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elise-gallagher
22nd September 2015

Societies to look out for during Welcome Week

It’s every fresher’s necessity to join university societies during Welcome Week! Here’s a guide to what you can look out for in your first week
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TLDR

One thing that everyone will ask you during Welcome Week is whether or not you will be joining a society. As well as the infamous socials and, for some societies, a trip out. Societies are a fantastic way to meet new people, find new hobbies, and try something new. Look out for these at our Freshers’ Fair.

The Burlesque Society
The Burlesque society is a community that aims to teach members everything they need to know about the art of burlesque. The society attends shows, holds classes and workshops and are also hoping to hold open lectures in order to hold discussions on topics within the burlesque community.
Whether you’re a complete newbie or a burlesque expert – everyone is welcome.

The Drama Society
The University of Manchester’s drama society is one of the university’s most popular societies, with their Facebook page racking up over 1000 members. A very active society, they kick off with their Autumn showcase, which involves three plays that are staged and selected by the society. First semester also involves the Freshers’ Play, which purely consists of first years while the second semester features an in-house fringe festival and MIFTAS, where seven plays will be staged and judged by a handpicked panel.

The Comedy Society
Whether you’re a fan, a writer, or a performer of comedy, this society is for you. The Manchester Comedy Society rotates around three aspects: they make you laugh, they teach you how to make others laugh and they may end up laughing at you. Perks of the society include discounts on comedy events in the city and much more.

The Panto Society
If you’re looking for something a little light-hearted, the Panto Society are known for being mad, hysterical and just a tad inappropriate. 2015’s Christmas panto is already in the works, with the production to be announced soon. With the performance billed for Christmas Week, your first semester is spent jam-packed with rehearsals and socials to get you into the Christmas spirit. The Christmas pantomime is open to students and public alike with all proceeds made going to RAG.

Musical Theatre Society

Now going into their fifth year as a society, the Musical Theatre Society has an even bigger schedule than last year’s, meaning there’s no excuse to not get involved. There are at least three shows in which members can participate, as well as a place in the Inter-University Musical Theatre Showcase, hosted by Warwick University. The society’s showcase is open to anyone who wants to be involved in- or off-stage, and with the shows ranging from classic musical theatre to contemporary cutting edge the society is offering the perfect platform for members to get invaluable experience.

If none of the above appeal to you, and you prefer to express yourself in more of a physical manner, as opposed to a verbal one, there are a variety of dance societies that might be perfect for you. Whether it’s Ballroom and Latin or Indian dance the societies have tried to get everything covered.

If there isn’t anything that takes your eye, there is always the option to create a society of your own. For further details look to the Students’ Union website.


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