A bol of truth: An interview with BolSoc

‘Our main aim of BolSoc (Bolognese Society) is to show that we all have something in common as silly as it may be’


A new Lancs society, known as BolSoc, has been grabbing the attention of many due to how they’ve decided to connect students across the university. Whilst, for many, conventional societies like Craft Soc or Netball might be more your thing, there is a place for everyone at BolSoc. With their upcoming competition, known as the “BolCup”, we couldn’t let the opportunity to interview them get pasta-s (haha get it?).

‘We wanted to make a place where all are welcome and people can make new friends easily’

When asked the reason ] for starting the society, Matt, BolSoc’s president, responded: “We realised we could create a society where people who may not have a lot of interests in common could meet fellow lovers of bol”. This proves that you don’t always have to make friends with people with all the same interests as you. Sometimes it can just take one simple thing, like bolognese, to unite us all.

Both Matt and the society’s secretary, Charlie, emulated the focus of the society in creating “a space that [is] fun, inclusive, and open to all”, showing us that even if you find it tough to make friends, BolSoc will be there for you.

‘Bolognese is the great equaliser among university students’

Although a seemingly random choice, it’s understandable why they chose bolognese as their uniting dish: it’s easy to make, it’s comforting, and pretty cheap, which is something we all need in this economic climate.

When asked about the chosen dish for the society, Matt showed us how obvious a choice it was, as “everyone can make a bol”. You can guarantee that everyone has their own spin on it, and it’s a staple in pretty much every student’s diet. Next time you’re stuck for conversation topics, why not ask someone for their bolognese-based opinions? As BolSoc are proving, it will definitely make you some friends.

‘It’s genius engineering’

This was Matt’s response when asked about his favourite type of pasta (which is fusilli). To get to know BolSoc’s exec, we thought there would be no better way to find out their favourite pasta shapes, as it’s often a pretty good insight into somebody’s personality. No two members of the exec had the same favourite pasta shape, with Charlie’s favourite being penne, but Anastasia (BolSoc’s treasurer) loving “normal spag”.

They all had interesting reasons for their choice in pasta shape, with Sophie (socials) choosing conchiglie because “it’s like a little boat for your pasta”, although this contrasted Macsen (the designer behind BolSoc’s beautiful graphics) choosing farfalle because it’s “the most aesthetically pleasing”. Last but not least, Nick’s (safety) favourite is fettuccine, mostly for the convenience of cooking it in a nest. Honestly, relatable.

This again proves how bolognese can be a uniting dish for a multitude of people with different tastes, as even the exec doesn’t have an overall favourite pasta shape.

‘The BolCup is BolSoc’s version of the World Cup’

BolSoc’s most recent announcement is their bolognese tournament, through which they’re aiming to find Lancaster Uni’s best Bolognese. 32 bologneses will be entered into the competition and from there they will be pitted against each other in individual matches to find the best bol, which will be voted for by us, their “bollowers”.

The winner of the BolCup will receive exclusive BolSoc merch, along with the satisfaction of knowing they cook the best bolognese at the university, so it’s definitely worth entering it.

All you need to do to enter is DM @lubolsoc on Instagram with a photo of your bolognese before 12pm on the 1st November. It’s that simple.

‘Bol should be bold’

We asked for BolSoc’s if they had advice to give any potential bolognese connoisseurs hoping to win the BolCup. Matt simply said they’re looking for “something that stands out but looks delicious”, so make sure you use your best presentation skills if you’re entering the BolCup. Or, as Matt also advised, make use of those all-important camera angles.

‘We once tried Ribena in a bol’

In an attempt to not take life too seriously, we asked what the exec’s favourite unconventional bolognese ingredients were.

Sophie likes to “add a chopped up Peperami” into hers, which feels like a touch of a carbonara into the traditional bolognese. Next up is Anastasia, who eats bolognese with “lots of squished lemon” in it. Apparently, it’s pretty decent.

Both Nick and Macsen chose hot chocolate powder as their unconventional ingredient. Macsen described it as “pure boltastic bliss”, so perhaps this is a sign to add that to your bol for the BolCup?

Finally Matt used Ribena. He described it as “young wine”, but that’s still not an excuse for how cursed this feels. We can practically hear Gino d’Campo saying “if my grandmother had wheels, she would’ve been a bike”.

BolSoc has proven to us that in these testing past few years, bolognese will always remain a constant in our lives. With the BolCup, socials, and fundraisers on the horizon, BolSoc seems like the perfect place to find new friends and share our love of that classic Italian dish.

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Featured image before edits via @lubolsoc