Why joining a sport at Manchester will be the best decision of your life

University sports are almost always depicted in a negative light. To me, it is clear that the people that do this have no idea what playing a sport at uni is actually like. It is likely that they have written these scathing tweets about ‘rugby lads’ whilst alone in their bedrooms on a Wednesday night when everyone else is out having a good time at AU.

Therefore, as someone who plays Lacrosse at UoM (big up) I’ve decided to prove that they are all wrong. Playing a sport was the best decision that I could have made in first year and this is why:

1) Social Life

The best thing about sport at uni for me has been my friends. Seriously, not in a cliche way. I actually met all of my best friends at uni thanks to lacrosse, including my second and third year houses. It isn’t the norm to naturally be best mates with the people you end up with in halls or that do your course. Doing a sport that you’re interested in, even if it’s just a relaxed social one, means that you meet more and more people and they are more likely to have similar interests to you.

2) Health

There’s the obvious answer that exercise is good for your physical health, and generally sport at uni will be cheaper than a gym membership. On top of this, exercise is proven to be beneficial for your mental health largely due to the release of endorphins that it triggers which bring about feelings of euphoria and general well-being. So if you want to look fit and be happy, maybe you should try out for a team?

3) The Nights Out (obviously)

Featured here is one of my favourite themes from this year; Playboy bunnies for the team and carrots for the beginners (shoutout to my housemate Will who wasn’t dressed for a women’s lacrosse social but was dragged into this photo).

(Men’s lacrosse were Hugh Hefner’s that night which is where the hat came from.)

Sports nights out are undeniably some of the best nights out at uni. The themes are always a laugh and a good talking point and the atmosphere after a match is always great. They are also a great excuse to break from your normal uni routine and housemates and see some different people and play some wild games.

Aside from normal nights out most sports also do different events like pub golf, cocktails nights and dinners together around Christmas and the end of the year. So, there are different social events to suit everyone.

4) Fame

You truly never know when The One Show might want to feature a random uni sport, like they did for us. And so if you want to be famous, it is worth considering sport.

In essence, playing a sport has completely shaped uni for me and its impact on me has been wholly positive. It was the best decision that I made in first year. Literally everyone that I am friends with today are in some way connected to me doing a sport. On top of this, sometimes, being obliged to turn up to training is the only reason that I leave the house on a Monday which is definitely a good thing!

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• How to fit into every boy’s uni sports team, in starter pack form

• Women’s sport is surging in popularity on campus

• You can now anonymously report sports initiations straight to BUCS