My society experience

Joining a society can be a fantastic way to meet new, like minded people to yourself. Luckily for us, the union is home to a range of different societies from the ‘Knit like your nana’ society to the ‘Afro Caribbean’ society, among a range of others including academic and personal interest societies. In this blogpost I’m going to talk about some of the best things about being in a society and my experience of being in the Fashion Society.

Best things about joining a society

New people- I really enjoy having different groups of friends than just my course mates, especially when working on group assignments. Societies are the perfect place to meet new friends as there are common interests you share meaning conversation flows.
Fun socials- societies often host themed socials such as ‘underwater’ where people are all expected to dress as an underwater creature. Not only is this fun and creative but also usually creates some amusement and funny photos!
Support- every society has a range of people on its committee, usually including a welfare officer who is there to support you. For many societies, this may mean making sure you get home safely after a night out or making sure you feel comfortable at a event.
Trying new things- societies often hold events (e.g. ice skating or a shopping trip) which may allow you to do something new or visit a new place. This can help enhance your university experience and make you feel more fulfilled.

My ‘Fashion Society’ highlight

Unfortunately, I was ill a fair amount during semester one and then COVID-19 struck in semester two this year meaning I didn’t get as involved as I wanted to in various socials and events that the society hosted. However, I did get to co-plan and attend the largest event of the year ‘The Boob Show’.

‘The Boob Show’ was a charity fashion show hosted in aid of the CoppaFeel charity in collaboration with the Uni Boob society and the SHSU fashion society, in which we managed to raise £511! The show was open to the public and I was lucky enough to have a hand in planning the outfits, running the social media pages, delegating tasks and working as an artist liaison. This was a great opportunity for me as I study events so this gave me something to add to my CV! I also gained a large amount of personal satisfaction from being able to assist in raising over £500 for such an amazing cause.

The amazing Helena Kearsey Photography captured incredible photos throughout the night and Rebecca Wood filmed and created a highlight reel for us (they’re both Hallam students!) so the event can live forever. The event was also made possible by a range of other Hallam students who were confident enough to strut their stuff on the catwalk and the event was even covered by the Sheffield Tab!

Overall, I’m really happy I decided to join the Fashion Society as I enjoyed events with my friends whilst also making new friends and gaining new experiences. I would recommend every student take a look at the Sheffield Hallam Union Society webpage, which I’ve linked below to make easier for you, to see if any societies catch your eye. If you’re not sure if you want to join yet, you can always follow the society on their social media accounts and message them to ask any questions you may have.