Postgraduate student, Florencia, shares her experiences starting University and joining societies as a postgrad student:
As a postgrad student starting at UoR, I was not sure what to expect. I felt too old to take part in activities and events. However, I was wrong – during the first few weeks as a postgraduate student, I was able to explore the campus and get to know all the services available like the library, cafes, and gyms.
My favourite memories were of the events – the university has numerous societies, which give you a chance to get to know new people, as well as provide the opportunity to try out a wide variety of hobbies, from languages to arts, sports and more!
You are probably familiar with your hobbies and what you like, but I encourage you to keep an open mind. Beginning this new journey gives you the chance to stretch out and discover new things. The Freshers Societies and Fayres are an easy way to have some fun trying out activities without any commitment. You never know, you may end up taking a new hobby! I certainly did.
During my first weeks, I attended a screening of a movie from the anime society and talked with members of the Latin-American and Tango societies. I also joined the volunteer project for Students Eats at the Secret Garden for which I am now the social media rep.
I had a lot of fun, but the last one helped me the most. Gardening has become a vital part of my life I could have never done in my home country. It helps me relax and made me more conscious about the environment and how food is produced.
Plenty of societies will have events for you to try out during Welcome so explore, try new things, you never know what you may find.