A recent survey by Savanta has found that 67% of university students did not take part in societies, clubs, or social activities at least once during term. This figure was particularly high among students who live at home while studying.
Despite this, students and graduates who did engage in extracurricular activities reported them to be beneficial. Dell, a 25-year-old Oxford University graduate, recommended joining at least two societies as a way to meet people and as an escape from academic stress.
Izzy Clark, an anthropology student at the University of Aberdeen, suggested joining three or four societies initially to decide which ones to commit to, noting it is harder to join midway through a semester. Alex Frost, a history graduate from the University of Edinburgh, highlighted that committee experience in his orchestra was more useful for his current career than his degree course, providing skills in interacting with people and leading projects.
Students also offered advice on joining societies. Radhika, a medicine student at Queen’s University Belfast, advised asking for free taster sessions to save money before committing to membership. Martha Page, a Lancaster University graduate, suggested joining WhatsApp group chats and connecting with people online first to ease the pressure of joining new groups.