Joining a society at Leeds Beckett

When I first arrived at Leeds Beckett, I had been subscribed to the LBSU newsfeed. I remember there was a message talking about societies within the university that intrigued me. This was the first time that I'd seen how many interesting and different societies the uni had. The one that caught most of my attention was the Gaming Society. I mean, who doesn’t love games? So I started to read more about it and looked into how I could join. 

What is the Gaming Society?

When I first looked into the society, I saw that the whole thing runs through Discord, which makes everything easier and more organised. Discord is a free voice, video, and text chat application that allows individuals to be grouped according to their desired server.

As the Society’s name describes it, it focuses on all types of games (e.g. video games in computers, consoles, or board games). It is formed of channels that fosters an organised structure and guides members to follow their favourite activities. Some examples of the channels are in-real life events, music-sharing, introduce yourself, looking to play, specific games channels (e.g., Valorant, League of Legends, Call of Duty, CS:GO, etc), and even pet pictures.

Welcoming and meeting new people

When you first join the society, there’s an automated welcome message encouraging you to introduce yourself and to read the rules of the server. That way, as people join, you get to know other members and head straight into business: “what games can we play together?”.

>Being part of the Gaming Society has allowed me to meet other students, from different year groups, countries, and courses. Being able to share with others and try exciting new games has been a great experience for me. Outside the gaming context, you get to know other people’s cultures and traditions, go out to new restaurants, pubs, and explore other venues that Leeds has to offer together. The “General” or “Off-topic” channels might also be a good source of information on discounts or offers in games, events, music shows, or any other type of activity.

In person socials

The Gaming Society is one of the largest and most active societies in LBU (it was recently awarded in the 2022 LBSU Awards). You might be wondering what is a typical day like a member of this society? There is such a range of options and activities for members to participate in. From game nights (either online or face-to-face), holidays celebrations (e.g., Halloween, Christmas, Easter), going out on socials to a pub or club, or just grabbing a meal after class. You could take the lead into organising something or follow the committee’s planned activities in the “Announcements” channel. Socials are usually held in Pixel Bar (gaming pub at city centre), which became our go to for get-togethers, or the Leeds Arcade down in Kirkstall. Gatherings are sometimes themed too. This could be due to a special festivity or just for the sake of cosplaying and showing off your cool costume. It’s an inclusive and friendly environment that creates a perfect setting for anyone interested in adding value to their student life at LBU.

Interested?

So if you’re interested in gaming, eSports, meeting people, and/or joining socials, the Gaming Society might be the place for you! However, if your hobbies lead you somewhere else, I encourage you to check the other societies and see what other options fit your interests. If you feel that the existing societies are not the perfect match for you, by all means, you can go ahead and create a new society with the hopes of attracting more students. Stay active and let’s all make the most out of our experience in LBU!