Societies Day — 12/09/2018
Little is know about the author, Georgia Griffin. She’s an urban legend to some. A rural legend to others. All we know is that she’s a 4th Arts student with an interest in reviews and creepy things.
“Joining a society is a great start for the year for anybody. It helps you find your place, find your feet, find your people. It gets yourself set up for a really successful year.” - Riona Hughes, Societies Officer.
Everyone knows that there is only one real reason to go to university, and it isn’t to improve your job prospects or gain maturity through studying and / or living independently, or whatever you told your parents / guardians / busybodies. It’s the societies.
If you attended Socs Day on 12th of September 2018, then you are one of over 4,000 Students who swarmed the Bailey Allen Hall, drawn by the promise of finding a community of people with similar interests and goals, a place where anyone can make a difference and rise through the ranks to greatness (chairperson). The promise of expanding your skillset and social circle to include all the lovable weirdos that TV told you that you’d find in university. An admirable reason to brave the controlled chaos of Socs Day.
For the first years coming in and even returning students and alumni it may have been difficult to get all the information you wanted from the poor souls manning the stalls. Especially when being elbowed in the ribs by another newbie / student / alumni with their eye on the last cookie on the table. It is understandable that you still have questions. Most pressing of which is of course:
How did Journos do?
Well, Journos signed up hundreds of new members. This includes sign-ups for our upcoming Writers Room in collaboration with Writers Society and Dramsoc, where we will be writing scripts for One Act Plays, Radio Plays, and a short TV show on our new YouTube channel, which we will be running with African Caribbean Society.
People also signed up for our upcoming courses in Sound Engineering and Lighting Tech which comes with an end of year certificate and allows you to gain hands-on, locally based knowledge by working Society events such as musical productions and concerts on campus.
Our EGM is next Monday 17th at 7PM in the Meeting Rooms.
Our weekly meetings will commence this Thursday.
Our Writers Room will take place from 11–3PM in the Bank of Ireland on Thursday. The meetings in Friars will happen from 3–5PM directly after on Thursday. We will also be scheduling a new Radio show with Flirt FM, details to follow.
Keen observers will know that Journos was not the only stand present at Socs Day. NUI Galway currently hosts over a hundred societies from the whimsical and fandom based to the activism centred societies, there is something for everyone.
New Societies
Socs Day veterans will have noticed a few new faces this year. In case you missed them in the hubbub we have helpfully compiled a list of new societies with stands:
Anaphora Orthodox Christian Fellowship Society
Business Analytics Society
Drone Society
Healthy Heart Society
IEEE Student Branch Society
Irish Sign Language Society
Mincéirs Whiden Society
Niteline Society
Non-Violent Communication Society
PENSA Society
Quiz Society
Saudi Society
Sewing Society
Socialist Society
Strength
VegSoc
Most of the 16 new societies achieved the 100+ member required to exist. We are thrilled with their accomplishments. But the OG Societies are not to be forgotten. More established societies also enjoyed success at Socs Day, welcoming more new recruits, both international and Irish, than ever before.
“It’s going really well — there are so many first years around the place engaging with what we’re doing. Particularly this year we are stressing to get involved with what you like as we want to encourage a diversity of projects too.
This is the highest turnouts we’ve had so far. Overall we’re really happy and at the end of the day first years are most important to us.” — Mark Fitzgerald, Vice Auditor of Dramsoc, 4th Year Electronic and Computer Engineering Student.
“We got over 200 new sign ups from international and visiting students as well as Irish students and lots of interest in our EGM. We’re hoping to keep this momentum going and channel the energy Socs Day gave us into creating an eventful and fun semester for Femsoc.” — Hayley Little, 2nd Year Arts
& Auditor of Femsoc.
Also keeping their cool under the barrage of new interest and general chaos of Socs Day was Lit & Deb.
“I’ve been up since 6am but I’m ok. We’re ok. It’s ok. We’re fine. Everything is fine. Yeah. Everything is fine. Everything is regular. Just a regular Lit & Deb day. No tension here. Everything is fine.”
- Faye Sarsfield, 2nd year Arts
& Literary and Debating
Recording Secretary.
Students’ Union President Megan Reilly had this to say of the Students’ Union stand on Socs Days: “We had a stand at Socs Day this year; handing out free condoms, tampons, and diaries, doing signups for the Welfare crew, and registering people to vote. It’s a great opportunity to give more visibility of the Union and make sure we are there to answer questions. On another note; Socs Day this year seemed to be a great success, with lots of budding new societies and returning ones that are still going strong. Long may our strong culture of participation in societies continue!”
For anyone that wants to be a take initiative in creating new projects with Dramsoc, enjoy a diverse and fun-filled semester with Femsoc, or follow everyone’s one true ambition to just be ok, but hasn’t signed up yet, the opportunity to look into and join any number of the wonderful societies on offer at NUIG is always available. Just log in to YourSpace!
This year’s Socs Day was a huge success. That is thanks to everyone that was involved. From students setting up and manning stalls to whoever it was that had to clean everything up afterwards and of course the attendees who all of this was for. As Societies Officer, Riona Hughes put it:
“The place looked great, there was great excitement around. Thousands and thousands of students were in there, showing up to see the wonderful work our societies do.”
A successful Socs day all around can only be a good omen for a successful year. But how does one define success? Through a quiz!
“The Success Quiz gives the university information on how to help first years. We’ve got really fantastic prizes this year.”
- Riona Hughes, Societies Officer
Just click here! Complete by Sept 20th and be in with the chance to win;
One Year Kingfisher Gym Membership
€100 on your SU Card
2 Afters Tickets to a Society Ball of Your Choice; Commerce, Jan 23rd. Eng & Nursing, Jan 30th. Arts, Feb 6th.
4 tickets to the Musical Society’s production of ‘Pippin’ in the Black Box, Feb 5th — 19th 2019
4 Tickets to a Socs party of your Choice
6 Yoga Classes from Lotus Society
2 tickets to any DramSoc Production
NUI Galway Hoodie from the SU Shop.
Opinions of writers do not necessarily reflect opinions of The Galway Observer, unless, of course, you agree and think the opinions are great. Then we totally agree. For sure. 100.
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