We sat down with Lauren Hunter, the Social Media Executive for the English Society to talk about being a new society, upcoming events, and the English Ball! 

What is the English Society?

At the English Society we exist to support English and Creative Writing students primarily, but we’re also really keen to nurture people’s investment and enjoyment of the arts in general, so we’re open to any student who has an interest in creativity across any form. The society was only founded this year (so we’re still really new!) but came together as a group of third year English students who wanted to make up for the opportunities lost to Covid - so our main aim is to get students to connect with each other, which we’ve been doing through lots of fun socials and events!

What do students need to get involved with the English Society?

All you need to do is come along to an event and/or follow our socials (@strathenglish on Instagram; Strathclyde English Society on Facebook)! We’re a really open and friendly group so anyone is more than welcome! We also have Society memberships available on the Union website; it’s only £5 for a year and that means you can be signed up as a full member to join in with all we have to offer!

Why should students get involved with your Society?

You’ll meet loads of lovely people from the English course and from all around the uni. Although we have people studying different subjects, it’s great as everyone has a shared interest in the arts and bonds over it really well. We know university probably looks and feels a lot different post-Covid so people may not have had the chance to socialise as much, but coming and joining us is amazing for that reason because you get to meet and make friends with so many like-minded people you might not have met otherwise.

Plus, we have so much fun! We ran lots of different events last semester including a quiz, baking and book swap afternoon, open mic night and much more, so there’s something for everyone. It’s also worth saying that we’re really relaxed, so although some of our events take place in pubs, there’s never any pressure for anyone to drink or do anything they’re uncomfortable with. Similarly, we have some amazing events planned over the next few months, so everyone should come and join in!

What have been the most rewarding moments of being involved in the English Society?

There’s never been an English Society at Strath before, so it’s really exciting and rewarding to put all the events and plans together for students to enjoy now and in the future. The committee are all good friends now, but it’s also lovely to meet people from other years who we might never have interacted with if it weren’t for the society, even though a lot of us are on the same course! It’s also great to see our events come to fruition and go really well; we had such an amazing response to our open mic night in November that we’re running another one on 3rd March, and it’s things like that that make you proud because you know you’re making memories and experiences for people that they enjoy and will remember even after uni!

What plans can we look forward to from the English Society?

As mentioned, we’re hosting a second open mic night on 3rd March at Soulsa Bar on Glassford Street! Tickets are £5 and available if you go to our Instagram. It’s a fantastic night where anyone can get up and show off their creative talents, whether it be musically, through poetry, comedy, or anything else, in a really chilled and supportive environment.

ALSO… we’re having a ball!! It’s going to be on 5th April at St Luke’s on Bain Street - tickets are £45 and selling fast! English students have never had a ball, so it’s a great excuse to get dressed up and celebrate the end of the year in an absolutely gorgeous venue!

We’re currently recruiting committee members for next year - so if you’re an existing member of the society, please apply for one of the roles! The committee is a really fun and fulfilling experience, and after having such a successful first year, we’d love to see that grow!

If you want to get involved with the English Society then head along to one of their events or give them a follow on Instagram!