Clubs and Societies (1 Viewer)

[MJRey]

How many clubs/societies can I realistically join without impacting too much on my studies? My uni offers heaps of them and so many of them sound awesome. I was thinking maybe 2-3 to start, but does anyone have any other insights?

 

[MJRey]

not in uni but i think you should look at the commitment level of these clubs/societies - some might need a lot of commitment and some might just be weekly meetings for a few hours. i also don't know if they'd expect perfect commitment (i'd doubt so), especially during assessment blocks

For each society I'm interested in, it's ok if you don't show up if you're busy, plus the club members understand if you're busy with assessments, exams etc.

which uni

A Go8 uni

 

[jimmysmith560]

There are certain factors that can influence the number of clubs/societies that you decide to join. Such factors include the specific degree that you will be studying, your study load and whether the clubs/societies that you are interested in joining require a minimum level of commitment.

First, degrees may differ in terms of difficulty, with some degrees comprising assignments and/or exams that are more demanding/difficult than others. It is therefore important to ensure that you are aware of the requirements of each of the units that you will be studying so that you are able to effectively manage your time in a way that allows you to participate in the activities of the clubs/societies that you are interested in joining without the risk of a negative impact on your academic performance.

Second, your study load (i.e. whether you will be studying full-time or part-time) can also determine the difficulty of each session. Essentially, the more units that you take, the more demanding your session will be as a whole; for instance, because of the need to commit to completing a larger number of assignments and/or exams.

Third, it is important to consider the rules of each individual club/society that you are interested in joining. From your posts, it appears that this does not constitute an issue. You may also find that most clubs and societies tend to be quite flexible in this regard.

In terms of personal experience, I did not join a club or society in my first year as this was not a priority for me. I was instead focused on ensuring that I have the best possible start to my degree which involved making sure I attained the then-daunting minimum academic standard required to remain enrolled in my degree. I did, however, join a society towards the end of my second year. At this point, I had become comfortable with university and remained in that society until the end of my degree.

Overall, as long as you ensure that you are up-to-date with your studies, I doubt that joining 2-3 clubs/societies that offer what seems to be a good level of flexibility would negatively affect your studies.

I hope this helps!

 

[aulinia]

What’s that

“Group of 8” University - this group of top Australian universities (consists of UniMelb, ANU, USYD, UQ, UWA, Uni of Adelaide, Monash and UNSW).

 

[MJRey]

Thanks for the insights @jimmysmith560!

What’s that

ANU

 

[Anaya R]

Whatever club you choose, make sure you've joined the faculty/school/subject that you're studying. They can have great networking opportunities as well as resources that may be helpful. In addition, you can meet those from your area of study (aka friends who share the same passion in the workfield as you).

 

[ExtremelyBoredUser]

The subject (e.g math, statistics, engineering..) related societies/clubs seems like the most optimal choice, more of guidance in your own degree and not really something to commit to. Perhaps stay away from groups that expect participation or some form of dedication for now, since we're trying to get our bearings. I also joined a cultural society just because it'll be easier to make friends there.

 

[MJRey]

Thanks for all your advice, guys! I've joined a club relating to the subject I'm studying, which is great because they have social events, academic mentoring and career networking opportunities that you can attend if you have any free time.