As a student, you want to make the most of your time at uni, so why not Give It A Go? Three students share their experiences on branching out and trying something different with LSi.
SocieTEA
Six cafes, 40 patrons, one mission: to drink tea. This is no ordinary Otley run, this is the LUU SocieTEA “Tealey Run”. Starting at Little Tokyo and Mrs Atha’s in the City Centre, then up to the top for Oranaise and LS6 before finishing things off in the quaint cake-filled arms of Love Rouge and Costello’s Bakery, Headingley. Or the more traditional way around if you were on the other team, so popular was the event that we would not enforce the full force of such thirsty an army on any little unsuspecting tea room. Personally, I went along because I love tea, of course. As I have been told, I guess I’m just that English. Strikingly though, very many of the people on the run were international students – several from Europe but many from as far as China, Japan and New Zealand. What better way to get to know British culture? Starting off with a proper Northern brew, Yorkshire tea, naturally.
So, for me, how does it compare with the notorious Otley Run from which it has sprung? Cheaper, healthier and you get to eat sweet delicious treats en route. Sure it has the same amount of toilet breaks, but you know you won’t spend half of the next day in bed, unless you want to.
I am curious to see how SocieTea events can progress from this – aside from a planned Christmas Tealey Run, it would be nice to see some trips or workshops to do with tea as well as the standard meeting up to drink it. Not that anyone’s complaining. The first thing I did on returning was put the kettle on for a sneaky cuppa, what else?
SocieTEA have a Tea Swap Shop every Friday in the Union, 12:30-1:30pm
LGBT
I decided to go along to the LGBT Scene Tour after being invited along by friends who were running the event. I was initially very apprehensive as I hadn’t participated in many of the LGBT events prior to the tour, however the committee and current members couldn’t have been more welcoming.
The crowd split into three tour groups and drinks began in the Terrace before heading off to other popular LGBT venues, including the Leeds Met SU, The New Penny, Fibre and Mook. Along the way there were many of the society’s new members, current members and will-be-after-the-tour members who were more than willing to engage in conversation regarding just about anything; I wasn’t the only one who was a bit of a newbie!
Following drinks and what felt like three laps of Leeds, all of the separated groups rendezvoused in Queen’s Court where the committee members let their hair down and joined in the festivities.
With the night still young and the society’s members now free to do as they please, there was only one option – on to Mission for the finale of the night where many new found friendships were affirmed by drink and dance.
The night is still discussed amongst the friends I had and the friends I made from the experience; it was definitely more than worth the seemingly risky decision to join in the fun and an overall experience I’d happily recommend to anyone of any background.
LGBT have Coffee Hour every weekday in the Union, 12-2pm
Archery
In the first two weeks of term the Archery Society gave students a great opportunity to learn more about archery and to give a taste of what it is like to shoot. At the Freshers’ Fair alongside other interested students I signed up for archery taster sessions. We could sign up for different slots on Monday or Wednesday.
I thought it was great that the sessions were 90 minutes long because it gave me enough time to see whether I would like archery or not. At the sessions several experienced archers were present which was also great to get to know members of the archery society. Besides the president of the society and a few experienced members there were also two adult archery coaches. During the evening they showed us how to hold the bow and how to shoot. Some newbies were even able to hit the bullseye (the area on the target that gets you the most points) after some time.
About halfway through there was a little break in which the coaches and two of the members of the society demonstrated the use of two other bows which apparently were used some time ago. This was quite interesting since the different kinds of bows each require a specific skills set and it is great for new people to see that archery is not just about shooting arrows at a target 15 metres away but that it also has a technical side to it.
Archery Society have a GIAG October 23