Let’s be honest. Making friends at uni can feel a bit like speed dating but with more instant noodles and fewer roses. You move in, bond with your flatmates over who has stolen whose milk, then stare at each other wondering if you will actually stay friends once lectures get serious.
The truth is your social life does not just magically appear the moment you swipe into the library. You have to give it a little nudge. That is where societies come in. They are the ultimate social life hack, the secret sauce of university life. If you want to swap loneliness for legendary nights out and swap awkward chats for lifelong mates, societies are where it happens.
Your calendar goes from tumbleweed to chaos
Remember when your week was just lectures, naps, and contemplating another Pot Noodle? Join a society and suddenly your calendar looks like you are running for Prime Minister. Monday, pub quiz. Wednesday, BUCS match. Friday, karaoke. Saturday, society trip. And somewhere in between, you are meant to attend a lecture maybe. Societies will turn you into that person who has to check their diary before committing to a coffee. But do not worry, it is the good kind of busy.
You will finally find your people
Uni is full of students, but not all of them are your kind of weird. Joining a society is like swiping right on a group of people who already love the stuff you love. Anime, cool. Baking, delicious. Debating, brave. Pole fitness, respect. Quidditch, slightly concerning but still. These are the people who will get your jokes, hype you up when you embarrass yourself, and happily spend three hours discussing whether pineapple belongs on pizza. Spoiler, it does. Do not fight me.
Group chats will rule your life
When you join a society, you also join The Group Chat. It will become the soundtrack to your life. Expect countless messages about where to meet, GIFs of cats that have nothing to do with the conversation, and someone replying “who dis” every single time a new member joins. Sure, it is chaotic. But when you need notes, a last minute flatmate for HudCrawl, or someone to split a Domino’s with, the group chat delivers.
You will collect embarrassing stories
Societies are basically a machine for creating hilarious and mildly shameful memories. You might show up to a fancy dress night in full costume only to realise it meant smart clothes, or sing your heart out at karaoke and discover someone filmed the whole thing. You could even attempt a new sport and discover you are in fact a human disaster zone. But these are the moments you will look back on fondly. Okay, maybe not fondly at first. But eventually.
You will gain skills without noticing
It sounds fake, but it is true. You join a society for the fun, but somewhere along the line, you will pick up useful skills. You might end up planning events, accidentally becoming president after one meeting, juggling deadlines with five socials and a hangover, or learning that pasta is more than Super Noodles. Who knew fun could be productive?
Nights out will never be boring again
Gone are the days of sitting in your room watching reruns of Friends, ironically, with no friends. With societies, your nights out level up. Whether it is themed bar crawls, karaoke battles, bowling trips, or just discovering Huddersfield’s finest pubs, you will never say the dreaded words “so what shall we do tonight?”
You will leave uni with more than a degree
Sure, you came here for the degree, and maybe the three pound pints at the SU bar, but when you graduate, it will not be your lecture notes you remember. It will be the mates you made at a board games night, the teammates you travelled with for tournaments, and that one time you dressed as a giant banana for charity. Societies give you stories, friendships, and skills you will carry long after graduation.
Final thoughts
Joining a society at Huddersfield is not just about filling your time. It is about levelling up your whole uni experience. You will laugh harder, stay out later, learn stranger skills, and make better memories than you ever thought possible.
Do yourself a favour. Ditch the FOMO, find a society that sounds fun or completely ridiculous, and throw yourself in. Uni is too short to spend it hiding in your flat. Get out there, meet your people, and let your social life glow up.
