so much more than that. Through team bonding, from group meals to the beloved Wednesday Sports Nights, Politics Netball has given me friendship, community and support. Our weekly Sports Nights are always a hit, a weekly occasion to dress up in a theme and bond with your team. One of my favourite memories with Politics Netball was our team meal at the end of last year. It was a great opportunity to celebrate the amazing season of netball, which included our Netball Secretary giving out awards recognizing each player’s talent and contributions.
Something great about being a part of the Politics Society is making so many friends who do the same course as me. When I first started university, I did not know anyone on my course, but I ended up meeting lots of my closest friends through the society events. However, Politics Society is for anyone with an interest in politics, so I have also had the opportunity to meet lots of people with similar interests to me who don’t study politics. It has shaped my university experience, provided so many opportunities and even led me to being on the committee of the Politics Society for two years!