Cardiff University offers a very wide range of societies for people of all years and courses to join, and the JOMEC Netball Society is one of them! After interviewing Social Secretary Camille Valere, there are so many reasons why joining a society can help you feel at home whilst at University, creating friendships that go well beyond your degree.
Camille has been part of the JOMEC Netball Society since her first year at Cardiff, sharing with us that she had a bit of a difficult time as a fresher, but joining this society allowed her to fall back in love with netball and build friendship groups from both the sports and social side of the society.
Camille told us that after getting to know people from different years and courses that are all on a similar path to one another, it helped to go to each other for advice, whether it’s something as simple as ‘where do you go for your weekly food shop?’.
It is important to feel like you have people to go to at university, While being away from home comes with freedom and excitement, it can also come with a sense of loneliness in trying to navigate university life. So, joining a society, like it did for Camille, can bring a sense of comfort whilst adjusting to your new life in Cardiff.
However, you absolutely do not have to be a member of JOMEC, or a netball enthusiast, inorder to join this society, anyone and everyone is welcome, and you can join at any point at your time at Cardiff, with all netball teams being mixed abilities!
You absolutely do not have to be a member of JOMEC or a netball enthusast in order to join
Biomedical Sciences student Hannah Penk has been in the society since her second year of university, and she told us that her favourite part of it all is that she and her friends get to dress up in accordance with the theme every Wednesday for the social! But fear not, Wednesday socials do not mean you have to be a big drinker!
Hearing from the Social Sec herself, Camille assured us that the JOMEC Netball Society, as well as many others have a range of events and socials that they hold, from welcome drinks to sober socials, in order to distinguish between the culture surrounding drinking at university versus simply enjoying each other’s company! Camille explained to us that striking this balance between socials that involve alcohol versus those that don’t remind members of the society that this foundation was first built upon through a love of sport, prioritising kindness and caring for others who are on a similar path to you.