Below, third year UoP history student Reiss Sims encourages new students to join our student history society.
The beginning of a new academic year brings multiple opportunities: the chance to start new modules, to meet like-minded people, to take up a new sport or skill, or perhaps to join a society. Last year, during the height of the pandemic, a few second and third year students decided to take up the task of reviving the university’s History Society. The aim was to simply provide a space which offered students the opportunity to meet an array of people and to discuss the ups, downs, and curiosities of university life. More importantly, as it turned out, the society attempted to tackle the feeling of isolation and loneliness that the COVID-19 pandemic brought upon many of us – if there is anything that we have learnt from lockdown over the last eighteen months, it is that everyone needs someone, or somewhere, to talk things through with and have a laugh.
Over the course of the year, we started as a small group of second and third year students, but quickly grew into a lively group of seventeen spanning three year group sand multiple different subjects. Whilst we had to contain our events to Zoom, we still managed to host weekly catch-ups, history themed games, movie nights, and the “occasional” coffee or beer.
With university life returning to normality, the academic year of 2021-2022 brings immense opportunity for both University of Portsmouth students and the societies that are available. The aim for the coming year is to continue the weekly meet-ups, themed nights (namely Halloween…), quizzes, but to look at the possibility of group visits to historical sites and museums. Additionally, developing a strong bond with the university’s history department is crucial to maintaining a healthy work/life relationship – who knows, maybe some of the lecturers might join us for a drink, coffee, or a quiz night?..
UoP History Society meetings are not quite like this.
Whether you’re studying history or not, there is something for everyone at the University of Portsmouth’s History Society. We pride ourselves on our informal and relaxed environment, and would love to see a load of new faces. There are no joining fees, no formalities, and no commitments … but plenty of bad jokes and dodgy coffee.
Feel free to get in contact with me directly (email address is below), or send us a message via our Facebook page, and we’ll get you added to the WhatsApp group ASAP. We really hope to see you soon!
Reiss Sims: up940784@myport.ac.uk
@UoPHistorySociety: https://www.facebook.com/UoPHistorySociety/
See Reiss’s post about his experiences in his first year studying history at the University of Portsmouth here.
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