Think you’re special and unique? These societies were made for people just like you

Embrace conformity and become a student stereotype


Dear Freshers,

Why study for your degree when you can take advantage of the 40% pass rate and join one of the 240 societies Edinburgh has to offer.

Edinburgh University Trading and Investment club – EUTIC

Did you discover yourself on a Thai beach during your Gap Yahh and decide to follow in Daddy’s footsteps to make big bucks in the city?

EUTIC, the largest non-sporting society with over 500 members is the perfect stepladder to a career in financial ser-vah-ces.

Highlights of the year include the Christmas banquet and Charity Gala, and spending other people’s money. A £50,000 equity portfolio to be precise.

There are 7 different sectors, with the opportunity to liaise with industry experts and regular speakers over a glass of pinot noir.

How very civilised..

Footlights and Bedlam

Your life is one big drama, you have Glee on series link and you can’t get to a lecture without breaking into song.

1. Stay out of the library.

2. Join up to Bedlam or Footlights, the University’s theatre groups.

Bedlam puts on weekly shows throughout the term in a neo-gothic church renovated into a 90-seat theatre.

Even if the spotlight isn’t your thing, and stage lighting does nothing for your complexion, you can still get involved behind the scenes, directing, designing and producing.

Footlights are the musical theatre group that presents the largest theatrical production in the university’s calendar.

Jazz hands all round

Come Dine With Me Society

What better way to spend the evening than with overly competitive, overly familiar strangers, who slate your ability to boil a pot noodle with giant scorecards? Voice over not included.

If your carbonara has fellow students weak at the knees, you dream of a spot on the 200th series of Masterchef and you can actually work the oven, this is the society for you.

Ingredients: £10

Candles: £5

Flat decorations: £7

Napkins: £3

The correct pronunciation of quinoa: priceless.

Only impatient people need apply

City of Edinburgh Officer Training Corps – CEUOTC

You spent your childhood dressed in combat gear, shooting strangers in the knee with your plastic gun amidst the cheese section of Waitrose, much to your mother’s horror.

Get paid to train as a soldier with the army reserves, combining military and adventure training with sports and socials. Learn to fire a rifle, ski in the Alps and sail in the Solent.

And its not all intensive assault courses: the cadets are renowned for their work hard play hard attitude, with weekends often finishing in the private bar, aptly named the ‘officers mess’.

Rumour has it one year the Christmas social was so wild they were banned from the venue for life. You have been warned.

Requirements: looking good in khaki

Out in the field

Cocktail society

For those who prefer their drinks more civilised than a frosty jacks bottle, the cocktail society offers the perfect evening of socialising where drinking is educational. (Just not enough to count towards your degree.)

Single handedly bringing back the Cosmo from the 1990s, weekly master classes are held at the trendiest bars in and around Edinburgh, with discounts on food at Bar Kohl for the flimsy lightweights.

Appletinis for the fresher’s who can’t cope with the taste of alcohol, a mojito to smell like Listerine, and frozen margaritas if you spend your spring break partaying in Cabo.

Trespassers will be offered a shot

Indie Soc

You live life through a Polaroid, sepia coloured fish eye lens, you’re so attached to your vintage denim jacket that your shoulders haven’t been seen in 56 days and you actually think that jelly shoes will make a comeback.

Join the cult, where the only label they believe in is ‘massive trendo’ and unwarranted self-importance comes naturally.

Do you walk into Starbucks and people just don’t get your vibe? Not to worry, meetings are held somewhere far less mainstream where you can get your green tea soya chai latte and discuss saving the planet with other ‘trendsetters’.

“This queue is so mainstream.”

Edinburgh Global Partnerships

EGP

You can see past your chronic hangover, maxed out overdraft and missed deadlines to selflessly help others in need.

A society and charity, they assist community-led sustainable development projects overseas, with the opportunity to live in host countries and experience local culture.

The academic year is spent fundraising to cover project costs, (the perfect chance to finally run a marathon dressed as giant banana), before jetting off in the summer.

Join if you’re rucksack is recycled from bamboo, and you think library bake-sales are a genuinely good way to raise money.

Benefits include: escaping the Scottish weather

Medieval Re-Enactment Society

Whip out some old rags your Dad kept from his hippie days, find yourself a saucepan for a helmet and prepare for battle. Take revenge on that guy stealing your library spot during exam time by ‘accidentally’ stabbing them with the wooden sword you’ve kept since your were 12 just for this occasion.

In the Central Meadows. In full public view. Much to peoples amusement, sorry, amazement.

Also known as the Real of Perfidious Albion, Medieval re-enactment society haven’t quite secured enough funding for a live jousting contest. So until then, there’s little excitement and lots of making an idiot of yourself.

Ancient knighting ceremony

Harry Potter Society

You’ve read the books, got the tapes and follow Snape on twitter – complete your obsession by joining The Harry Potter Soc.

Evenings include wasting 20 hours of your life watching every movie documenting Daniel Radcliffe’s puberty transformation, whilst wearing hideous Christmas jumpers knitted by ‘Mrs Weasley’, before a competitive tournament of wizard charades. You had better know your Wingardiem Leviosa from your Alohomora.

Please note: bringing an owl to meetings is not encouraged

Christmas with the Weasleys