I was introduced to the History Society at a Humanities open day I’d been to before uni started, in which the student ambassadors told us about some trips the society had organised and what else the society gets up to (such as pub quizzes and the history ball). It sounded like exactly what I needed, so I was hooked from then on and intrigued to find out what else I could get involved in through the society.

Many people told me before leaving for uni, “joining societies is so important for you to be able to meet people with similar interests” and “societies are a great opportunity to make new friends!” So, as I wanted to make new friends in this new city, I joined the History Society at the Freshers’ Fair earlier this semester, not knowing too much about what I was signing up for other than what I’d heard at the open day.

Joining the History Society is one of the best decisions I’ve made at uni!

After going to a couple of History Society meetings, I became a general committee member, and now I go to meetings every week, playing a part in decision making surrounding various events organised by the society. Societies are such a fun and easy way to get involved at uni as well as providing opportunities for interesting additions to your CV. Moreover, being part of an academic society means you’ll always have people to talk to about your course, whether they’re in your year or older (they have experience and the best advice!), which is always useful to fall back on if uni work is taking over your life. But, most importantly for me, the History Society introduced me to so many people and organised plenty of events to go to together to get to know everyone better! Almost all of my friends at uni were introduced to me through the History Society, and I can confidently say I wouldn’t be having such a good time at uni if it wasn’t for them!

Last weekend the History Society organised a trip to Edinburgh, including free entry to Edinburgh Castle. It was loads of fun! We spent a few hours nerding out at the castle together, then explored the city a bit, before going to a pub for lunch and to watch the rugby. These sort of events are a fun and cheap way to be a tourist and find out more about the surrounding areas, as well as a good platform to socialise with those in different year groups, possibly studying different subjects and even members of staff! All the more reason to join the History Society.

Here’s everything you need if you want to contact or get involved with the History Society:
History Society Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historysociety.dundeeuniversity/
History Society Twitter: @UoDHisSociety