If I thought that the  Athletic Union had a huge number of clubs (37), I was blown away by the variety of non-sporting clubs and societies of offer at the Freshers’ Fair

I could have signed up to learn any number of musical instruments, or, were I competent in any, sign up for the jazz band , the concert band, the brass band, the Symphonia orchestra, or the Philharmonic orchestra. If singing had been my thing there was the Acapella society, the Show choir or the Revelation Rock choir. I ended up joining the Keele Rock Appreciation Posse. You can work out the acronym for yourself!

In the Dance and Performance section i could join not just the Dance society, but also Bhangra, Bollywood dance, Zumba, Danceport and Salsa and something called RuPaul’s Drag Race (don’t ask!). But my favourites have to be Burlesque (‘designed as an alternative society for confidence building and fitness’) and the Pole and Aerial Arts society (a.k.a. Pole Dancing). Both societies welcome men, as this picture proves

Under Religion, Belief and Culture there are no fewer than 30 clubs and societies, ranging from the traditional (Christian Union, Islamic, Jewish) through the geographic (Vietnamese, Somali, Japanese, even Welsh(!)) to the ‘exotic’ (Falun Gong, Pagan and Occult and, wait for it…the Freemason Club)

Keele has developed a thriving medical school since my time there, so there are a raft of medic societies including Midwifery, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the vaguely sinister sounding Surgical society. Not to be outdone the lawyers have the Law society (natch!) and the Barrister society (but, strangely, no Solicitor society!) while fledgling businesspersons ca join the Accounting society, the Business and Enterprise society and even the Human Resource Management society

Games and Activities enthusiasts are well catered for with Bake Off, Crafts, eSports, Gamebase, Roleplay and, of course, Quidditch. Neil Baldwin FC is now and official SU club (!!!) and so is the Keele Make Up Lovers society

The Conservative Future society and the Labour students were physically separated only by the Feminist society, while in a reflection of the wider world, I couldn’t find Liberal Youth! I joined the Mature Students society and the Cider and Ale Supporters of Keele (CASK)

I also joined the Film Society (they still show films every Tuesday night, but now in the Union not the Chancellors Building!), the Creative Writing society (of course!) and the Literature society. I resisted the temptation to join Harry Potter, Wholock (fans of teh Doctor and Sherlock in a somewhat unholy alliance) and Westerosian (if you don’t know what that’s about, good for you!)

Not sure when I’m going to have any time for work!