Starting university can be daunting for anyone. Moving to a new city, leaving your family and making friends isn’t an easy task. So that’s where societies come in. At Sheffield Hallam there’s a society for just about everything, whether you’re into rugby or knitting you’ll find the right one for you. Societies allow you to connect with like-minded individuals who share your interests and values, taking away some of the stress of finding friends. So here’s a rundown of the best societies at Sheffield Hallam University.
Ice Hockey Society
The Ice Hockey Society at Hallam accepts people with all different skill sets so it is a great way to experiment with something new. Ice Hockey itself isn’t one of the most accessible sports and can be expensive to start. So it is a great opportunity to be able to use top notch facilities and equipment for a much smaller price. Many other perks come with joining ice hockey, from great socials and nights out to one of the biggest ice hockey events in the UK. Sheffield Hallam and The University of Sheffield compete in an annual varsity. Each year ice hockey is the closing event, drawing a crowd of up to 10,000 students. The two unis go head to head and it’s an event you don’t want to be missing out on.
Football Society
The Football Society is a fantastic way to meet lots of new people and really embrace uni life. Starting off from the trials where hundreds of people attend there is already a sense of community. Both the men and women have 3 major teams as well as a development team and social team. Meaning if you want to compete at one of the highest levels in uni football or just have a casual kickabout there’s something for you. Joining a team sport like football is great for your mental health, not only are you out and active but you’re also socialising and joking around with friends. The football society also has brilliant weekly socials where they often collaborate with other sports teams.
Acting and Performance Society
The Acting and Performance Society is a great way to develop useful skills or indulge yourself in a passion or hobby. It isn’t exclusive to course members so anyone can join. The society offers acting classes and workshops as well as creating short films and plays. This can help elevate your ability and build up a portfolio that can give you a kickstart for your career. Aside from being extremely helpful and practical, society is also just a bit of fun. It’s a place where people can come together and share their talents and interests free from judgement. There are also monthly socials and theatre trips that would be great to tag along.
Design Society
The Design Society is a great place for creative minds to come together. Fashion, graphics, fine art and so much more are all celebrated. This society allows for you to truly explore your creativity and practice all kinds of art forms. Socials include peaceful and creative nights where people can share their ideas and give/take feedback as well as fun nights out. Not only does the Design Society allow for you to meet new people it also creates a fun way to build up your portfolio.
Formula Student Society
The Formula Student Society offers a unique and incredible experience for students at Sheffield Hallam. Students from all academic backgrounds can come together to design, build, test and race a formula style racing car. There are so many roles available, from behind the scenes planning, to a hands on mechanic and even being able to race the car yourself, you’ll be able to find what suits you best. The Hallam team competes in the annual IMechE Formula Student Competition where hundreds of teams from all over the world are able to showcase their projects. On top of this, the society prides itself on having a strong team bond so organise regular meetings and socials to create a good community.
Politics Society
The Politics Society prides itself on being a diverse and welcoming space for everyone. If you’re just getting into politics or don’t keep up with current events very often it is a useful way to learn more about what’s going on in the world. On the other hand, if you were to consider yourself a politics expert you’d also be able to find your place in the society. They tackle important global issues where everyone is welcome to debate. They also discuss campus issues which is a useful way to keep up to date with what is happening at uni. They bring in guest speakers, have social nights out and casual conversations over coffee so that there should always be something that’s up your street.
Goth Society
If you’re into goth music, aesthetics or simply curious about the subculture then the Goth Society is the place for you. When being new at uni it can be very difficult to find your people, especially if you’re alternative. The Goth Society provides a safe and judgement free space to connect with people who share similar interests and life experiences. They host monthly film and pub socials where anyone is welcome to join. On their social media they also advertise any goth events or gigs that are happening around Sheffield so you can be sure to not miss out on anything.
Casual Walking Society
Living in Sheffield means you practically have an endless option of walks at your finger tips, but sometimes it’s difficult to find the motivation or bring yourself to organise a route. That’s where the Casual Walking Society comes in. They hold weekly walks to parks and green spaces in Sheffield that are free for everyone. They also plan bigger trips into the peaks which are fully organised by them so that you can go stress free. The Casual Walking Society is also great for your mental health, it will get you out and active and surrounded by other people who are enjoying the same thing.
Fashion Society
The Fashion Society is open to all, not just people who study fashion. So if you have any interest in fashion it’s a great way to get involved. Everyone can come together to share their specific styles and where they find inspiration. They offer unique opportunities such as fashion shows, exhibitions, clothes swaps and talks from fashion designers, which can help you learn so much more about fashion and how it works. They have a variety of socials like themed nights, movie nights and pub quizzes. As well as this, joining the society comes with other benefits such as discounts from their sponsors – Tiger Works, Revolutions, Hallam Nation and Quiversgirls.
Cultural Societies
Starting at uni means that you are surrounded by the unfamiliar. Whether that be people, places or even food, practically everything is new. Cultural societies are a great way to get some familiarity back in your life. They give you the opportunity to connect with people who share your culture, values and some life experiences. At Hallam there are diverse cultural societies such as Nigerian, Pakistani and Afro-Caribbean Societies. But if there’s not one that you feel you fit in, don’t shy away from making your own.
Hi I’m Elise a Journalism student at Sheffield Hallam University. When I’m not writing I love to get outside and explore everything around me.
