Student Societies at UON
I recently started attending UON alongside my girlfriend, we both realised that although the society scene here is amazing, it was missing something – a Snowsports society. Snowsports include skiing and snowboarding, which I have always wanted to try, and my girlfriend has been doing it for the majority of her life. What started as a joke between us about setting one up gradually turned into a serious idea, once we realised that starting a society was actually possible.
The process of setting up a society
We first went to the Learning Hub and spoke to someone at the Student Union (SU) desk, who explained that we needed 15 interested members, three committee members, and a rough idea of how the society would run. From there, we asked a friend to join the committee and set up Instagram and Facebook accounts to spread awareness, which helped us gain attention and reach the 15-member minimum. After this, we submitted an official request form to the SU and left it with them over Christmas. When we returned, we were accepted and met with the sports coordinator, who outlined the requirements needed to gain funding, which we are still working through.
What the Society is about
When starting the society, we had a specific vision for it. We wanted it to be completely welcoming, with no hazing, no initiations, and no pressure to do anything you did not want to do. We have many socials planned with different themes; however, none of the committee members want to pressure anyone to drink. This means that at socials you can drink if you want to, but you do not have to. The socials are designed to be fun and inclusive for anyone who wants to come. We are also currently negotiating with the SU to try to supply lessons, as we want to make as much as possible free for members, which would allow us to make Snowsports accessible for everyone.
Benefits of starting the Society
The main benefits of starting your own society include giving you the ability to make it exactly how you want to and that you would love to be a part of, and it allows you to find other people who like the same things as you which can help to expand your social circle. It was so easy to get started – by going to the SU and asking them to support you through it.
Find out more about Student Union sports and societies as well as studying at UON at an Open Day.
