Student activities are an essential part of student life at university. Whether it be to make friends, talk about your interests or gain experience for jobs after graduation, joining a society or club that helps you engage with other students as well as your interests is a great way to spend your free time at university.
As an international student I know that clubs and societies aren’t necessarily a priority for a lot of us when we’re looking to pick somewhere to move to or study at. However, I think if I had stumbled across a blog like this when I was first applying for universities I would have been even more excited about taking such a big step towards studying abroad. I will also say that the vast majority of clubs and societies are open for all students, so you don’t have to worry about being in the right course to take part in a certain society. Typically, you could get involved in societies at Surrey in two ways: by being a member; attending meetings, engaging with other students, and participating with new ideas. Or you could be in the committee and become one of the people behind the scenes organising such events and activities. Committees are voted in every year of course, and everyone gets a chance at it! So without further ado, here are some of the societies that you can engage in if you’re a Media & Communication student like me.
The Stag Magazine
Not a lot of people know this, but there’s a student magazine on campus! It’s not a Students’ Union publication, instead it’s completely student-led and is treated like a society. Participating in this magazine is really laid back as you could hand in a one-time submission or be a consistent writer for the magazine. You could also be part of the committee; be a signatory like the president, the vice president, or the treasurer, or you could be a section editor for the various sections and topics they have on their website. The Stag Magazine also typically brings out one print issue per semester, and the rest of the articles are rolled out online all year long. So you could get involved whenever you feel like it, and as much or as little as you want! It’ll give you experience in liaising with different people within the team as well as give you the chance to build a portfolio and be a published writer and/or an official editor!
StagTV
StagTV is all things video and film production. There are productions constantly being made throughout the year as members of StagTV come up with creative projects. This society also gets involved in Univision each year, which is a nationwide event in the UK centred around university student talents. They are also present at campus events that require filming and reporting. Overall this society is really good for students who are interested in filmmaking, videography, and writing. Honestly, it’s also super cool to be part of it and watch your ideas come to life! You can also check out their YouTube channel for an idea on the productions they deliver.
Stag Radio
Are you noticing a ‘stag’ trend? That’s because these are the most media-centric societies at Surrey, and the stag is the university’s mascot! Although these societies are separate, they often collaborate and share an office. Stag Radio produces a range of podcasts and radio shows as well as run workshops to help you learn more about them. They also often run collaborations projects around music among other things. You can also be involved in the interviews Stag Radio conducts with people and organisations in Guildford. They have also recently conducted a station tour of BBC Surrey’s office on campus, so you’ll get to see and be part of a lot of exciting stuff! Like any other society on campus of course, there are regular social events and meetings, and everyone’s contribution with ideas and technical knowledge is always welcome.
Stage Crew
Just as the name suggests, this society handles stage operations at a variety of events on campus. Stage Crew is behind a lot of campus events that involve setting stages, lights, and sound production. They help bring to life events at Rubix, performances by the Musical Theatre society, and many annual events and live streams that happen on campus. You can check out their website for more on their work, but overall, if stagecraft is your thing, definitely give Stage Crew a go!
Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre Society, otherwise known as MTSoc, is full of vibrant souls who come together twice a week to talk all things musical theatre. If you are passionate about performing, singing, and dancing, this one’s for you! They typically have two or three performances each year where the performers are picked through auditions. Their most recent one is going to be ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ which will be showing at the University Hall in March! So the social events, auditions, practice and performances of this society all take place within the University of Surrey campus. It’s definitely a great space for rising stars and if musical theatre is your thing, this will certainly be a great addition to your university life.
These are the main media-related societies at the University of Surrey. Of course, there are others you can join as well, like Book Club, DisneySoc, Anime & Manga Society, and many more. Whatever you’re interested in, there’s probably a society for it on campus, and if not, you can start your own! I hope this blog helped give you a brief idea of the few societies that centre around media and communication on campus. Remember, as useful as these societies are for elevating your social life and giving you a head start in your career, they are also meant to be laid back and fun! After all, that balance is what university is all about.
