Seven events to look forward to this semester at King’s College London

January is awful. By now, you’ve wrenched yourself away from the comfort of a home where your parents pay the bills, only to endure a brutal exam season that beats you down and burns you out before lectures are even back in session. To top it all off, we’ve reached the part of winter that makes it difficult to romanticise London student life; the Christmas lights have all been taken down, there’s an unfortunate lack of settling snow and there’s no twinkly Instagram story opportunities left to remind everyone that follows you that you go to university in London.

Luckily, for those searching for a little bit of light in the darkness, there are plenty of KCL events to get excited about this semester; with a definitive list of seven of the best below, it’s easier than ever to beat the winter blues and sail effortlessly on to sunnier months.

Just Dance It! (20th January)

Kicking off KCLSU’s ‘One World: Arts and Cultural Festival’ is ‘Just Dance It!’, an exciting dance competition welcoming teams from universities all across England to compete.

The festival itself will run for two weeks (20th January – 2nd February), hosting a range of events that celebrate culture and diversity at King’s. There truly is something for everyone, and what better way to start than heading to Greenwood Theatre for a striking display of dance that spans many genres, and even includes a freestyle dance battle. If you want to live out your ‘Step Up’ fantasies, grab your tickets here – unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that Channing Tatum will be in attendance.

Femmestival x Strand Magazine Showcase (25th January)

‘Femmestival x Strand Magazine Showcase’ is another exciting contribution to the list from ‘One World’ festival. The event, to celebrate the release of the STRAND’s latest print edition, is sure to be a joyous celebration of rising female musical talent, with a jam-packed lineup that you do not want to miss.

As well as soaking up the evening’s talent, you can, of course, grab yourself a copy of the STRAND’s January issue, which includes interviews with all performers from the event. With free entry, there really is no excuse not to go – register for your ticket on Instagram through the link in their bio (@strand_magazine), or through KCLSU here.

GKT Take Me Out! (26th January)

It’s back! The ever-popular ‘GKT Take Me Out!’ makes its grand return, promising an evening full of love, laughter, and cringe on Guy’s Campus. For just £6, you would be mad to miss an evening of potentially familiar faces falling in love, or (much more likely) just making a fool of themselves.

Run by the Medical Students’ Association, this is an event sure to sell out, so get your tickets now to avoid disappointment.

‘What’s On Wednesday’ x LGBTQ+ History Month Book Swap (28th February)

Certain to be popular with all our KCL book lovers, this event is part of the wider ‘What’s On Wednesday’ initiative, run every week by KCLSU, giving students a chance to try new wellbeing activities, and access in-person support.

The book swap is part of the LGBTQ+ history month celebrations, and gives students the chance to bring a book along and swap with someone, or simply grab one of the available books and read, taking it away or finding a comfortable place at the event to do so. For those looking to find a new book, interact with fellow book-nerds, or just take a quiet moment to read in a safe space, head to The Studio in Bush House from 1-3pm.

Follow @KCLSUWellbeing on Instagram for further updates and events.

Student Fight Night London (10th March)

Though not hosted by the university itself, Fight Night is a KCL student fan favourite, and is back this march for Round 4 at the Clapham Grand. Raising money for the OddBalls Foundation, a charity dedicated to raising awareness of testicular cancer, this event offers seven weeks of professional boxing training to a selection of students from across London, getting them ring-ready for one fateful night in the ring that could see them crowned ‘Student London Fight Night Champion 2024’.

Fight Night never fails to cultivate an electric atmosphere, and with a black tie dress code, it’s the perfect excuse to get dressed up and have fun, all while supporting a great cause. Keep an eye on @fightnightldn on Instagram to make sure you don’t miss tickets going on sale.

London Varsity Series 2024 (starting 11th March)

The countdown is officially underway to the London Varsity Series 2024. The planning started in October at an initial briefing at UCL, and it seems that Varsity is going to have its record year in 2024, with thirty-seven sports clubs set to compete.

After the disappointment of KCL’s overall loss last year, make sure to show up and support as many King’s teams as possible, showing UCL, once and for all, that London is red. With cheap tickets, incredible atmospheres at every match, and a chance to discover a passion for new sports, what’s not to love?

Tickets will be available on the KCLSU website closer to the time.

‘Legally Blonde’ – King’s Musical Theatre Society Spring Musical (24th-26th April)

After the success of their Winter mainstage musical ‘Footloose’, the King’s Musical Theatre Society returns to the stage with ‘Legally Blonde’, the hit musical based on the 2001 feel-good film. Excitement is beginning to build now that auditions are underway for what is sure to be yet more performance showcasing some of the best musical and theatrical talent that King’s has to offer.

Keep an eye on their Instagram (@kmtsoc) for more details as the production develops!

Ultimately, there is plenty to get your teeth into this semester at King’s. And of course, if all else fails, Guy’s Bar is the perfect back-up, more than ready to welcome you home every Wednesday for a cheap drink, a boogie, and a hangover the morning after that won’t mix well with your 9am.

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