Yesterday I attended the inaugural meeting of a new club at my university, LingSoc. Up until now there hasn't been a specific club for Linguistics students, just the generic ArtsSoc, so a few of the students got together and decided to rectify that.
I've never joined any clubs as a mature student - I suppose because my perception was that they were full of 18 year olds and all about the parties. So I don't know what inspired me to go along to the meeting (probably just because I've been feeling starved of good linguistic discussion recently and missing studying). But I'm so glad I did.
It turned out my preconceived idea of what student clubs are like was all wrong. This club at least attracted a wide range of types and ages of students, from first years to postgrads, and I don't think I was even the oldest in the room. I spotted a few former classmates, so it was easy for even shy me to find someone to talk to. And the organisers' plans for the club sound great - as well as social events, they want to arrange academic talks, and sessions for prospective postgrads. But mostly the aim is just to provide a place where we can get together with other students who share our love of linguistics, and talk about the kind of stuff that makes our friends roll their eyes in boredom.
It's all too easy as a mature student to hold yourself separate from the younger students, to think you've got nothing in common. But you've got a huge something in common with them that you're unlikely have with friends of your own age - a shared interest in the subject you're studying.
So if you haven't joined any student clubs, go along and try one out. They might have more to offer you than you think.
I've never joined any clubs as a mature student - I suppose because my perception was that they were full of 18 year olds and all about the parties. So I don't know what inspired me to go along to the meeting (probably just because I've been feeling starved of good linguistic discussion recently and missing studying). But I'm so glad I did.
It turned out my preconceived idea of what student clubs are like was all wrong. This club at least attracted a wide range of types and ages of students, from first years to postgrads, and I don't think I was even the oldest in the room. I spotted a few former classmates, so it was easy for even shy me to find someone to talk to. And the organisers' plans for the club sound great - as well as social events, they want to arrange academic talks, and sessions for prospective postgrads. But mostly the aim is just to provide a place where we can get together with other students who share our love of linguistics, and talk about the kind of stuff that makes our friends roll their eyes in boredom.
It's all too easy as a mature student to hold yourself separate from the younger students, to think you've got nothing in common. But you've got a huge something in common with them that you're unlikely have with friends of your own age - a shared interest in the subject you're studying.
So if you haven't joined any student clubs, go along and try one out. They might have more to offer you than you think.
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