Visiting the Supreme Court, networking with barristers and becoming commercially aware. These are just some of the endless opportunities which the Law Society provides to its members. As a first-year law student, I’ve taken the initiative to make the most of the opportunity and joined the Mooting competition. Mooting is a form of legal debate in which participants discuss fictitious legal issues while citing real case law and statute as if in a courtroom. That’s really just a fancy way of saying a mock trial! The first round of the competition took place in November, after which I managed to proceed to the second round, which took place in February. It was during this round that it was announced that the final round will be held at the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court, a privilege not many law schools can offer! The Law Society has also helped students to connect with practicing lawyers, be it solicitors or barristers. Lastly, the British & Irish University Commercial Awareness Competition is a great way for students to become more commercially aware of trends in the legal industry, a key skill for interviews and practice in general. Once again, the law society encourages all students to partake and provides assistance throughout the competition.
The recently established East and Southern African Society (ESA) started the second semester with a bang! In collaboration with the Salsa Society and the West Indian Society, they hosted a Valentine’s Day event by the name of ‘ Chasing Cupid’ , which saw a panel of students looking to find their match! The crowd was very entertained, and a few lucky students managed to find their match. It was a very impressive event considering that the East and Southern African Society was only recently founded and is still building a name for itself on campus. Speaking to committee members, I learned that ESA was founded with the idea of uniting students from this sub-region of Africa. As someone from this part of the world, I have found great similarities between the cultures, languages and traditions of the various clans and ethnic groups. ESA is definitely a great example of how Surrey creates an inclusive environment for all students to form and be part of clubs and societies. After speaking to fellow members of the society, I sensed a great sense of belonging and enthusiasm for future ESA events.
A few days after attending ‘ Chasing Cupid, I went to what some might consider the African Carribean Society’s ( ACS) biggest event. ‘ Take me out’ is not exclusive to Surrey, but Surrey’s ACS certainly knows how to put on a show! This year’s edition featured internet sensations ‘Papz’ and ‘Yoms’ as the hosts. The duo put on a great show, and the event was definitely one for the books. ‘ Take me Out’ is a Valentine’s Day event where students are on a mission to find their lover! Following the event, ACS hosted an after-party at Y Bar in Guildford. The party was headlined by Yung Bane, one of the UK’s well-established Afroswing artists. ACS is a great place for African students to meet like-minded individuals and find a sense of community. In particular, meeting people from other African countries and learning about their cultures has been a highlight for me.
Attending three different events in a week was a great experience and gave me a good sense of how active Surrey’s student body is. It also reminded me that there’s great value in finding a balance between being studious and having a social life. Whether you’re looking to enhance your professional skills or have a great time, there’s a society for everyone at Surrey!
