Societies @ Trinity

UU · 08-08-2006 5:57pm #1

Hey there!

I've just finished my Leaving Cert and I'm waiting for my results. I hope to get into Trinity to study French and Spanish under Arts so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Anyway, I hope to join some societies if I get accepted into TCD - LGBT and Drama for now.

So I set up this thread so that people can talk about the different societies that they may be a part of or would like to join. I'd like some information about them.

So thanks.

Agent Smith · 08-08-2006 6:04pm

all the socs you can wave a stick at

Thirdfox · 08-08-2006 6:41pm

I've joined the Hist, Lawn tennis (yes there's a difference!), Law society and... that's about it.

Hist: good for people who like to watch debates (and also take part) - they seem to feature some "fun" ones alongside more intellectual ones too. "Celebrities" such as Minister McDowell and co may make appearances, giving you an opportunity to ask them questions.

Lawn tennis: if you like tennis this is for you obviously. I'm just a beginner so I don't take part in the competitions they have running. However they do have coaching every week (allows me to escape the mindnumbing humdrum of the library).

Law society: not just for those who study law - they are similar to the Hist, having lots of debating and "wine receptions". The topics are more related to legal issues sometimes though.

Fresher's week: bring a full wallet and an open mind, maybe try something new... friends of mine have spent around €50 joining the different socs (I somehow managed just to join three that I go to regularly).

Hope you get the results you want!

shay_562 · 08-08-2006 10:06pm

The LGBT are good (though I'm required to say that). Small enough society, but relatively active - weekly events and a room on-campus where you'll get as much free tea/coffee as you can drink from Tuesday-Thursday. Can't help with Drama though - don't know of anyone on boards who's a part of that, though I could have missed someone.

As for the rest, the Hist/Phil are relatively similar, and the ones everyone joins. The Hist will tell you that the Phil are a bunch of self-serving half-witted layabouts, the Phil will tell you that the Hist are their soberer, poorer, slower, Mexican non-union equivalents. Both are worth joining for the free alcohol in Freshers' Week and for at the very least a few good debates/interviews during the year. Plus, they have the biggest parties in freshers' week (Histeria and Philthy) which I've heard are decent (I had better things to do both nights last year).

Personally, I'd recommend Ultimate Frisbee (ridiculous 'sport', but oddly enjoyable - there'll probably be a demonstration game during the week, so give it a try) and Paintball (the closest you'll get to actual violence with minimal effort), but that's probably my personal biases showing through.

To be honest, everyone's going to promote their own societies - not necessarily 'cause they're dishonest, but simply because if they've joined it, they've found something they like there, even if you mightn't. Thirdfox is right - join as many as you can if they look even halfway interesting, and then see which ones stick. One poster here (Awayindahils) joined 22 last year, so see if you can top that.

UU · 08-08-2006 10:09pm

Thanks guys! Oh my god! The amount of different societies TCD has! From looking at the list, it's truly amazing. Cool "Modern Languages" society! So many choices - my gosh! I think I know what I want to join......

Awayindahils · 08-08-2006 11:13pm

I joined Modern Languages for a lollipop I think. When they asked me what new language I wanted to learn I told them that my extra German course would be challenging enough thanks all the same. Took me ages to figure out why they were looking at me so strangely.

Crash · 08-08-2006 11:43pm

modern languages are worth joining actually. they put on language classes for a small fee during the year, which supposedly get better teachers than the college ones.

****ed me over last year over german though - not enough interest.

UU · 09-08-2006 3:01pm

Yes. I think they teach Arabic and Japanese which would be interesting enough.

thegloriousend · 09-08-2006 4:13pm

Join the snowsports soc if your vaguely interested in snowsports - they are a good bunch. Jazz soc is also very active and great if your into ur jazz. Food and drink has great stuff for the first month, but then they fizzle away, same with dubes. Hist is so big you kinda have to join it. Although I never joined boxing, they also looked real good. Don't join the clown soc.

Awayindahils · 09-08-2006 4:57pm

Actually that's no longer true about juggling soc. Thye were anti-social when I first started going but then are now a group fo first years, well second years who are the new committee/first proper committee and it's becoming more sociable. Juggling soc also get a relatively larger grant than other societies due to the fact that they don't advertise with alcohol. Given the new involvement in the society it'll be interesting to see how the society grows next year.

Nietzschean · 09-08-2006 5:36pm

expressing your opinion on clubs/societies is fine, calling the members(who may be on here) wasters , isn't.

thegloriousend · 10-08-2006 8:50am

expressing your opinion on clubs/societies is fine, calling the members(who may be on here) wasters , isn't.

sorry Nietzschean

Actually that's no longer true about juggling soc. Thye were anti-social when I first started going but then are now a group fo first years, well second years who are the new committee/first proper committee and it's becoming more sociable. Juggling soc also get a relatively larger grant than other societies due to the fact that they don't advertise with alcohol. Given the new involvement in the society it'll be interesting to see how the society grows next year.

Well I don't see how it's not true because I've just finished 1st yr. I found that they had the skills but kept their secrets to themselves and basically left everyone else with balls in their hands. They appear to be malnourished and alot of them have beards.

Awayindahils · 10-08-2006 12:51pm

Ok, the people with the beards as a rule arn't Trinity students. They're people who are there to use GSH just to practice. They tend to be street preformers and the like. If yo're a first year then you know Donal et al. I knew him form the hist before I got to know him from juggling soc he has a load of plans for the juggling soc next year, and then while thye may be quiet over all there are a group of about 6 to 8 first years from last year who go to juggling regularily. And thats something good to at least have a more active stand during freshers week this year.

PHB · 10-08-2006 6:00pm

Never ever tempt faith man, good luck on the 14th

thegloriousend · 10-08-2006 9:02pm

Ok, the people with the beards as a rule arn't Trinity students. They're people who are there to use GSH just to practice. They tend to be street preformers and the like. If yo're a first year then you know Donal et al. I knew him form the hist before I got to know him from juggling soc he has a load of plans for the juggling soc next year, and then while thye may be quiet over all there are a group of about 6 to 8 first years from last year who go to juggling regularily. And thats something good to at least have a more active stand during freshers week this year.

fair enough, hopefully they will change for the better

Sir Ophiuchus · 10-08-2006 9:31pm

[shameless plug]

Gamers is a great society if you're into role-playing games, computer games, card games or even board games. I joined it last September as a fresher and made the committee for this year, so they really are open to new people. We're making a big push for new members this year, so look out for us in Fresher's Week.

[/shameless plug]

Apart from Gamers, Hist/Phil can be good, and I've heard good things about Netsoc if you're into computers.

cianclarke · 10-08-2006 9:39pm

I'm just finished the Leaving too. If I get in (fingers crossed) Il'l join the photographic society (do they do much?), modern languages (german), and maybe something Irishy.
What does the internet society get up to?

Frankiestylee · 13-08-2006 1:55pm

Awayindahils wrote:

Juggling soc also get a relatively larger grant than other societies due to the fact that they don't advertise with alcohol. Given the new involvement in the society it'll be interesting to see how the society grows next year.

No society is allowed advertise with alcohol

Thirdfox · 13-08-2006 3:23pm

I believe they're called "wine receptions"...

Tricity Bendix · 14-08-2006 12:08am

shay_562 wrote:

One poster here (Awayindahils) joined 22 last year, so see if you can top that.

at 2 squids a pop that must have been one expensive week. And she didnt even join the PDs! Im sure we were 23rd on your list, Hils.

Crash · 14-08-2006 1:33am

freshers week in college is the cheapest week ever if you schedule your time correctly. you will not have to pay for any drinks if you do it right

Awayindahils · 14-08-2006 10:54am

Well I only joined 21 in freshers week but after loitering in the LGBT room for a couple of weeks they made me join.

And i choose to have no political affliations within college and as such joined no youth political parties/Trinity college branches.

Bartron Prime · 14-08-2006 12:00pm

&#231 wrote: »

freshers week in college is the cheapest week ever if you schedule your time correctly. you will not have to pay for any drinks if you do it right

Oh yes. Because nothing says good times like practically poisoning yourself with some highly dodgy, possibly contaminated cheap beer. "Pissbrau you say? Don't mind if I do..." :rolleyes:

Ah student political parties. I deeply admire those who do get involved (the Labour Youth branch in TCD seem to have a lot of very smart ideas) but I must admit, I'm a little cynical. They have no influence over the policies of the parliamentary party. I would feel a little disheartened being used as a glorified canvasser. That said, that's just me being cynical. Fair play to those who get involved. Just not my cup of tea. I'll start The Revolution from a different part of the system....

Nietzschean · 14-08-2006 12:03pm

Bartron Prime wrote:

Oh yes. Because nothing says good times like practically poisoning yourself with some highly dodgy, possibly contaminated cheap beer. "Pissbrau you say? Don't mind if I do..." :rolleyes:

Don't knock it if you haven't done it. Freshers week random stupid pissups are great.Surfers had spirits at their free drink thing in doyles last year...

Bartron Prime · 14-08-2006 12:21pm

Oh I have done it. Again, and again and again and again. And I'll do it this year too. Free spirits you say? Very intriguing. Yeah, random Freshers' Week drinks are great. It is a time honoured tradition so it is. And who am I to fly in the face of tradition...

Dave Larkin · 14-08-2006 12:51pm

I'm waiting for my Leaving Cert results, too, and I was wondering if TCD has any societies involving football (soccer).

I'd appreciate it if any of you could help me out.

Stargal · 14-08-2006 2:05pm

Yep, they've a v active soccer club http://www.tcd.ie/Clubs/Soccer/. Tryouts are held in early October I think.

On an aside, I've always thought it odd that the rugby club is called the DU Football Club and the soccer club has to be the Association Football Club.

Kwekubo · 14-08-2006 3:08pm

stargal wrote:

Yep, they've a v active soccer club http://www.tcd.ie/Clubs/Soccer/. Tryouts are held in early October I think.

On an aside, I've always thought it odd that the rugby club is called the DU Football Club and the soccer club has to be the Association Football Club.

The Football Club was founded before the Association Football Club AFAIK (is it possibly the oldest football club in the world? checks Wikipedia...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_football_club OK, so it's arguably the oldest in the world depending on what you mean.)

Societies @ Trinity

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