The craic with Catherine: Clubs abound abroad
January 29, 2016
You know you’re in Archery Club when you get bruises in strange places on one arm.
Every day is a new learning experience and I keep discovering the smallest differences between the National University of Ireland (NUIG) and WSU. This includes but is certainly not limited to the clubs offered at the school.
First off, most “clubs” at the school actually refer to sports-related groups. American clubs, like Chemistry Club or Nuthouse, would be referred to as “Societies” or “Socs” for short. The information booth for the societies is known as the “Socs Box.”
There are currently 116 societies active at NUIG this year. These include ones you might see at any college, like Dramsoc (theatre), International Students Society and other societies related to specific majors.
Then there are the more unique ones (at least they seem unique to me). There’s a Potter Soc, Bike Gang Soc and Airsoft (as in the toy gun) Soc. Like any student, especially being one abroad, I wanted to join every single one. Then I decided I didn’t want to run myself ragged.
The clubs also offer a nice range in interests. Students can find sports like soccer, rugby and lacrosse. There are also clubs like sailing (we are next to a bay, after all), hiking and archery. A lot of the clubs hold practices in the campus recreation center.
There is no Humans vs. Zombies, but you can expect a variety of events put on by the societies. There are several events throughout the semester, as each society does its own thing, from conferences and conventions to balls and dancing.
Just last weekend, there was Akumakon, a Japanese anime and manga convention that reportedly had about 1000 attendees. Every year, there’s a Potter Fest that attracts a lot of cosplayers.
Other annual events include the Musical Society’s shows, this year performing “The Addams Family,” and a Battle of the Bands that often features specific genres throughout the semester.
My advice for students studying abroad is to look at a variety of clubs and societies. Go to the fairs and talk to members about what they do in their club or society and go to a few meetings before deciding if it’s worth your time.
According to a program booklet for the NUIG societies, 4133 events were organized by the college’s societies last year. There may not be Nerf wars between students and the “undead,” but I think it’s suffice to say I won’t be bored in my copious amounts of down time between classes.