HUU Experience Survey Report
Contents Introduction
2
Executive summary
3
Methodology
4
Results
5
Discussion
17
Conclusion
22
Appendix
23
References
76
1
Introduction The purpose of this document is to outline the findings of the “HUU Experience Survey” and to apply these findings to the greater context of the students of the University of Hull and the impact that involvement in student activities has had on their student experience. The intention of this research was to prove a correlation between student satisfaction, employability, retention and involvement in student activities. The data evaluated has shown that Over 99% of participants agreed “involvement in sports/ societies/ activities has positively affected [their] experience at the University of Hull”, 54% of students agreed “involvement in sports/ societies/ activities impacted on [their] decision to remain a student at Hull” and 85% of participants agreed that "being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made [them] more employable". These results show that of the students surveyed, a positive correlation can be drawn between involvement in student activities and student satisfaction, retention and employability. For the context of this research, "Student activities" refers to student’s participation in the following: Societies, Sports teams, Hullfire student media, International Students association (ISA), Raising and Giving (RAG) and Hull University Social Services Organisation (HUSSO).
2
Executive Summary Retention
‘Over 54% of students identified participation in student activities as a reason for their decision to continue their studies at the university of Hull, it can therefore be said that participation in activities directly affects retention at the University of Hull, if this data is extrapolated to the population of students involved in activities at the University of Hull, this suggests that 2188 would have otherwise left education, resulting in potential losses of over £78,768,000 to the institution.’ “During my first year I was having thoughts about dropping out. Football gave me a new network of friends and something to look forward to. I truly believe that if it wasn't for the football club I would have left university in my first year. Now in my third and final year I look to graduate with a 1st class degree.” “HUU Pokémon Society is partly responsible for my choosing to remain in Hull after my MSc to do my PhD”
“I don't think I would have continued university due to feeling lonely. In second year I lived in halls away from my course friends and so felt lonely as would only see them during lectures and that was it. So I joined a society and made friends who I now live with.” Experience
‘99% of respondents agreed that involvement in activities has had a positive impact on their experience as a student at the University of Hull, of the reasons for this 47% of respondents stated is was due to the friends they had made during their involvement. The “Rate your Union Survey” held by Hull University Union identified that their highest area of concern was integration with the student population, this ranked higher than academic or institutional concerns.’
‘As a foreign student, it gives me a clear location from which I can interact with local students outside of cirruculum time. It has allowed me to form bonds that would otherwise be difficult had i ben left to my own devices.’ ‘Expanded social circles, helped integration within the University- sense of belonging’ ‘I moved to hull not knowing anyone or the area. Sport gave me a way to meet people that stopped me from being isolated, … has been a positive outlet for my stress and has also allowed me to remain healthy……. It is one of the most important and meaningful parts of my university experience.’
Employability ‘A survey conducted by CBI and the National union of Students found that 79% of student attend university in order to better their Job prospects’ ‘However, a degree alone will not guarantee employability. Several employers also desire “employability skills”, these include: team working, leadership, customer service skills, organisation and time management. 100% of respondents identified at least one of these key skills for employability (gained through activities). It can therefore be suggested that involvement in activities directly impacts on student employability.’
3
‘I have developed transferable skills which will benefit me throughout the remainder of my degree and increase my chance of gaining employment upon graduation. These skills include: interpersonal, teamwork, problem solving and leadership.’ ‘It has enhanced my cv’
‘Being part of my sports team has made me more active, confident and introduced me to a huge number of people across the Athletic Union. I've made so many good friends and doing sport alongside my team has helped me to destress and aim to be the best I can be.’
Methodology The sample of students taken for this research was 416, 10.26% of the students registered as involved in activities in HUU (4055 at the time of writing). All responses were anonymised, unless the respondent identified themselves in the free text comments. These students were asked to complete a survey formed of multiple choice, binary and free text questions (appendix 1). The survey was incentivised with prizes of tea, coffee, tickets to awards ceremonies, HUU Vouchers and a "student study essentials pack". The data has been analysed to obtain an overall percentage of agreement with the statements, and agreement relating to specific activity groups. This data has been presented to show the response for each question, both overall and for each activity grouping. Free text comments have been separated into 'Key themes' and the percentage predominance of these themes in the responses.
4
Results Initially, participants identified the particular activities that respondents had participated in (if any). Which of these have you been involved in during your time at the University of Hull so far? ActivitiesActivitiesActivitiesSport Society Media RAG ISA Activities (unique) 332 251 27 32 22 64
Of the 461 participants, many had engaged in multiple activities: Number of activities
250
Tally
%
1
211
50.72
2
169
40.63
150
3
30
7.21
100
4
5
1.20
5
1
0.24
Total
416
100
211 200
169
50
30 5
1
4
5
0 1
2
3
The majority of participants that had engaged in activities, had participated in one or two, with a steep decline in those that had participated in more. These then allowed the data to be grouped specifically to each activity for the following questions. Question One: The initial question asked “Overall would you say your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at the University of Hull?” The results indicated that across all activities 99% of respondents agreed that involvement in activities had positively impacted on their experience, with a slight decrease to 97% for those that had participated in “Other Activities” (RAG, ISA, and Media).
Overall would you say your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at the University of Hull? Tally % Yes
413
99.28
No
3
0.72
416
100
Total
Overall would you say your involvement in sport/ societies/ activities has positively affected your No experience at they University of Hull?
1%
Yes 99%
5
This data was then broken down into specific areas: sports, societies and activities. Sport Overall would you say your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at the University of Hull? Tally % Yes
331
99.70
No
1
0.30
332
100
Total
No 0%
Overall would you say your involvement in sport/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at they University of Hull?
Yes 100%
Societies Overall would you say your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at the University of Hull? Tally
%
Yes
250
99.60
No
1
0.40
251
100
Total
Overall would you say your involvement in sport/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at they University of Hull?
No 0%
Yes 100%
Activity Overall would you say your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at the University of Hull?
Yes No Total
Tally 62
% 96.88
2 64
3.13 100
Overall would you say your involvement in sport/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at they University of Hull? No 3%
Yes 97%
6
Question Two: Students were asked “Has your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities impacted on your decision to remain a student at Hull?� Overall the responses were extremely positive, with over 54% of respondents stating that their involvement in activities has impacted on their decision to remain a student at the University of Hull. All
Has your involvement in sports/societies/ activities impacted on you decision to remain a student at Hull?
Has your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities impacted on your decision to remain a student at Hull? Tally
%
Yes
223
54.13
No
189
45.87
Total
412
100
No 46% Yes 54%
This data was then broken down into specific areas: sports, societies and activities. Sport
Has your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities impacted on your decision to remain a student at Hull? Tally
%
Yes
189
57.27
No
141
42.73
Total
330
100
Has your involvement in sports/societies/ activities impacted on you decision to remain a student at Hull?
No 43% Yes 57%
7
Societies Has your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities impacted on your decision to remain a student at Hull? Tally % Yes
127
51.42
No
120
48.58
Total
247
100
Has your involvement in sports/societies/ activities impacted on you decision to remain a student at Hull?
No 49% Yes 51%
Activities Has your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities impacted on your decision to remain a student at Hull? Tally % Yes
45
70.31
No
19
29.69
Total
64
100
Has your involvement in sports/societies/ activities impacted on you decision to remain a student at Hull?
No 30%
Yes 70%
These results are a clear indication that involvement in activities has a significant impact upon student retention. The reasons cited for this were due to support provided from their teams, the friendship and a sense of belonging. Some respondents stated that the activity had caused them to apply for postgraduate studies in Hull. “During my first year I was having thoughts about dropping out. Football gave me a new network of friends and something to look forward to. I truly believe that if it wasn't for the football club I would have left university in my first year. Now in my third and final year I look to graduate with a 1st class degree.” “HUU Pokémon Society is partly responsible for my choosing to remain in Hull after my MSc to do my PhD” “I don't think I would have continued university due to feeling lonely. In second year I lived in halls away from my course friends and so felt lonely as would only see them during lectures and that was it. So I joined a society and made friends who I now live with.” 8
Question Three: Respondents were asked “Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable?� The overall response to this was incredibly positive, with over 85% of respondents stating that they agree with this statement. All
Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable? Tally % Yes
349
85.33
No
60
14.67
Total
409
100
Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable?
No 15%
Yes 85%
This data was then broken down into specific areas: sports, societies and activities. Sport
Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable? Tally
%
Yes
282
85.71
No
47
14.29
Total
329
100
Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable?
No 14%
Yes 86%
9
Societies
Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable? Tally
%
Yes
207
84.14634
No
39
15.85366
Total
246
100
Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable?
No 16%
Yes 84%
Activities
Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable? Tally
%
Yes
59
92.19
No
5
7.81
Total
64
100
Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable? No 8%
Yes 92%
10
Respondents were also asked to define the skills they believe they have obtained by participating in activities All
Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? Tally % % of pop Team work 368 16.69 84.40 Communication 307 13.92 70.41 Time management 292 13.24 66.97 Leadership 286 12.97 65.60 Organisational 278 12.61 63.76 Public speaking 216 9.80 49.54 Negotiation 134 6.08 30.73 Financial 115 5.22 26.38 Marketing 83 3.76 19.04 Relevant work experience 60 2.72 13.76 Customer service 49 2.22 11.24 Other 17 0.77 3.90 Total 2205 100
Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0
368 307
292
286
278 216 134
115
83
60
49
17
11
These again were split by the three activity groups Sport Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? Tally
%
% of sample
Team work
303 17.30
91.27
Communication
246 14.05
74.10
Time management
241 13.76
72.59
Leadership
233 13.31
70.18
Organisational
224 12.79
67.47
Public speaking
160
9.14
48.19
Negotiation
102
5.83
30.72
Financial
94
5.37
28.31
Marketing
62
3.54
18.67
Relevant work experience
39
2.23
11.75
Customer service
35
2.00
10.54
Other
12
0.69
3.61
1751
100
Total
Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0
303 246
241
233
224 160 102
94
62
39
35
12
12
Societies Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? Tally
%
% of Sample
Team work
218 16.40
86.85
Communication
176 13.24
70.12
Time management
173 13.02
68.92
Leadership
170 12.79
67.73
Organisational
162 12.19
64.54
Public speaking
138 10.38
54.98
Negotiation
88
6.62
35.06
Financial
66
4.97
26.29
Marketing
54
4.06
21.51
Relevant work experience
45
3.39
17.93
Customer service
29
2.18
11.55
Other
10
0.75
3.98
1329
100
Total
Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? 250 200 150 100 50
218 176
173
170
162
138 88
66
54
45
29
10
0
13
Activities Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? Tally
%
% of Sample
Team work
59
13.41
92.19
Communication
56
12.73
87.50
Leadership
54
12.27
84.38
Organisational
50
11.36
78.13
Time management
49
11.14
76.56
Public speaking
44
10.00
68.75
Negotiation
35
7.95
54.69
Marketing
27
6.14
42.19
Relevant work experience
22
5.00
34.38
Financial
22
5.00
34.38
Customer service
19
4.32
29.69
Other
3
0.68
4.69
Total
440
100
Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
59
56
54
50
49
44 35
27
22
22
19 3
14
At this point, it is worth reflecting that 100% of respondents to the survey identified at least one skill they believe they had obtained through participation in activities, while only 84% believe that they are now more employable. This highlights a development need for both HUU and the University of Hull, in enabling students to identify employable skills. As the sample is self-defining, the data obtained is not wholly reliable. Demographics Of the data obtained, demographics were established for the participants to identify whether these participants were reflective of the student population at the University of Hull, and of the population of students engaged with Hull University Union. These analyse, the Age, Gender, Year of study, Faculty and Level of Study for all participants. The demographic breakdown is essential to establish whether these results are reflective of the total population of students involved in activities and can therefore be applied to the student body. All Respondents
All-Demographics- Age 140 121 120 102 100
90
80 54
60 41 40
28
20 0 18
19
20
21
22
23+
All-Demographics- Gender
Male 47%
Female Female 53%
Male
15
All-Demographics- Faculty 250 212 200 150 150 100 40
50
14
13
5
2
Faculty of Education
Hull York Medical School
Faculty of Health and Social Care
Other
0 Faculty of Faculty of Science and Arts and Engineering Social Sciences
Business School
All-Demographics- Year of Study 160
145
145
140 120 120 100 80 60 40
26
20 0 1
2
3
4+
All-Demographics- Mode of Study Part-time 1%
Full-time
Part-time
Full-time 99%
16
All-Demographics- Level of Study PG 3%
UG PG
UG 97%
These results indicate a range of student participants, with a breakdown reflecting the profile of the students engaged in HUU. The gender split is equal across all areas, with the vast majority of students in full time, undergraduate studies in the Faculties of Science and of Arts and Social sciences. A complete breakdown of the demographics for each activity area can be found in the appendix. Participants were also asked if they had further comments to add, these were split into groups of recurring themes. The complete free text comments can be found in the appendix.
Discussion This discussion will approach the three areas the HUU Experience survey hoped to prove are directly affected by involvement in student activities. Student satisfaction 99% of respondents agreed that involvement in activities has had a positive impact on their experience as a student at the University of Hull, of the reasons for this 47% of respondents stated is was due to the friends they had made during their involvement. The “Rate your Union Survey� held by Hull University Union identified that their highest area of concern was integration with the student population, this ranked higher than academic or institutional concerns.
17
7. What were you most concerned about before coming to University? Tally %
Fitting in/ making
232 33.0 29.63 Comments are all about meeting people and making
Friends/ social aspects Academic/ institution
Money/ job
% of population
5
friends
171 24.3 21.84 Comments include: classes, enjoying the course,
65
6
getting good grades
9.26 8.30
Comments are about fees, finance, and finding a job both whilst at university and after
Living away from home/
65
9.26 8.30
in Hull/ adjusting Other
Comments include: adapting to uni life, Being away from home, Cooking my own food
42
5.98 5.36
Comments include: everything , Lack of facilities , Prejudice
Accommodation/ housemates
28
3.99 3.58
Comments include: Living with new people, housemates, where I would live- I came through clearing
18
Union
26
3.70 3.32
Comments include: a well rated SU, sports, How activate would the union be.
Experience
23
3.28 2.94
Comments include: Enjoying my time, Getting bored, the night life
Support/ getting help
17
2.42 2.17
Comments include: Lack of support, That the university supports their student, support for my disabilities
Being a mature student
13
1.85 1.66
These comments are all about support for mature students/ mature students fitting in
Drinking/ culture/
11
1.57 1.40
environment Getting lost
Comments include: the drinking culture, The wild-party environment, Being able to cope in the new environment
9
1.28 1.15
Comments include: finding my way around university, how to find my way around, Getting lost!
Total
702 100
40% of students identified “making friends� as a concern, whereas only 15% were concerned about their academic experience and institution. This data highlights the importance of friendships to both current and prospective students and the effectiveness of student activities in addressing that concern. It can therefore be inferred that involvement in student activities impacts on student satisfaction. However, negative responses to this question primarily focus on funding and facilities, and suggest that while involvement in activities has positively impacted on their experience, more could be done to support these activities and to improve the resources available to these groups. Retention The causes of student attrition is a thoroughly researched area, throughout the available literature several key themes are emergent, in particular the area of integration. Historically, particular profiles of students have struggled with integration into the university community both academically and as a result, can be considered more likely to leave higher education before completing their studies.1 Research conducted by the University of Sunderland, Newcastle University and the University of Hull thoroughly researched the issue of student integration and highlighted that both academic and social integration are essential to students remaining at their institution, and the 19
best practise of introduction students to prospective social networks at their time of induction at their respective institutions.2 The participants in this survey also cited “friends and team members” in addition to the support provided by the sport, society or activity, as the key reason for choosing to remain at the University of Hull. This supports the theories established in the literature.3, 4,5,6,7, Furthermore, research conducted by HEFCE and HEPI also identified that students of the following groups have higher attrition rates: students aged 21-24, aged 25+ and those in part time studies. As stated in the demographics, these students are also the least likely to engage in activities during their time at university. This correlation between groups could suggest that the lack of participation in activities could be an attributing factor to the student attrition, as the students may not be fully integrated into the student community.8, 9 This shows an area for improvement for both the University of Hull and the Hull University Union, an active effort should be made to include these students into the student community, in particular during the induction phase. Another reason cited as a factor for students remaining in studies is sense of responsibility to their respective activity. Several studies identified a need for a sense of ‘belonging’ in their social and academic environments, again a parallel can be drawn between these reasons.10, 11 Over 54% of students identified participation in student activities as a reason for their decision to continue their studies at the university of Hull, it can therefore be said that participation in activities directly affects retention at the university of Hull, if this data is extrapolated to the population of students involved in activities at the University of Hull, this suggests that 2188 would have otherwise left education, resulting in potential losses of over £78,768,000 to the institution. At present a small percentage (approximately 28%) of the total population of students are involved in activities citing reasons such as costs and available time as reasons for their lack of engagement, with greater funding available to the activity groups a wider range of cheaper activities would be possible, and more students would be able to engage in these activities, ultimately increasing the number of students retained at the University of Hull.
Employability A survey conducted by CBI and the National union of Students found that 79% of student attend university in order to better their Job prospects.11
20
However, a degree alone will not guarantee employability. Several employers also desire “employability skills”, these include: team working, leadership, customer service skills, organisation and time management. 100% of respondents to the HUU Experience Survey identified at least one of these key skills for employability (gained through activities). It can therefore be suggested that involvement in activities directly impacts on student employability. However, these skills alone are not the only factor, involvement also suggests a more “rounded individual” as is a key factor expected of an Alumni of the University of Hull. Graduate employers often seek evidence of involvement of activities. “Nicole Tiller, graduate recruitment manager for John Lewis says: "Being involved in a student society may give a student the opportunity to take on a leadership role, set vision and direction for a team, motivate others, and utilise creativity in solving problems." “Abbie Baisden, content editor for graduate recruitment website Milkround, says: "When we employ our campus promotion managers, student clubs and societies are always impressive on a CV. They show commitment to something aside from your degree, and makes you what I refer to as a threedimensional candidate." 12 This further evidences that involvement on activities at university positively impacts on a graduates prospects, it can be concluded that involvement in activities significant enhances an individual’s employability. However, there is a need to improve the awareness of this to the student population, as this researched has evidenced a lack of awareness among participants of the skills they have gained through their involvement. 21
Conclusion The above evidence conclusively shows that student activities positively impacts on student satisfaction, increases student retention and boosts the employability of Hull graduates. This has been identified by the participants themselves in addition to literature in the relevant areas. Areas for improvement have also been identified, and future steps to be taken have been suggested.
22
Appendix 1. Questionnaire completed by all participants
Student Experience Survey Student Number (9 digits)………………….. Which of these have you been involved in during your time at the University of Hull so far? Please tick all that apply Sport Society Activities- Media
Activities- RAG Activities- ISA None of the above
If you have not been involved in any of the above, why not? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. If you have been involved in more than one sport/ society/ activity, please specify which you are talking about in the comments below. Overall would you say your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at the University of Hull? Please circle Yes
No
If yes, how has this positively affected your experience at the University of Hull? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. If no, why do you think this has not positively affected your experience at the University of Hull? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Has your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities impacted on your decision to remain a student at Hull? Please circle Yes
No
If yes, how has this impacted on your decision to remain a student at Hull? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 23
Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable? Please circle Yes
No
If yes, how do you think this has made you more employable? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? Please tick all that apply Leadership Team work Time management Financial Organisational Public speaking
Customer service Communication Marketing Negotiation Relevant work experience Other
If other, please specify ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Any other comments regarding your experience of being involved in a sport/ society/ activity ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
24
2. Complete Demographic Breakdown
Sport-Demographics- Age 140 120 96
100
83 80
68
60 40 20
31
35
22
22+
19
0 18
19
20
21
Sport- Demographics- Gender
Female
Male 45% Female 55%
Male
Sport- Demographics- Faculty 250 200
172
150 103 100 34
50
8
9
4
2
Faculty of Education
Hull York Medical School
Faculty of Health and Social Care
Other
0 Faculty of Faculty of Science and Arts and Engineering Social Sciences
Business School
25
Sport-Demographics- Year of Study 120 100
112
111
89
80 60 40 20 20 0 1
2
3
4+
Sport-Demographics- Mode of Study Part-time 1%
Full-time
Part-time
Full-time 99%
Sport-Demographics- Level of Study PG 3%
UG PG
UG 97%
26
Societies- Demographics- Age 140 120 100 75
80
56
52
60 40 20
16
24
28
22
22+
0 18
19
20
21
Societies- Demographics- Gender
Female
Male 45% Female 55%
Male
Societies-Demographics- Faculty 250 200 150 100
122 92
50
17
5
12
Faculty of Education
Hull York Medical School
2
1
Faculty of Health and Social Care
Other
0 Faculty of Faculty of Science and Arts and Engineering Social Sciences
Business School
27
Societies-Demographics- Year of Study 100 87
90
83
80 70
67
60 50 40 30 14
20 10 0 1
2
3
4+
Societies-Mode of Study Part-time 1%
Full-time
Part-time
Full-time 99%
Societies-Demographics- Level of Study PG 4%
UG PG
UG 96%
28
Activities- Demographics- Age 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 1
9
13
16
19
20
21
11
14
22
22+
0 18
Activities-Demographics- Gender
Female Male 48%
Female 52%
Male
Activities-Demographics- Faculty 250 200 150 100 50
24
29 5
1
3
1
1
Business School
Faculty of Education
Hull York Medical School
Faculty of Health and Social Care
Other
0 Faculty of Faculty of Science and Arts and Engineering Social Sciences
29
Activities-Demographics- Year of Study 30
27
25 21 20 15
12
10 4
5 0 1
2
3
4+
Activities-Demographics- Mode of Study Part-time 2%
Full-time
Part-time
Full-time 98%
Activities-Demographics- Level of Study PG 9%
UG PG
UG 91%
30
3. Free text responses to the question “Overall would you say your involvement in sports/ societies/ activities has positively affected your experience at the University of Hull?�
"If Yes, How has this positively affected your experience at the University of Hull" Responses by grouping 350
311
300 250 200 132
150
102
100
98
50
15
0 Friends/ family
Gain skills/ Health- mental & opportunities physical
Experience
Other
Grouping: Friends/ family Meeting unbelievable friends Bigger social group Allowed the opportunity to meet new people ALOT!!! meeting new people etc As a foreign student, it gives me a clear location from which I can interact with local students outside of cirruculum time. It has allowed me to form bonds that would otherwise be difficult had i ben left to my own devices. As an avenue to make friends, or at least to see friendly faces in an informal setting and an environment of shared interest, is extremely useful. As my society involvement is linked closely with my degree it allows me to meet my course friends and friends from different courses outside of lectures. Being part of a sports team (women's cricket) I feel that I have been way more involved with the uni than others who have not joined a team. I have made many friends through the AU and am still making more every semester. Overall it's enhanced my experience at the university of hull because of the community I'm in, I'm so much more happier and involved, therefore go out of my way to promote the uni to others. being part of a team, making friends Both HURC and Hull Horror Society - I have been able to meet new people and make new friends, which I was worried wouldn't be possible after first year. Socials are a really good opportunity to relax and forget about the stresses of uni work. Both psych soc & cheerleading have allowed me to meet new people & get involved in group activities & team skills Chance to make friends, Development of relationships Enjoy doing athletics and met more friends. Enlarged friendship group Good way to meet people 31
Expanded social circles, helped integration within the University- sense of belonging Gained more friends Get to annoy Brian, on a more serious note, it helped me to form social connections Getting involved with a great group of people, making new friends, Getting out, making friends! Given chance to make more friends and opportunities I wouldn't have otherwise Given me a better concept of friendships. allowed me to learn new things and meet new people Given me a great bunch of friends, allowed me to meet a lot more people Given me a source of friendship and support through uni Given me a wider social aspect, higher tendency to make friends. Given me an opportunity to develop other social skills and my sport in general Given me the chance to meet new people with similar interests Good friends, competition Got to know a great group of people Great chance to meet new like minded people outside of accommodation and studies. Had a good time Met new people Helped me make friends with the same hobby (swing dance), do fun exercise and go to weekly dance classes/socials to take a break from studying. Helped me to make friends and has enhanced my social life at university. Helped to make new friends, learned a new sport Helps meet new people and try new experiences Helps with meeting people from different years/ courses you wouldn't usually meet HUSAH has allowed me to gain better skills in communication, and gain more friends. HUSAH has allowed me to meet students from different courses and engage in conversations and events that I otherwise would never have had the opportunity to experience. I've made great friends and learnt a lot. I moved to hull not knowing anyone or the area. Sport gave me a way to meet people that stopped me from being isolated, especially in my first year when I didn't get on with my housemates. I also do a very stressful course that involves placements. Consequently, basketball has been a positive outlet for my stress and has also allowed me to remain healthy. I have also had issues with confidence throughout my previous education and this is something that is important in my chosen profession. Again, basketball has helped to address this personal issue and has brought me out of my comfort zone. I will never forget the extended family that basketball has provided me with. It is one of the most important and meaningful parts of my university experience. I was able to make friends with lots of people I would otherwise not have known and I will even be living with some of them next year Increased number of people met and friends made Increased social circle It allowed me to associate with people who aren't on my course It enables me to meet people, actually make friends for life. We are like a family and it makes the university experience more enjoyable It has allowed me o meet new people, and more importantly to help with my fitness. As a diabetic, exercise is vital to my prolonged health, and being a member of the team is a really fun way to achieve this. 32
It has allowed me to feel involved & feel a part os something that's outside my studies. I have built up many friendships & memories & skills It has helped me build friendships, learn and gain new skills that I may never had gained without the opportunity at university. It makes me look forward to training every week It has helped me make friends outside the course as a first year student and also get to know/learn how to play Basketball again as I hadn't played since high school started, this has increased my confidence and also kept me fit through my days at university where I was afraid of the freedom of eating what I want when I want would affect my fitness bit being around healthy active people has definitely helped me It has in a positive way as one gets the opportunity to meet new people It has introduced me to a new sport and has allowed me to make lots of new friends which was very important to me when coming to university It's given me the chance to meet other students, as a mature student this has been invaluable in making me feel like an accepted and valued member of the university. It's introduced me to loads of new friends It's made making friends easier, I've learnt a new sport I wouldn't of otherwise learnt and it's made me more confident as a person. I've been able to meet more people. I've found a lot of different people + I learn a new sport I've made a lot of friends and enoy sport a lot. I've made friends, found stress relief I've made many friends through it Having nights out on Wednesday allows a break from work I've had the opportunity to be on committee and take on ressponsibilities you wouldn't be able to have without sports clubs I've met all sorts of new people and the sports teams work hard to make Freshers feel at home I've met new people I've met new people, enhanced my social life and had some great experiences I wouldn't have otherwise had, such as tour, trophy pres, socials etc Joining men's lacrosse has allowed me to make friends with a great bunch of lads from the team, and improved my social calendar far beyond what it otherwise would have been. It is a new sport that I now thoroughly enjoy and enables me to have a far wider and more structured exercise plan than just being at the gym would have allowed, as well as giving my time at university more opportunity for competition. Keeps me busy, I've tried new things and I've met lots of people. Lacrosse has made me enjoy university a lot more than I think I would've without it. I've made a lot of friends through it, gotten in better shape and I'm learning a new sport. Lacrosse, board games, HWARPS- got to meet a huge variety of people Lots of new events and friends. plus lots of drinking activities Made lots of friends Made lots of new friends Made me get to know more people and have fun Made me interact and talk to and feel more comfortable approaching people and starting a relationship with more people I got to meet new friends Meet people Opportunity to make friends 33
Opportunity to meet new people and make friends when the housing in first year wasn't ideal Playing football helped me to find friends that were like minded and had common interests. Sport was particularly influential during my first year as I had little in common with the flatmates I was put, to the extent where I had thoughts about dropping out. Football has provided me with an opportunity to release stress, and maintain active which keeps me happy. Pole is a great community! Provided an environment for better social meetings and interactions Provides an easy way to meet people with similar interests/ hobbies Ran the archery club which gave me a good set of skills and a lot of good friends. Rowing, chemistry Met new people, good experiences Settled in, made friends Social Social and good for developing interests Social aspect Social aspect and volunteering is great Social interaction with new people from different courses, Socialising, social gathering/ experiences, new opportunities Socially got me more involved with different groups of people both sports & activities (NL) Socially Socially Socially Societies- become more outgoing & sociable Something to do, good way of making mates Sport- meet more people at uni Sport- more confident, made close friends Society- learned a new skill, increased confidence Met amazing people. Tennis was a great help by finding like minded people who ended up as best friends and a great support network The chance to meet new people and take part in different activities that can be useful in my future career The club that i am part of forms the majority of my social life while at university; from having people there to push me further in my training, to having great friends to socialise with, being a part of an AU club effectively IS my university experience. If would be pretty boring without it. The majority of the friends I've made have been through being a part of the lacrosse team and the geography society. It has been the best way of meeting people of all ages outside of my course The opportunity to get new friends outside of halls or lectures, that are also interested in like minded things. The people I know, I've made friends for life here The Riding Society has helped me make new friends that I would not have met as they are not on my course. These have made me have loads of fun, meet new people and learn a lot.
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They have Allowed me to make a wide variety of friends from different courses and years and meant I felt more apart of the university communitie and meant I new there were people to talk to about anything. University, just as any aspect of life is bound to induce stress at one point or another. The AU in particular promotes one of the best stress relievers - socialising. Moreover networking for our futures blossom and playing a sport itself makes university life all that more enjoyable. I myself do not tend to go out to tower although in my first three years it was very enjoyable to compete during the day and be part of a social in the evening. You don't need to go out on a Wednesday for the AU to be very beneficial. Socialising takes place before, during and after training. The AU is beneficial, considering both the short and long terms, for nearly every student. Womens basketball, HUMMA ISA I made more friends than I though possible Women's cricket and Tamil society have made my university experience more enjoyable as I've got to know a range of people who's enriched my university life Wonderful chance to meet new lovely people Yes, both film soc and hullfire have encouraged me to make friends from other course/ helped me with my degree Yes, I've met new people and feel that university has been more to me than just study. It's been a great social experience and allowed me to develop as a person. Your AU team is like your uni family when you're miles from home. Allowed me to make more friends Shown how important friendship and bonds are (Amnesty) I've made more friends And make really great friends and meet many from other clubs And going to socials with a team is nice as it’s good to have friends outside of the department It’s meant I've made so many new friends And meet people and meet new people Rowing and LINKS (St John Ambulance) Developed my personality, friendships and improved my experience whilst at university. Wider friendship circle Volleyball team are awesome!! I love playing and I've meet alot of great people. I have so much fun. Being part of my sports team has made me more active, confident and introduced me to a huge number of people across the Athletic Union. I've made so many good friends and doing sport alongside my team has helped me to destress and aim to be the best I can be. Built my confidence and met new people and keeping fit By being a member of a sports team I have been able to make lots of new friends and meet lots of new people. Dance Squad bettered my university experience. It gave me an activity to take part in when I wasn't working and helped me destress, keep fit and make new friends. Meet new people through cheerleading, ISA and the business school. Being part of the AU has place some good memories. Meeting new people Given me a sense of belonging to the university. Allowed me to meet people from other years and courses who I would not otherwise know. I've gained skills and experiences that my degree could not give me. 35
Given me greater confidence in myself Given me more confidence. Where all my friends were made. The most memorable and enjoyable aspect of my time at university. Good way to make friends as freshers Socially it’s allowed me to meet a variety of people from all over the Uni who have one common interest. Nice to socialise while playing sport Got fit, made friends, had new experiences HULHC new friendship, add balance I am an international student away from home, the only pleasure and fun I have in this country is sport, and basketball in particular. It helped me get over so many things such as homesick. it is the only activity I do out of the University work, the only place I met different people, culture and made friends. I don't go out on the weekend I don't enjoy going out and live students live. If the sport stops for any reason (e.g. mintainance) that's really make me miserable I have no other place or activity to do. From, netball squad made lots of friends and it's been helpful for the future More people to hang with Essentially, it has given me the opportunity to be involved in something active and fun whilst being able to make friends and enjoy social aspects of uni more. By being on committee I have been able to widen my skills learnt at uni and without being part of a sports team (to give me something else to aim for rather than just my degree) I would of dropped out of university by now. Socially, I have not only made a whole bunch of new friends, but with volleyball they are internationals too. So it's a great way to pick up the basics of a new language and a modern day pen pal for when they return home. Sub aqua, department football More socially active, confidence boosting by meeting new people It also really helped me to meet new people And meet new people and make friends It has helped me to make more friends and to meet people I would never have been able to if I hadn't taken part in a sport. Being part of a sports team has also given me more confidence and I feel better about myself overall too. It has helped me to make more friends and to meet people I would never have been able to if I hadn't taken part in a sport. Being part of a sports team has also given me more confidence and I feel better about myself overall too. It's made its easier to make friends and made me feel less worried about starting uni. It's made me more active and helped me to get into shape and I've met some of the best people. I've met a lot more people Friends gained Loads of m8s. Made lots of friends Friends Friends Friends Friends Friendship Friendships And friends 36
Friendships Friendship Friends Friends Friends from other departments, meeting people from other unis Meeting new people Made new friends Friends Made friends Made friend I otherwise would not have met Made friends in men's lacrosse and breakdance society Made friends Made friends with a wide range of girls and boys within the AU who have become the ones I am closest to, social wise as well as playing the sport. Made friends with people from a variety of backgrounds who I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet if I hadn't of been involved in a sport Made friends, banter Made friends Made friends, Made friends Made it easier to meet new people More friends Met more people with same passion as me Met new friends by joining Met lots of people Met lots of new people Met lots of lovely people Met a lot of people Meeting people Met new friends Met new friends Meeting new people, social aspect Meeting others Meeting people from different courses and year groups Met people. More friends Met new people. Relaxed with people beyond my subject. Met new people Met new people Met new people, made some new friends Met new people Met new people Met new people Met new people & made new friends More friends More friends 37
More friends More friends More friends, more diverse group of friends Met so many more people Met some lovely people Met some of my closest friends through my sports team. More involved + know more people More opportunities to interact with like-minded students Friendships developed. Most of my friends are from the club, and I was able to continue training Most of my friends are people that I have met through sports. Networking- meeting new people Networking Music society- provided wider social skills. ability to mix with other students from different courses New friends New friends New friends New friends and meeting people with similar interests. New friends New friends New friends, socialising aspect helping to make new friends and Opened up opportunities to meet new people and in becoming social sec got to develop some skills Meet people Meeting loads more people Meeting new people, expanding social life Meeting new people Meeting new people, making friends, Meeting new people Meeting new people and becoming friends with them. Belonging to a team Meeting new people & friends of a common interest Meeting new people Meeting new people Meeting new people Made more friends Made more friends Made more friends Made more friends socially Made more friends Made more friends Made more friends, more chances to socialise Made more valuable friends Made new friends Made new friends 38
Helped me to make even more friends at uni. Made new friends Made new friends Made new friends making friends Making new friends Making new friends, meeting new people Making friends Make new friends Made friends Made some great friends Meet more people Meet more people- make friends :) Meet people Friends Meeting new people Meet like mind people I enjoy my societies activities with new groups of people I feel part of a community that I wouldn't have access to if I wasn't on a sports team or society. I feel part of a community, as my house has very few contact hours, most of my friends are from my sports team. I got new friends and it really great to have friend from different countries I have a completely new set of friends so its possible to escape from any drama with my housemates as well as being able to ask for advice I have become more social and healthier I have been able to meet new people I have found a group of friends outside of my course and am able to relax without talking about coursework or exams. I have made a lot of new friends through the Men's Football team I have met a lot of international's students and interacted with a lot of friends I have met people outside of my course (I am doing medicine) and have made friends with others who share my interests. I have met so many more people that I wouldn't have if I'd only socialised with housemates and course buddies. The other girls on my sports team are friends for life I made friends unlike in my lectures I met new friends I met new people Increased friendship group In 1st year it really helped me make friends and meet people as I didn't immediately bond with my apartment. In both the sport and society I have met lots of new people and made lots of new friends. Made new friends It has given me friends beyond my course And made a lot of new friends from who I am now living with next year It has granted me a chance to not only meet new people from different courses, Whilst helping me meet new friends And also i have met a lot of new people and friends. 39
And a strong network of friends. It has introduced me to new friends It helped me at my first day at the uni to make friends and gain a social life It introduced me to a great bunch of people with similar interests Meet new people from different departments and collectively participate in extra-curricular activities. And a place where I can meet new people. Meet new people It's a great way to make friends, It's enabled me to meet lots of people Allowed me to meet more people Allowed me to meet new people Allowed me to make new friends Has helped me to adapt to university life and make some very good friends and help me overcome so personal barriers Provided something alternative to the course. Given me experiences & opportunities, hobbies, friends & entertainment Allowed me to settle in my first semester, by finding people with similar interests and passion as me. Being a member of a sports team has been fantastic, it has given me a whole different group of friends and an outlet from the rigours of my degree. It has without a doubt been the most important factor in me settling down into university life and enjoying it as much as I do. Just made life easier, good way to socialise Being in a sports team enables me to make friends outside of my course. It has given me the opportunity to have friends in different years that has been like siblings helping me out when I didn't know what to do. Being involved in sport has allowed me to make life long friends who support me through difficult personal and academic struggles. I wouldn't have met these people otherwise as they come from various accommodation and courses. Being on netball especially has enabled me to interact with various people and becoming captain has allowed to be in a position of responsibility and motivate players. being part of a society has not only made me more employable, but it brought me out of my shell, i made friends when i was terrified and lonely and without them i would probably have left uni Being part of the dance squad at university has greatly increased my confidence and being part of this was very beneficial to me last year in particular whilst I was facing many personal difficulties. Being within a sports team at the university has allowed me to continue a form of exercise at a price lower than those at external institutions. I have made many friends within this group who encourage me and help me. Gain skills/ opportunities (G+S society) it gives people the opportunity to learn new performance skills, building confidence and teamwork (as part of a committee) Opened up for some more opportunities Being able to set up a society really helped me to widen my connections Brought me out of my shell, developed confidence in myself 40
Built my confidence and met new people and keeping fit Development of personal + employability skills Enabled me to see what the law field will be like Engaging in extra activity, improving in non-educational personal development Improved time management Gave me something to do Confidence, leadership Gained confidence Gained more confidence Gained new skills and friends as Social Sec of Hindu Soc Gained confidence and feeling of self-accomplishment when doing Hullfire Radio Given me more confidence in social areas Given me more confidence Given me more confidence. Help with organisation. . Protection. . Team working, team bonding. Fun! Given me more confidence. Where all my friends were made. The most memorable and enjoyable aspect of my time at university. Given me the chance to develop leadership, communication and financial management qualities. Grown in confidence and become more organised Helped me become more confident, social Helped me to develop leadership and communication skills I was president of Hindu society in 2013-14, which enabled me to get a placement year and now in final year. It enabled me to organise my life better as I had a stable feature in my diary to commit to. It has allowed me to start and progress in sports that I have wanted to try for a long time Learn new skills, contacts and experiance that go beyond studies. Learning to work in a committee Learnt to drink responsibly Legal skills gained, friends gained Gained more confidence in my own abilities, not just in a sport but also in my studies. Helped improve my organisation as I am able to manage being part of a sports team as well as focusing on my degree. Learned about a sport I had never thought of playing Made me a better person by giving me further skills for later in life, along with improving my fitness! Learned more about teamwork, being able to trust other people, been more motivated to study Pushing yourself to try a new sport in a different environment New opportunities, Confidence Part of music society- gave me the opportunity to perform Skills! (debating society) Socially, I have not only made a whole bunch of new friends, but with volleyball they are internationals too. So it's a great way to pick up the basics of a new language and a modern day pen pal for when they return home.
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Sub aqua, department football more socially active, confidence boosting by meeting new people Developing new skills Confidence It has given opportunities to lead and learn new skills. Marrow/ rag/ fencing/ medsoc- enjoyment, time management Ran the archery club which gave me a good set of skills and a lot of good friends. Social and good for developing interests Yes, both film soc and hullfire have encouraged me to make friends from other course/ helped me with my degree Being part of my sports team has made me more active, confident and introduced me to a huge number of people across the Athletic Union. I've made so many good friends and doing sport alongside my team has helped me to destress and aim to be the best I can be. Both psych soc & cheerleading have allowed me to meet new people & get involved in group activities & team skills Being a member of the committee has given me something extra to add to my CV. I have also learnt new skills. Learnt a new sport, been an active member in the committee became more confident. An increase in confidence, trying new things. Allowed me to learn new things Gain experience in working in a team and continue my sport. Given me a sense of belonging to the university. Allowed me to meet people from other years and courses who I would not otherwise know. I've gained skills and experiences that my degree could not give me. Learned a new sport HUSAH has allowed me to gain better skills in communication, and gain more friends. I moved to hull not knowing anyone or the area. Sport gave me a way to meet people that stopped me from being isolated, especially in my first year when I didn't get on with my housemates. I also do a very stressful course that involves placements. Consequently, basketball has been a positive outlet for my stress and has also allowed me to remain healthy. I have also had issues with confidence throughout my previous education and this is something that is important in my chosen profession. Again, basketball has helped to address this personal issue and has brought me out of my comfort zone. I will never forget the extended family that basketball has provided me with. It is one of the most important and meaningful parts of my university experience. I'm part of the team who formed the Feminist Society and what we have provided so far has shown me even more how much I am invested in Feminist Issues and how passionate I am about this. I also hope that we can reach out further to students at University in the next semester. Also, my creative side has been explored further by joining the Performing Arts Society which not only introduced me to a wonderful bunch of people but also gave me the sense of belonging I needed being so far away from home, to also share my talents with others and being appreciated and valued for what I brought to the table. Invaluable experience in leadership, networking and initiative Enstilled teamwork And opportunity to improve my organisational skills Socialising, social gathering/ experiences, new opportunities 42
Academically Confidence Given more confidence Sport- more confident, made close friends Society- learned a new skill, increased confidence Team work The chance to meet new people and take part in different activities that can be useful in my future career It also provided the opportunity to try things, that otherwise I doubt I would have. These have made me have loads of fun, meet new people and learn a lot. It has helped me build friendships, learn and gain new skills that I may never had gained without the opportunity at university. It makes me look forward to training every week It has helped me make friends outside the course as a first year student and also get to know/learn how to play Basketball again as I hadn't played since high school started, this has increased my confidence and also kept me fit through my days at university where I was afraid of the freedom of eating what I want when I want would affect my fitness bit being around healthy active people has definitely helped me It has introduced me to a new sport and has allowed me to make lots of new friends which was very important to me when coming to university It's made making friends easier, I've learnt a new sport I wouldn't of otherwise learnt and it's made me more confident as a person. I've found a lot of different people + I learn a new sport I've made many friends through it Having nights out on Wednesday allows a break from work I've had the opportunity to be on committee and take on ressponsibilities you wouldn't be able to have without sports clubs Lacrosse has made me enjoy university a lot more than I think I would've without it. I've made a lot of friends through it, gotten in better shape and I'm learning a new sport. Life skills Learned new skills Enhanced my CV, given me an opportunity to work on my teamwork skills. And learnt new and exciting sports/music skills Developed new skills Learnt a new sport and increased my teamwork skills. Played new sports Developed skills and vp Learning a new skill set etc And learnt so much Enjoyed going to competitions way od,improving my dance skills CV enhancement Fulfilling my dance potential In becoming social sec got to develop some skills Given me opportunity to be on committee (society) Learning new skills Management/ organisational skills. . work opportunities And learning stuff Providing opportunities to travel and socialise 43
I am more confident and competent I have learned new skills and made good connections from participating in these activity's Also I've become treasurer, which has already positively impacted my CV and given me a talking point in interviews. And learnt a new language And tried a sport which I had never done before. Increased my employability Improved communication and organisation which I can apply to my degree e.g. committee meetings and au stalls And learn new skills. In reference to jujitsu it has been a positive outlet, not only allowing me to develop useful transferable skills via being a member of an exec team It has built my confidence and allowed me to step out of my comfort zone The regularity of the sport makes learning and improving an enjoyable aspect of the sport. It has enhanced my cv It has given me more confidence, social skills and organisational skills. But also allowed me to gain and improve my skills in the sports that I'm involved. I believe being part of a social/sport group helps to to improve ones social skill with new people from different backgrounds which, in my eyes, is seen as a necessity in the future. It has made me gain more confidence in talking to individuals, groups, and to new people as before I was very shy. It also has allowed me to more discipline on my self management skills. It has made me more confident as a person It has made me more hard working It has provided me with a new skill More confident And had allowed me to further my skills in a sport that I would not have taken part in at home. and gotten involved in the wider community of my sport by competing nationally and helping to run events such as indoor rowing championships here at Hull University. It is a fantastic chance to network, And gain skills Being part of the dance squad at university has greatly increased my confidence and being part of this was very beneficial to me last year in particular whilst I was facing many personal difficulties. Being within a sports team at the university has allowed me to continue a form of exercise at a price lower than those at external institutions. I have made many friends within this group who encourage me and help me. Allowed me to perform musically more often, benefits my grades Enabled me to think of the many opportunities I can create for myself and others Has helped me to be bold and unashamed of the Gospel Has enabled me to love people more and to be considerate of others and understand and appreciate the perspectives and opinions people have to make a project work Provided something alternative to the course. Given me experiences & opportunities, hobbies, friends & entertainment I have developed transferable skills which will benefit me throughout the remainder of my degree and increase my chance of gaining employment upon graduation. These skills include: interpersonal, teamwork, problem solving and leadership. Being on netball especially has enabled me to interact with various people and becoming captain has allowed to be in a position of responsibility and motivate players. 44
Trying new things, It's made it more enjoyable. Kept me busy And got involved in new things New activities And the opportunity to compete against others. Pursuing interests Since starting uni in 2014 I have gone from member to secretary to president and this is a huge step up as I used to be really withdrawn and shy, this time 2 years ago I could not have imagined being where I am now and that is all that's all thanks to the societies Get involved in something new Health- mental & physical stress reliever bigger support network improved mental/physical wellbeing Being a drama student does make you quite unsociable sometimes believe it or not with the long hours that we do, but being part of a sports team and training helps with stress relief and going to socials with a team is nice as its good to have friends outside of the department. Being on a sports team keeps me grounded as the drama lifestyle can get very intense and unrealistic sometimes so having that break away by being on a team is really helpful. Being able to release stress from university work Being part of my sports team has made me more active, confident and introduced me to a huge number of people across the Athletic Union. I've made so many good friends and doing sport alongside my team has helped me to destress and aim to be the best I can be. By being a member of a sports team I have been able to make lots of new friends and meet lots of new people. Playing sports on a regular basis has meant I get lots of regular exercise. By letting me continue with a hobby I enjoy. Enjoy exercise Essentially, it has given me the opportunity to be involved in something active and fun whilst being able to make friends and enjoy social aspects of uni more. By being on committee I have been able to widen my skills learnt at uni and without being part of a sports team (to give me something else to aim for rather than just my degree) I would of dropped out of university by now. Feeling fitter Getting fitter Destressing from uni work Getting through a mental illness Helped me to become an overall fitter person Given me something to do outside of lectures, good to keep fitness levels up Gives a break from studying, nice to socialise while playing sport Gives an outlet from studies Got fit, made friends, had new experiences Helps with the balance of uni work and a social life HULHC new friendship, add balance It has been a great way to stay fit and meet new people and make friends 45
It has helped me to make more friends and to meet people I would never have been able to if I hadn't taken part in a sport. Being part of a sports team has also given me more confidence and I feel better about myself overall too. It has improved my fitness and focus It's made its easier to make friends and made me feel less worried about starting uni. It's made me more active and helped me to get into shape and I've met some of the best people. And got a lot more active Exercise Get out the house more Opportunity to be relatively active The gym was very positive, kept me fit and active. Way to destress Exercise Positive mental wellbeing Keeps me fit and healthy. Increased fitness. Get active Football has provided me with an opportunity to release stress, and maintain active which keeps me happy. HURC - Riding has given me a chance to stay active without having to make time in my studies to jog or go to the gym Built my confidence and met new people and keeping fit A break from the day to day uni life, I think it's good for mental as well as physical health. Dance Squad bettered my university experience. It gave me an activity to take part in when I wasn't working and helped me destress, keep fit and make new friends. Helped me make friends with the same hobby (swing dance), do fun exercise and go to weekly dance classes/socials to take a break from studying. I am an international student away from home, the only pleasure and fun I have in this country is sport, and basketball in particular. It helped me get over so many things such as homesick. it is the only activity I do out of the University work, the only place I met different people, culture and made friends. I don't go out on the weekend I don't enjoy going out and live students live. If the sport stops for any reason (e.g. mintainance) that's really make me miserable I have no other place or activity to do. I moved to hull not knowing anyone or the area. Sport gave me a way to meet people that stopped me from being isolated, especially in my first year when I didn't get on with my housemates. I also do a very stressful course that involves placements. Consequently, basketball has been a positive outlet for my stress and has also allowed me to remain healthy. I have also had issues with confidence throughout my previous education and this is something that is important in my chosen profession. Again, basketball has helped to address this personal issue and has brought me out of my comfort zone. I will never forget the extended family that basketball has provided me with. It is one of the most important and meaningful parts of my university experience. Keeps you fit As well as physical benefits of sports Keep fit as well Physically University, just as any aspect of life is bound to induce stress at one point or another. The AU in particular promotes one of the best stress relievers - socialising. Moreover networking for 46
our futures blossom and playing a sport itself makes university life all that more enjoyable. I myself do not tend to go out to tower although in my first three years it was very enjoyable to compete during the day and be part of a social in the evening. You don't need to go out on a Wednesday for the AU to be very beneficial. Socialising takes place before, during and after training. The AU is beneficial, considering both the short and long terms, for nearly every student. It has allowed me o meet new people, and more importantly to help with my fitness. As a diabetic, exercise is vital to my prolonged health, and being a member of the team is a really fun way to achieve this. It has helped me make friends outside the course as a first year student and also get to know/learn how to play Basketball again as I hadn't played since high school started, this has increased my confidence and also kept me fit through my days at university where I was afraid of the freedom of eating what I want when I want would affect my fitness bit being around healthy active people has definitely helped me And keeps me fit I've made friends, found stress relief Joining men's lacrosse has allowed me to make friends with a great bunch of lads from the team, and improved my social calendar far beyond what it otherwise would have been. It is a new sport that I now thoroughly enjoy and enables me to have a far wider and more structured exercise plan than just being at the gym would have allowed, as well as giving my time at university more opportunity for competition. Lacrosse has made me enjoy university a lot more than I think I would've without it. I've made a lot of friends through it, gotten in better shape and I'm learning a new sport. Kept busy kept active Along with improving my fitness! Made me more active and Kept active Keep fit, good break from work Opportunity to keep myself fit Better fitness And something to take away from stress of uni work and something to work towards. And it keeps me sane Exercise Great stress relief More social/ exercise activities. Most of times volleyball relived the stress from day by day routine. It was a moment of distraction from the study's so the mind could be reloaded. Promote a healthier life fitness wise Improving fitness, Has helped lessen the stress of university Way more active (fabulass ambassador) Keeping fit, relieving stress Physical improvements And got some exercise! And keeping fit Maintain fitness Has kept me fit 47
Sleeping patterns are better therefore getting to class more and more on time. Be active , A way to relax Many ways, including:; providing a needed change of pace from work I am part of 3 AU teams and it drastically improved my university experience and my health overall. I lost weight and gained muscle and valuable experience at competitions, meets and whatnot. I also feel like the swim team has allowed me to travel and enjoy my university experience more as well as feeling healthier and wanting to get involved as they are supportive of all abilities. I have become more social and healthier Trampolining has given me an outlet for stress and calms me down and well as being one of my main sources of excersize whilst being at university, keeping me fit and healthy And I am always looking forward to playing football and it takes my focus away from the stress of University work. Kept me fit and healthy Improved my health mentally and physically Playing sport has also helped me keep fit at university And the sport has helped me stay fit and healthy as well as continuing a lifelong hobby that I love. But also sports serve as a great stress relief when workload is unrelenting. It has enabled me to take a break away from my studies and do something entirely different. It has also kept me healthy whilst being at university which I think is another positive factor. It has helped better my personal fitness in a constructive manner whilst helping me meet new friends and overcome social anxiety issues which in turn has helped me keep motivated for study. It has made me start to have the ability to exercise as I train with the basket ball team Improved fitness I've become fitter and healthier along the way It keeps me fit, is a time to relax and escape the stresses of works/deadlines etc. It provides a time to be away from stressful assignments and exams on hand And stay active. Keep fit, and have a break from studies. And keeps me fit! Being part of the dance squad at university has greatly increased my confidence and being part of this was very beneficial to me last year in particular whilst I was facing many personal difficulties. Being within a sports team at the university has allowed me to continue a form of exercise at a price lower than those at external institutions. I have made many friends within this group who encourage me and help me. It has helped me have a stress release from my studies and given me a form of exercise to stay healthy. Physical fitness stimulates the mind and has increased my motivation and work ethic since coming to university.
Experience Being a member of a society and more importantly a sports team has made me feel more included at such a big university. I joined a sports team in my final year as I went on a year abroad and therefore most of my friends have graduated. But ladies hockey has made me 48
feel like part of a family, and I really enjoy the social side of it as well as benefitting from the more physical sport side! (Amnesty) I've made more friends, experienced helping people first hand, and done something worthwhile And taking part in events that I wouldn't be able to without the AU. Been able to actively get involved in all areas of uni life Being a part of a sports team has been a major part of my university life, its meant I've made so many new friends, developed better social skills, made me feel a part of 'something' and been there when university itself is getting too tough. I can't imagine not being a part of a sports team and would encourage everyone to get involved with sports or societies at uni! Being apart of a sports club has been one of the best things about studying at Hull. Brought variety to my university experience Dance Squad bettered my university experience. It gave me an activity to take part in when I wasn't working and helped me destress, keep fit and make new friends. Definitely Enhanced my university experience. Feel very welcome by everyone and part of the university community Felt part of a group, got more involved with uni Social life, enjoyment Fun Given me a sense of belonging to the university. Allowed me to meet people from other years and courses who I would not otherwise know. I've gained skills and experiences that my degree could not give me. I am an international student away from home, the only pleasure and fun I have in this country is sport, and basketball in particular. It helped me get over so many things such as homesick. it is the only activity I do out of the University work, the only place I met different people, culture and made friends. I don't go out on the weekend I don't enjoy going out and live students live. If the sport stops for any reason (e.g. mintainance) that's really make me miserable I have no other place or activity to do. I was going to leave Hull and move back to Newcastle because I was lonely but joining rugby changed everything. The girls gave me confidence and motivation to stay #rugby I'm part of the team who formed the Feminist Society and what we have provided so far has shown me even more how much I am invested in Feminist Issues and how passionate I am about this. I also hope that we can reach out further to students at University in the next semester. Also, my creative side has been explored further by joining the Performing Arts Society which not only introduced me to a wonderful bunch of people but also gave me the sense of belonging I needed being so far away from home, to also share my talents with others and being appreciated and valued for what I brought to the table. Invaluable experience in leadership, networking and initiative It gave the opportunity to experience circling and a vibrant social calendar It's made my University experience so much more memorial! Its more enjoying and more experiences developed Its the reason why I've stayed at Hull University. The teamwork and camaraderie is something that makes you want to get up everyday and look forward to what your experience with your team holds in store. Marrow/ rag/ fencing/ medsoc- enjoyment, time management 49
Playing sport didn't only permitted me to meets new friends and have a lot of fun but it also helped me to build in some confidence and also helped me to work in a group improving my work in group and trust in each other. University work is really stressful but sport and societies helps to relax if you can put a good balanced between all of them Rowing and LINKS (St John Ambulance) Developed my personality, friendships and improved my experience whilst at university. Very Volleyball team are awesome!! I love playing and I've meet alot of great people. I have so much fun. Created opportunities which I never thought I'd experience Share experiences events Rowing, chemistry Met new people, good experiences Yes, I've met new people and feel that university has been more to me than just study. It's been a great social experience and allowed me to develop as a person. Being part of a sports team (women's cricket) I feel that I have been way more involved with the uni than others who have not joined a team. I have made many friends through the AU and am still making more every semester. Overall it's enhanced my experience at the university of hull because of the community I'm in, I'm so much more happier and involved, therefore go out of my way to promote the uni to others. Being part of my sports team has made me more active, confident and introduced me to a huge number of people across the Athletic Union. I've made so many good friends and doing sport alongside my team has helped me to destress and aim to be the best I can be. More socialising and trips/ opportunities Given me more confidence. Where all my friends were made. The most memorable and enjoyable aspect of my time at university. Got fit, made friends, had new experiences Helps meet new people and try new experiences I moved to hull not knowing anyone or the area. Sport gave me a way to meet people that stopped me from being isolated, especially in my first year when I didn't get on with my housemates. I also do a very stressful course that involves placements. Consequently, basketball has been a positive outlet for my stress and has also allowed me to remain healthy. I have also had issues with confidence throughout my previous education and this is something that is important in my chosen profession. Again, basketball has helped to address this personal issue and has brought me out of my comfort zone. I will never forget the extended family that basketball has provided me with. It is one of the most important and meaningful parts of my university experience. Essentially, it has given me the opportunity to be involved in something active and fun whilst being able to make friends and enjoy social aspects of uni more. By being on committee I have been able to widen my skills learnt at uni and without being part of a sports team (to give me something else to aim for rather than just my degree) I would of dropped out of university by now. Socialising, social gathering/ experiences, new opportunities The club that I am part of forms the majority of my social life while at university; from having people there to push me further in my training, to having great friends to socialise with, being a part of an AU club effectively IS my university experience. If would be pretty boring without it.
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They have allowed me to make a wide variety of friends from different courses and years and meant I felt more apart of the university communitie and meant I new there were people to talk to about anything. University, just as any aspect of life is bound to induce stress at one point or another. The AU in particular promotes one of the best stress relievers - socialising. Moreover networking for our futures blossom and playing a sport itself makes university life all that more enjoyable. I myself do not tend to go out to tower although in my first three years it was very enjoyable to compete during the day and be part of a social in the evening. You don't need to go out on a Wednesday for the AU to be very beneficial. Socialising takes place before, during and after training. The AU is beneficial, considering both the short and long terms, for nearly every student. It enables me to meet people, actually make friends for life. We are like a family and it makes the university experience more enjoyable It has allowed me to feel involved & feel a part os something that's outside my studies. I have built up many friendships & memories& skills I've met new people, enhanced my social life and had some great experiences I wouldn't have otherwise had, such as tour, trophy pres, socials etc Learn new skills, contacts and experiance that go beyond studies. Improved uni life The uni experience Fun Get a good work life balance, get to know new places at away games, have a lot of fun Went out have fun And relax outside of university work Made it more enjoyable, Made it more enriching And had fun Opportunities for personal growth Better social experience Had fun. Tried new things Had fun Joined in with socials and had a great tine And made so many awesome memories for life More fun! Fun time at social events New experiences good fun Social experience Doing things wouldn't normally/ get to do New social experience, And having new experiences and And had more fun Great experience (e.g. working with childreach and rag), Having fun Made my experience more rounded And creating memories Has some great experiences 51
I have felt more welcome and connected with the uni I am part of 3 AU teams and it drastically improved my university experience and my health overall. I lost weight and gained muscle and valuable experience at competitions, meets and whatnot. I also feel like the swim team has allowed me to travel and enjoy my university experience more as well as feeling healthier and wanting to get involved as they are supportive of all abilities. It also has allowed me to climb more regularly which is something that I really enjoy. I joined Women's Basketball, Boxing and Hull links at the start of semester 2, they allowed me to meet new people get active and feel as if I was achieving something, I was going through a bit of a hard time at the start of semester two and having those extra things to do really helped me get through it and really enhanced my uni experience Fun social aspect of teams Joinng a sport and society gives me something productive to do in my spare time increased enjoyment + motivation I am a union president, the society system has defined my time at university. It has given me a whole new are of sport to be interested in and made new friends, and social aspects are a great time to be involved in. It has given me something to do in my spare time which I have enjoyed It has made me feel more included, enjoy university life more and want to stay on and do further programmes. It has made me become more sociable, it has made my university life much more fun also. It makes life at the university much more interesting and bearable It's a fantastic way to enjoy free time, Do something you love Uni isn't just about studying, it's about becoming an adult and balancing a social life, work life and keeping active! Made me more involved And not being bored Provided something alternative to the course. Given me experiences & opportunities, hobbies, friends & entertainment Experience of playing BUCS. Travelling the country to play sport.
Other Being a member of a sports team has been fantastic, it has given me a whole different group of friends and an outlet from the rigours of my degree. It has without a doubt been the most important factor in me settling down into university life and enjoying it as much as I do. Allowed me to share the Tamil culture to those who were not aware of it and managed to spread cultural festivities within the University. Being part of a society has not only made me more employable, but it brought me out of my shell, i made friends when i was terrified and lonely and without them I would probably have left uni Being in a society has greatly helped me integrate into university life Boat Club is love, Boat Club is life. Doing things, riding, polo, social and more Gave me something to do. 52
Has helped me to adapt to university life and make some very good friends and help me overcome so personal barriers Literally took over my life How I stay informed about university going ons and not every important thing is advertised very effectively The opportunity to enjoy team sports that I would not usually get the chance to partake in. Awesome Bants Top bantz Twas good If no, why do you think this has not positively affected your experience at the University of Hull? Alcohol dependence Depends on person It was initially a really daunting experience. N/A N/A NA Sometimes things are too hard to achieve due to the most frustrating reasons Sporting has just been on the side so not affected much The Union continue to cut budgets and thus harm our volunteer experience. Less budget year on year means equipment cannot be bought and thus hindering the development of volunteers and harming their future career prospects in the media industry. There isn't enough money provided to the sports teams. Being a member of dance squad means we don't get a lot of respect or money as we're new to the AU Too many injuries :p 4. Freetext Responses to the question “Has your involvement in sports/societies/ activities impacted on you decision to remain a student at Hull?�
If yes, how has this impacted on your decision to remain a student at Hull? To make more memories and keep helping others in the sport. A wish to continue part of the club esp as being pres in 3rd year (application for masters) Allowed me to meet new course friends which I've never noticed in lectures. Alongside my course and the area, basketball is a big reason for me staying with hull university. This I mainly because of the people and the sport itself. But also the healthy affect it has had on my studies. In particular, this academic year I have attended morning training sessions that have put me in a positive mind set to then carry out my work. It has also encouraged me to take breaks from working and to look after myself. All of which are important to my studies. Amazing uni. As above- Its the reason why I've stayed at Hull University. The teamwork and camaraderie is something that makes you want to get up everyday and look forward to what your experience with your team holds in store. As I already know people that have same passions as me As i have been able to see how hull uni provides different facilities for different groups and that they try to cater to all needs. Which is something I'm proud to be part of 53
As previously stated, without an AU team or society to really make you feel included in something this university would be very alienating. Other universities i considered had active support to the athletic teams because they understood how important it is to have that part of student life. Because I have a responsibility and the facilities are great Because I have friends here Because I wouldn't want to leave the team and the friends I have made. Because of the people I have met and how much I love being a part of the university Becoming integrated into a team and getting to know people, not wanting to leave the new relationships I have built Before coming to university I was worried about making friends and fitting in, I am glad to say this is no longer a problem and playing in the lacrosse team has been a big part of this. If I had not joined a sports team I do not believe my time at Hull so far would have been so enjoyable. Being a part of a sports team really helped me in first year to feel part of the university and encouraged me to stick with it despite finding the first term quite difficult. Being elected social sec for my 3rd year prevented me from taking a year in industry and prompted me to stay on for a masters Being in a society has made me reluctant to leave and lose the friends I have made Being in a sports team has made the whole uni experience more fun Being in a sports team leads to close knit connections with other members of the team, and for this I wouldn't ever want to be a student anywhere else. Being in a team and having that bond with everyone means a lot. Best thing about uni. Better quality of life outside of studies Big part of my University life,wouldn't like to lose my friends I met through this society Boat Club is love, Boat Club is life. By joining something such as a sports team, my commitment to the university has increased and there are more ties on which I don't want to be broken yet. Cemented sense of belonging to a team or society that appreciates its members Considered leaving in first year but stayed because of the support in my sports team Considering staying on as a sabb to improve societies Did a masters for 1 more year Did not drop out Didn't really want to leave my friends Doesn't really apply as I am a full time student. But, I have found participation in sports and societies to be very enjoyable. Due to the people that I've met, I've been able to escape from stressful times at university by participating in sport, socialising and participating in societies/sports. Enjoy hull more than I thought Enjoyable experience Enjoyed uni more Enjoying being part of a team Enjoying the experience Everything that comes with the society Feel included For the same exact reasons above. The students in hull are humble. 54
Friends Friends Fun, stress reliving, more people outside course can talk to without having that 'stress' of talking about course Gained more friends Give you something to keep you busy and a way to meet other people Given me confidence and develop skills I knew I had aswell didn't know I had Given me more fun Growing as part of a team. Has an amazing sport & society activity to keep students engaged Having a good group of friend Help me actually like the university seen as in my first semester here I wanted to leave and go to another university Helps create a comfortable lifestyle rather than just attending hull just for uni for lectures you have things to do outside of studying in a place where there isn't much to do in comparison to other cities. Hull isn't often see as a University to go. I can honestly say that the support, companionship and defiantly made me say. HUU PokĂŠmon Society is partly responsible for my choosing to remain in Hull after my MSc to do my Phd I absolutely which if the sport in Hull improve, in one stage of my study I was looking to leave Hull because there is no proper sport going aroun, and it is very expensive. But didn't want to loose my good academic supervisor in Hull. I am currently on placement in London. All of my London friends, from all different unis, regret not applying to campus unis after I tell them my stories! I believe societies and activities play a bigger part in campus unis, and if nothing is a excellent opportunity to meet new people. (I met my best friend through Hindu Soc). I am more comfortable in hull and familiar with more people and the town I changed courses instead of leaving uni. Many people I know have said they would litterally drop out if it wasn't for their AU team. It's a huge retention method. I changed my course after my first year and I chose to stay for the awesome student experience I decided to study my masters here rather than move to another university. I definitely want to stay here, hopefully to have a more significant role in my society. I don't like the city ha ha I don't think i would have continued university due to feeling lonely. In second year i lived in halls away from my course friends and so felt lonely as would only see them during lectures and that was it. so i joined a society and made friends who i now live with. I don't think I would have made so many friends without them I enjoy it I got the help when I needed from the AU <3 I had the option of transferring to another university but I chose to remain in Hull I have a greater number of friends I have an extra reason to keep being here the following years I have enjoyed my sport so much that I want to stay for longer. I know I will be very reluctant to go elsewhere to study past my undergrad due to the fact that I will be leaving behind my club I know there are like-minded people here 55
I love my society and friends! I love my uni and my team makes me love it more, I wouldn't go to any other uni! I love the community I just can't imagine being away from uni at first I wanted to leave but now I am so excited about networking I want to be part of the university even after I leave I love the easy atmosphere being part of a team provides.it's essentially an escape from the stress of study. I love the society that I am in and would never want to go to another uni. I love the team I am in and feel so welcomed I really like the friendly atmosphere that comes across in the AU. Everyone knows each other and looks out for each other. I don't feel this is the case at other universities. I really struggled at the start of semester two and the sports teams and societies helped take my mind off of it and allowed me to gear myself into something new I strongly considered switching universities before I joined my team. Now, I wouldn't even think twice about it. I wanna remain a part of the soc and stay close to all the people I have met I want my jujitsu 1st dan I want to have more fun with my friends I wanted to stay with my friends and the ethics of my club is good I was always going to stay as a student at hull I was going to leave Hull and move back to Newcastle because I was lonely but joining rugby changed everything. The girls gave me confidence and motivation to stay #rugby I would like to stay a student as long as possible I would probably stay as a student here regardless of sport. But the enjoyment I get from being involved in a team really is a highlight of my experience at the University. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have had no support system, id have made no friends, my course was intense and being part of something bigger made me feel like i belonged If I hadn't been part of my club I would have left in 1st year after 2 months as hated education! If there hadn't been a netball team I wouldn't be here I'm now enrolled to do my masters here because I wanted to stay involved in my AU team and stay on the committee to ensure the progress of the club and it's members in the sport. I'm only a first year of course i'll be sticking around, besides not every uni offer the sport i do. I'm still here Improved social life In a good way In my first semester I found that living with 23 other people in halls and always spending time with only them was difficult and i wasn't enjoying uni at all. When I joined a sports team I was able to make so many more friends and it gave me a chance to get out of my halls for something else other than lectures. In my first year, I contemplated changing my course, but commitments to Radio & drama society kept me Involvement is key It enables you do get involved with university life on the non-academic side of things It enhances the university experience. It gave me something to be passionate about and allowed me to explore a lot of what university has to offer outside of my course and the block I lived with. It has affirmed my decision to stay 56
It has helped me gain a lot of new friendships and given me friends who have helped me through tough scenarios where otherwise I would have potentially dropped out. It has helped me make friends that I can be with both inn social activities but also for casual meet ups and other activities. It has in the sense that one learns something from each person one meets It has just made being a student at hull a really positive experience It has made me feel a part of something It has made me feel more like a student and apart of a team It has made me feel much better about my lengthy course and enabled me to see more of and take pride in the local area. It has made me not regret coming to hull It has made more confident to speak to people and I needed the confidence to speak to people and make friends and this enabled me to do that. It kept me occupied, not allowing me to get homesick in my first semester of my first year (this year) It's allowed me to be confidant when addressing large groups of people. Since becoming club secretary my level of organisation and the communication between me and the rest of the committee has been great. It's made me want to carry on studying at hull because I love the sport basketball, and the team is brilliant. I've met friends that I know I will have for life. I've applied for a further course but I also live here full time so it's a bit of sport and location I've enjoyed it & it's given me more confidence Joining a sports team is like a family, they provide a medium to unwind and destress after a a long day of studying. My motivation to remain a student, complete my degree and even progress onto postgraduate study is based around overall enjoyment of the student experience, which is heavily weighted on extracurricular activities such as sports engagement. Life long bants Like previously said, during my first year I was having thoughts about dropping out. Football gave me a new network of friends and something to look forward to. I truly believe that if it wasn't for the football club I would have left university in my first year. Now in my third and final year I look to graduate with a 1st class degree. Love the community atmosphere Love the team and excercise Made a lot of friends which made hull a much more comfortable choice Made friends (responsibilities) Made friends went our have fun Made good friends in the club want to stay close in the future Made good friends that I wouldn't meet and feel part of uni Made me love being here, and looking forward to it when I'm away from the uni Made me realise what I do/ do not enjoy Made me want to stay as I was a clearing student hull university was not my first choice I always indented on leaving after first year and transfer to a different uni but it has been better than I thought and Basketball has played a big part in this decision of not transferring next year. Made staying at this uni to do a post graduate degree more desireable Made uni more enjoyable, find people with similar interests Makes a better experience Master 57
Met new friends from the societies/ sports that I wouldn't want to leave Met nice people More friends, a place to let off steam, like minded people Much happier experience of university especially when I joined sport society in my 2nd year, made new friends and met people across the different courses which I wouldn't have otherwise met My closest friends were formed through sports and I don't think I would have wanted to continue with no friends My friends are around My participation in sport has been a large factor in me deciding to do further study st University of Hull My sport is a huge part of my social life and helps keep me calm and de stress. Now being part of a club, and its committee I want to see the club continue to develop, providing new students with the opportunity to give something different a go. Now considering doing a masters at hull Positive learning + social experience Positive memories Really enjoyable experience Showed how much to get involved with at hull uni Simply because I enjoy it. Something to carry on doing it, really enjoyed it Something to look forward to if overwhelmed with work Something to work towards and keep things varied Sometimes courses can become testing and tiresome but with the support of a team you can overcome this as you know at the end of the day you have their support and you get to go to meets to release Sports activities provide a very attractive reason for me to remain as a student. Once i leave uni that will be the reason why I miss uni the most. Still had people here that I would know after graduation Team building The diversity + multiple clubs + societies add to its depth, making hull seem unique The friends you make and the enjoyment of the sport/s you play make it hard to not leave in all honesty The friendship groups that I have developed are the strongest that I have ever had The ladies in BB are some of the kindest in the world and I think without this team the university would be greatly impacted in a negative way. Not only have they installed some confidence in me, they have made so many people happy The opportunity to remain at the tennis facilities and club members I know, plus hullfire as a writing platform helped me make the decision The society I am in runs things over years so I want to stay to be part of it The society was started just a year ago,therefore it will be great to see how it develops in the near future. The sporting and society communities are very supportive The stress has questioned my place on my course The team supports me when I question myself The teams st Hull are very involved and welcoming, and organise a bunch of great events
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There have been times where I debated transferring universities and the fact that Women's Cricket is not common across all university made me realise I'd miss one of my favourite parts of the week There have been times where I have wanted to give up and issues at home and within my student house have made me just want to escape but societies meant that I had a support network as well as a chance to forget. There is great potential for sports to grow at Hull uni, I'm happy that i'm able to do my bit and help grow the popularity and influence that my sport has. They are fun and engaging, allowing a break from studies and reducing the stress. They are interesting to be a part of They have made me want to remain a student at Hull. Through the opportunities it has given me Twas good University is hard, friends keep you around. University life is more enjoyable Want to do a masters just to stay on Want to ensure things go well next year Well organized and great support When deciding whether to continue in university or deciding to go and work I realised I wouldn't have the chance to make more of the memories I had in my 1st year. When things started getting tough and I was starting to think that I should transfer to a uni closer to home, playing in a sports team and my team mates definitely helped me fight my way through and come to the decision that im defiantly in the right place Where to do a masters. Widens activities and opportunities and has lots of future strengths Wish to continue in a masters and help the club stay afloat Without crystal clear I would have moved to bristol university Yes I have been able to continue training You get so involved that you just don't want to leave 5. Freetext responses to the question â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you think being involved in a sport/ society/ activity has made you more employable?â&#x20AC;? If yes, how do you think this has made you more employable? It's made me more approachable and confident. Been on the committee has made me an organised leader. A wider range of skills available Actively being involved in sports requires large amounts of teamwork and leadership skills. I believe these transferable skills along with problem solving and interpersonal skills from continuously meeting new members have significantly increased my employability. Again it has allowed me to have more confidence to talk to others and to express my self more. It also gives me motivation to be challengened. Allowed me to develop team leading skills as well as developing organisational skills Allowed me to hold committee positions, which enabled me to demonstrate to employers my skill set Allowed organisation skills and team work An interest in helping people is an asset in my desired field, also I have developed organisation and leadership skills As a captain it has improved my teamwork and leadership skills.
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As a secretary of a society I believe it will show that I am a very responsible and reliable person and that I have many transferable skills As I am part of a team, and teamwork is usually a valued and important aspect needed within jobs, I feel that being in a sports team has also shown I am sociable and keen to try new things As lacrosse president and participant I now have non academic skills to take forward into a job market saturated with graduates Basketball is a team sport. Each year we have gained new members who have had a varying degree of skills and experience..Consequently, when it has come to matches we have had to work together to utilise the strengths of each player. Team work is important in the work place, especially where some colleagues may not get along with others. Basketball has taught me how to overcome this in order to be successful in games. Basketball is also I high impact and fast paced sport. Therefore, it has required a of dedication to fitness. This has involved hard work and perseverence. These are important attributes for the work place that I have developed through my involvement with the sport. Because it shows how you can balance both sports & society with your studies Because of the experiences they are offering me, I am more prepared to share with others in the future. Become more confident and able to express myself. Also gained valuable people skills and being on an AU committee has allowed me to delegate responsibilities to others. Becoming a committee member shows responsibility, which employers look for. Been able to put committee positions on cv Being a member of the exec team of dance has provided me with skills that I think can be transferred to the work place Being fortunate enough to be president of a sports team has taught me many skills that I wouldn't have been able to learn or practice until I left university. I have learnt about delegation, organisation and working towards goals. All of which I believe are very employable characteristics. Being in exec- valuable/ transferable skills, communication skills Being Mens Captain and President thereafter, I can demonstrate to an employer that I have held positions of responsibility and leadership while trying to lead the club in a positive direction. Being on several committee positions Being part of a sport makes you more individual, shows an employer you are willing to learn new skills, work as part of a team, and are capable of planning work/leisure time effectively. Being part of a team has helped me to understand how other people work and to take into account other peoples opinions in order to succeed. Improvement in confidence that I didn't have before joining a sports teams has lead to more opportunities for me. Being part of a team requires you to be able to work with others to accomplish something. Even in individual sports like my own (trampoline), the ability to help others through coaching or demonstration is invaluable. The committee positions for au teams stress the ability to plan effectively as well, from planning good sessions to social events and fundraisers. That is experience you simply don't get, in the same manner, without being involved with the AU. Being part of a team shows attributes of working alongside others, having a leadership role in the committee has also shown my skills in that area. Being part of committee has improved communication, higher levels of responsibility, organisation, ability to work under pressure Being treasurer of RAG looks good on a cv Better at dealing with situations Better skills in teamwork and managment Better with team work. Boat Club is love, Boat Club is life. Building up teamwork, leadership during the game/ match
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Built on my confidence level Built tem skills, developed 'soft' skills By giving experiences in other areas of skills & interests. Through volunteering for responsibilities & leadership roles By giving greater confidence around people. And talking in front of groups, leadership skills by being president By meeting new students while perusing a hobby I love Can multi-task (time management) have a hobby Captain - Learn to manage people and identify people's skills sets as well as my own. Dedication = good impression Collaborating with sponsors e.g. xercise4less which compliments my interest in the fitness industry Commitment and dedication are skills I show by being part of the rowing team which are positive characteristics Committee positions Committee positions have improves interpersonal skills & organisation Communication and teamwork skills Communication skill & greater confidence Communication skills Commuter gives you a sense of responsibility being in charge of a club Leadership skills Communication skills etc (debate!) Communication skills from drama soc are always useful Communication, team work, commitment, time management Communication, teamwork, organisation, even management are some skills aquired Confidence Confidence Confidence and interesting, committee positions Continuing to enjoy something that I love and have a passion for, whilst teaching complete beginners how to row and seeing them go on to compete and come close to winning against tough competition. CV boosting, committee positions etc Developed leadership skills, improved communication Developed leadership, communication skills and confidence in working in a team Developed organisational, leadership and time management skills as a teacher and committee member Development of skills that can be applicable within a wider field Employers look favourably on people who demonstrate their skills set in environments other than the work place Engineering team work Enhances people skills, social enhancements Event planning skills Evidence of leadership skills and responsibility as a committee member. Evidence of transferable skills such as team work, commitment, drive to do something else with my time that wasn't just university work. On a committee so leadership skills. Expanded cv Experience on the committee Experience running a club, showing responsibility. Experience- volunteering skills and confidence
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Experienced being a captain and tresurer, able to demostrate skills that i have learnt while holding these responsibilities Extra-curricular activities as well as the opportunity for fund-raising impressed a lot at a job interview, where I was then successful Extracurricular activities show depth of character & I have learnt skills (e.g. event organisation) First year rep- shows on cv Founding and residing over a society has given me a level of responsibility that employers may appreciate Gained more skills, increased confidence Gained skills Gained valuable skills and became more confident Gaining leadership and organisational skills Geological society organises trips to careers events Getting involved with committee positions including social sec and president has developed my confidence and public speaking. Given me more outlets for my abilities and more contacts Given me more to talk about on my CV Given me more usable life skills such as team work and communication skills Given me new skills and made me a more rounded people Given me skills such as leadership and broadened my view of how the world works. Given me value skills, and made me more confident Gives you something to look forward to. E.g - Socials/Training Greater demonstration of team work Greater range of skills and shows commitment Have attended talks that have helped me to write my cv Having the change to be on committee and go on to become President, has presented lots of opportunities to deal with situations that may arise in the working world. Held multiple committee positions, team-working, etc Helped me improve key skills such as communication and teamwork Helped me to improve in my sport which I haven't done in a long time. The teachers in Dance squad are friendly and open to new people who join making it an enjoyable experience. Helps improve your people skills and organisational qualities Higher social skills and ability to work with different people has improved Hullfire give me the opportunity to make connections and gain experience Hullfire is relevant experience for my degree I am a member of a team sport which has made me a team player and has furthered my ability to listen to other people's opinions and voice my own to a large number of people. It has made forming new relationships easier and my confidence has grown. My sport has pushed me to reach new heights and I have started to realise how much I really can do. I am currently the secretary and treasurer for men's lacrosse and I believe the skills I have learnt from this make me more employable. I am more experienced, I have skills dude! I am more open and willing to work in a team I believe sports reveals character, allowing me to discover who I am. With this I know what I can offer my future employers. I believe that all the societies and sport team i have taken part in has increased my employability. I specifically joined the societies to improve my legal practical skills. Furthermore I have been able to network with legal professionals as well as improve my cv, interview skills etc. I can work in a team better, adapt to new situations quickly.
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I feel it makes me a more rounded, interesting individual, as well helping to improve me in social situations. Furthermore I guess there's stuff like working well as part of a team which I perceive to be important in a professional, working environment, hence making me more employable. I gained public speaking skills, managing people skills I gained skills i didnt know I could have and its made me a better person I get to be involved in activities and events related to things I find interesting- it also serves as something outside of course related work. I have acuired skills while being a member of a sports team that will help me when I apply to a job I have become a member of committee, helping organise my team mates. Also working as a team and having people put their trust in you are important aspects of what employers look for. I have better management skills from helping the club. I have gained lots of valuable skills while being part of a society which recruiters particularly look for,some of these may include team-work,leadership and overall communication skills. I have gained management skills and some financial responsibilities as I have become president I have learnt how to manage and delegate a team of people I have gained many experiences from being part of a club, many of which can be transferred out of the "sports ground". I have gained valuable experience and transferable skills through taking executive positions including treasurer, video games co-ordinator and president I have good social skills and more confident thanks to the sport and my team mates I have had a responsibility on my team on the committee. I have improved my skills in working in a team and have been voted treasurer which has given me many transferable skills. These include great organisational and communication skills. I learnt new skills and feel more interesting as a person I think I can practice more communication skills I think it makes me a more 'rounded' person and highlights points such as team work, social skills but also shows dedication and time management rather than having spent your whole time focused on your single subject degree it gives me more experiences to talk about from uni. Besides employers like extra curricular activities. I think that being a member of a sports society in any capacity greatly increases how well rounded a person you seem to be on a CV or application, also being a member of an exec team teaches you valuable teamwork and leadership skills. I think the ability to work as part of a team is something employers look for and this is what being involved in sports is all about I went for a job interview and on my CV I mentioned my sport. This they were both impressed and releived to know as they found it a desireable trait to have in terms of protection for other employees and also shows team working skills. They commented that the skills that I had learnt as part of the sport would be transferable I worked as a photographer giving me valuable experience. I also created and run a company because of it I'd taken on a committee role which makes me a more rounded trust worthy and organised individual. All these are traits desirable for the employer when looking for employees I'm better at public speaking, formulating arguments and organising events. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m more experienced Improve my skills to deal with situations at hand better. Employers nowadays look beyond just academic side of an employee in my opinion. Improved communication, creativity & the ability to communicate to an audience In later years it encouraged me, as a senior member of the society, to take leadership roles Increased confidence
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Increased cultural diversity and learnt new languages Increases new skills, made me more confident around new people, improved my team working. It demonstrates versatility It enhances communication skills meeting people of different ages and on different course, and also provides leadership roles on the exec committee. It gave me more opportunities to socialise and interact with new people, better communication skills It had made me look more rounded to employers as it shows them I have interests outside of my studies It has added to my c It has enabled me to develop new skills such as leadership. It has enhanced my people skills and confidence as well as leadership and team working skills, through hull links I am a qualified first aider and have the opportunity to climb higher up the ladder and gain more first aid qualifications which is also great to add to a cv and is useful in many different work environments It has given me more teamwork and group skills. It has given me more transferable skills It has given me team player skills and helped me with my time keeping and organisation skills (from balancing time for sport and studying) It has given me various skills such as team work and communication skills It has made me in to more of a leader where these traits are transferable to the workplace. It has made me more employable because I can talk about my team working skills, my communication skills, taught me skills and ways of getting into the legal industry, etc. It has made the experience at uni more enjoyable & helped build relationships It help me gained new skills and shows I am committed to something. It helps team work a considerable amount as well as improving leadership skills which are essential characteristics in most career choices. It improves interpersonal skills before, during and after training. Socials also do this. It's all well and good getting a great degree but if you can't communicate with colleagues there's no point holding anything you've learnt in your brain. It is an example of teamwork + something to talk about It is something else to add to your cv and it makes you look like you do other things rather than just uni It means you work well with a team, and you have a drive to win. It proves my ability to manage my time and skills effectively. It shows eomployers what I am capable of! It shows I am willing to get involved in extra-curricular activities and I want to further my learning experience and skills beyond the work place. It shows I can easily get along with a new group of people It shows I can work well in a team. It shows my ability to manage several different things in my life at once (ie studying, sports, part time work) It shows that I am all rounded, and can play hard, as well as work hard. When securing my placement, the interviewer focused on the parts in my CV where I mentioned Hindu Soc and Hullfire Radio It shows that I have an interest in extra curricular activities. Being part of a team also demonstrates that I am a team player and am interested in learning new skills. It shows that I have more than just an academic background, that I have other skills that make me different from other candidates and also give me things to talk about in interviews e.g. teamwork, charity work etc...
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It shows that my interests and skills are not just relevant to my course. It shows varieties and being outgoing It's a great way to show that potential employers that I am a dedicated team member. I have also been a team captain which shows potential employers that I have the ability to lead a team also. It's given me very good roles to place on my CV as I've been a teacher for them team since my first, this is also my second year as committee and my role within the team has allowed me to say that I'm a volunteer for the university. It's shown that I am able to work in a team with others It's shows that I'm active and sociable which is important as geography is a very active degree! It's shows that I'm active and willing to get involved with sports that I previously haven't and so shows I'm willing to try new things and can socialise easily. It's vastly improved my confidence and enabled me to clock volunteering hours I've gained team leadership skills from being in a team which should help me in the future I've had more experience and developed relevant skills I've learnt a lot that I would not have learnt just by my course I've volunteered in many aspects of the club and the sport and learned skills about event organisation, time management, socializing and general commitment and applying myself to get to where I want to be. Key skills such as leadership, communication Leadership qualities Leadership skills Learn greater variety of skills Learn new skills Being bale to balance academics with social Learned skills such as leadership + time management Learned to be myself and relax as I got comfortable with new people Learning to work as a team and to have some self discipline. Learnt new skills and increased presentation ability. Learnt new skills, working in a team etc Learnt team skills etc Legal skills & experience LINKS / St John Ambulance..... Made me a strong character, passionate, hard working, not taking no for an answer. Made me be able to warm with other people Made me more confident in myself which has always been an issue Makes me seem a more sociable person Management skills Managing a soc, + event organisation Managing stress, working extremely hard and and hours to succeed and reach a goal successfully, encouraging creativity in others and shaping the ideas of others into true workable ones- bringing it alive and making it possible Many employers these days look for basica skills such as team work and good communication, and these are key skills by being on a sports team. People skills are important today in a wide variety of jobs therefore being part of a sports team really helps to develop this skill. Massive confidence bost More confidence More confidence, able to lead a group More confident
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More desirable skills More leadership skills from coaching/ committee positions & confidence More opportunities to go out and have fun with friends, more chances to make more friends and a good way to keep active More skills More skills More skills for later life (eg: teamwork) and it shows employers that I can stick at something and won't slack off without finishing! More skills that I've learned including team work More skills with dealing with people and organising stuff (exec) More sociable More sociable alumni connections My committee position has given me some transferable softskills. My sports and society have helped me with teamwork, leadership and working with different types of people I haven't dealt with before My teamwork and self confidence have improved My time keeping, and workrate have become better. New people skills as well as new challenges and experiences which I can talk about in an interview New skills- leadership, organisational etc New skills, leaderships and responsibilities. Opportunities like umpiring courses and captaining Only somewhat - it shows I am a more well rounded person and gives me more things to add to my CV Opportunity to receive further training Organisation and communication skills Organisation, promoting from being on committee Originally not a very sociable person, being particularly part of a team has engaged me into being more social and talkative. So I do believe I am being not only a better being but also a good ambassador after being employed Part of the committee- many transferable skills Playing a sport has allowed me to improve team work skills. I think it will also make me look like a well-rounded person with hobbies and interests outside of my subject area. Playing in my team has helped bring my previously low confidence levels back up. it also teaches the values of team work, commitment and hard work. It has also brought out a competitive nature that i didn't think i had Presidency has taught many useful skills President of performing arts society: leadership skills RAG- charity looks good on cvs Reasons below. Rounded individual, more transferable skills See earlier answer - has given me teamwork and practical skills examples to use in interviews. Seen to run a sports team and do my degree. Show I can work with a team, stick to regular weekly training sessions. Shows a certain level of social skills? Shows a range of skills as I am a member of committee and that I am a well rounded individual. shows can work as a team and do more than just academic studies shows employers other interests to your study Shows I am active determined and team player
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Shows I am passionate about something and am willing to stick at it Shows I can manage my time Shows I can work in a team and I am willing to put in the effort to do something I enjoy Shows I have done with my university experience than just my degree Improved my confidence as was forced to make friends with people I didn't know to fully enjoy the team Shows I have other interest and I am/ have an active lifestyle. Shows i have outside interests other than my degree. the more activities you get involved with, the better person you are for it Shows i work in a team environment Shows commitment Shows skills Shows team building and discipline as well as showing that you have hobbies/passions shows teamwork and communication shows teamwork, sportmanship Shows that I can work well under pressure and can work in a team. Shows that there was more to my university career than academia. Why would I choose Hull Uni if that was my priority? If I was an employer I would filter out the losers who did nothing fun and got 1sts, especially those who did so at mid-ranked universities. Shows you doing something extra, committee positions are good for a cv Shows you have other hobbie and a social life. Shows commitment and organisational skills especially being Vice Captain. Shows you've been proactive whilst also studying for a degree Since it shows commitment and rounds me out as an individual Skills Skills Skills gained Skills gained from involvement- can describe in an interview Skills in teamwork & cooperation Skills obtained. Social sec sounds good Social skills have been improved, taken on responsibility as part of a committee. Societies- leadership and team skills. media- good networking skills Society being relevant to my course Something to put on my CV. Team building helps the ability to work together to achieve a mutual goal Team building skills Team sports can be put onto CVs and there are a wide range of skills you can get from partaking in a team sport Team work Team work skills and leadership. Team work skills, chance to be on a committee, shows the ability to organise your time, fitness. Team work, social skills, leadership, general responsibility Team, committee member Teamwork Teamwork Teamwork
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Teamwork (hockey), employment (student ambassador) Teamwork and communication skills. Shows dedication and working towards a common goal. Teamwork and constant hobby Teamwork and working as vp (leadership). it also got me a job at the sports centre Teamwork skills, commitment Teamwork, developed sills that can be transferred Teamwork, fitness, leadership, organisation, communication sport offers a wealth of skills applicable to any job. Teamwork, organisation That's on of the thing everybody benefit from team sport where everyone has responsibility towards the team. The law society has a few competitions which could help with cv enhancements The law society looks good on your cv and gives you skills The number of skills I've developed at HUU is endless! The obvious answer of organisational skills, but stepping forward in tough situations and taking the lead because of the level of confidence I have gained through my position this year The opportunity to be involved in more activities and events. The skills that have gained and working in a team The society is job/work related. sport has helped with team work The swim team allowed my confidence to grow as well as helping me to get out and do stuff. I have taken part in fundraising activities and have been given the opportunity to be part of interviews and public speaking when I have been involved in things such as committee selection. The opportunity of becoming the secretary gave me responsibility as well as organisation, time management as I had to be an active member of the team whilst continuing to work for my degree. I have practiced my public speaking on a number of occasions and I have negotiated as part of my role on committee. Team work is key to a successful and smooth running club and I have definitely improved and I have enhanced my marketing skills by trying to market myself to the club (for a committee position), the club to freshers (at the AU fair) and the club to sponsors. Theirs nothing better then sitting in one of my boring lectures and knowing that in the next hour I will be training again with a great group of people! There are a lot of transferable skills when playing a sport, especially when it is a team game. I will gladly be mentioning it in my CV. This has developed many skills and I will be able to talk about this in my CV in order to hopefully get a job 1 day and after getting a job, I will be able to put my developed skills to use. Through development of my personal skills making me more confident + providing opportunities I would not have on my own Through my sports team I have been involved in sports activator courses and chosen as the most committed member of the team. All of this adds to another layer of my employability showing that I'm an 'all rounder' and can not only work well with people but play as a team. Time organisation, public speaking and dealing with people To a certain extent, I believe that helping to organise fundraisers and training sessions displays a certain level of competence and willingness. Transferable skills Wednesday night with HUSSKI and then having things Within my time in the dance squad, I was a teacher for one of the classes. This responsibility is something I can apply to my future job/university applications. Work experience/ opportunities via connections Working in a team communicating with one another. Different skills and experiences. Working in a team experience Working in groups confidence
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Yes as I got the chance to be on a committee and join in with organisation and all Yes as I have taken on a role on a committee You can work in a team, and it means you're mixing with different people, not just those on your course. This makes you more rounded, and much less insular. 6. Freetext responses to the question “Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? If other, please specify”
Which of the following skills do you think you have developed through your involvement with a sport/ society/ activity? If other, please specify Can now drink a pint in under 5 seconds. Commercial awareness Communication Compassion, debating, persuasion Confidence Confidence Confidence Eduacational abilities Getting drunk How to run something with a smaller budget than underdeveloped countries Knowledge of many other cultures Loving, Living More disciple and self control My riding skills, specifically jumping Pissed Positive physical and mental wellbeing Self confidence/belief Self-Confidence Social skills Team management, conflict resolution, understanding of work place politics & beurocracy 7. Freetext responses to the question “Any other comments regarding your experience of being involved in a sport/ society/ activity”
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Any other comments regarding your experience of being involved in a sport/ society/ activity 70
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Positive Best thing I did at hull uni. +++awesome Absolutely fantastic. All have built on my leadership skill and communication for employment Being a part of a society like HUSAH has really helped me feel like a part of the larger university community. Being a treasurer for a new club has given me an insight into the way a Student Union operates and enabled me to utilise some of the skills I've developed in my professional life. Being on committee really shows potential employers your ability to lead and what you learn is essential in the workplace. Boat Club is love, Boat Club is life. Couldn't recommend it more Definitely worth doing, meet new people, have a good time Ever since joining women's cricket I have loved everything about it, from training to socials and I have a lot to thank to the AU for making my overall experience at uni amazing. Good range of societies available Great opportunity to meet new people and really adds to the enjoyment of the Hull university experience! I believe it is important to enter extra curricular activity due to its is social and skill building aspects. Having a pursuit external to ones degree is useful for unwinding, diverting individuals thinking and maintain a balanced psychological state I didn't stay in a sports society for very long due to other commitments. Chapel choir is a fantastic activity for anyone who can sing. We have fantastic trips and concerts. I do them for fun, really. I don't think I can reiterate enough how important and beneficial being part of HUMLC has been to me. If there's anything more to add it's that the team takes care of your wellbeing, and as a fresher it's good to know 2nd and 3rd years who've been in the same position as you and give you helpful advice. It has also helped me improve my mental health. Cheers for reading, whoever you are. I have really enjoyed being involved in a sport/society/activity as I feel that university isn't just about getting a degree, it is also about pushing your own boundaries. This might bye by 70
being active with a sports team, or learning how effectively present a case in front of judges in a mock trial. They allow students to develop themselves as a whole and gain practical experiences and life lessons that you wouldn't necessarily gain from attending lecturers. I really appreciate the amount of work staff and volunteers put in to make it possible for students to run and be members of sports/society/activity! I joined a sports team late in my university career and the only thing I regret is not joining sooner. I now can't imagine my university experience without the support and friendship of my sports club. I recommed joining a sport or society as they are great fun and can be useful. I think its such a good part of being at the university and would always encourage those who are shy or apprehensive of joining to do so as it totally changes and improves your student life I would be one lonely asian kid if I didn't have a sports team. I would highly recommend everyone to be proactive in being involved with what the union has to offer. I would not have enjoyed university or felt I'd really got the most out of it without being involved with sports and my society I'm so great full the au plays such an important role in Hull university life It has been an integral part of my university life; in some parts coming to an equivalent importance as my degree It has been the best thing I've done at university. It has definitely made me a more confident outgoing person and made uni a lot better! It helps one stay fit It's a value deal for most societies for what you get out of it It's been brilliant Its been really lovely! it allowed me to meet people and travel to lovely places It's fantastic! <3 Its fun It's fun- get involved It's great It's made coming to uni much more enjoyable as everyone involved in sport is so friendly and welcoming. It's something good to do if you are missing home Joining the sharks was greatest decision ever Just been really good Just do it! Litterally the best part of university, can't imagine a university experience without the AU especially as I didn't live in halls so didn't have a block. Love been part of the horse riding club 2015/16 team, great fun <3 xx Love it Love it. and would recommend it to anyone at the uni Love the sport and social aspect My time at university would have been unrecognizable without my involvement in a sports team People come to University for the degree but leave talking about almost everything else; friends, sports, societies, events etc. Being involved in societies/ sport/ activity gives people experiences & develops interests 71
which could lead them towards employment that has nothing to do with what they studied. It opens more doors, gives increased options, makes everything more interesting People may not may make friends on their course, so these are essential for a lot of people to make friends and make connections to the university RAG has been good. HUSSKI has been okay- good for Wednesday night but work experience wise less necessary Recommend as a great way to make friends and gain skills etc So much fun, would recommend it to anyone who comes to the uni. The best experience of my life, it has made my university experience worthwhile There is a real sense of community that surrounds the Athletic Union. Joining a sports team was the best decision I have made as it meant that I met so many more people. This year I am team captain which has given me valuable skills Through my experience both as Video Games Co-ordinator and President I have had opportunities to teach and to learn, organising joint-hosted tournaments with GAME at St Stephens, teaching heir staff how to manage PokĂŠmon tournaments and our members how best to compete in them, and learning to improve my own teaching and organisation To stress how important this is to me personally, when i imagine myself in a few years time thinking about university; it won't be the studying or essays that i remember, it will be the goals i achieved, the people i helped to achieve their goals, and ultimately the friends that i made through my AU involvement. There is no complete university life without some form of society/au involvement! University isn't just about getting a degree and leaving. All the other elements whether they are positive or negative play a massive role in allowing you to grow up as a person. Sport allows you not only to play a sport you enjoy, but at a great level along with making great new friends who you get to train with multiple times a week and travel to different universities/cities (which the international students love). Volunteering experience Weather you are doing it for the first time or the 100th time, being far from home with no friends or family in the immediate vicinity is a very daunting experience. The regimented training structure, coupled with weekly games and regular socials provided a smooth transition in my first year which turned out to be invaluable once my course got tough. Well worth it for the comradery and opportunity/ space to express yourself and your talents Without then, I wouldn't be the person I am today Worthwhile Would recommend it to everyone and if you don't get on with a certain sport or team don't give up just try another. You get the chance to meet new people with the same hobbies as you. It's very cool to have the possibility of sharing your experience with other and compete with each other.
Funding A lack of funding for the club has meant the cost for competitions is rather high, this has limited the number I can go on. Athletics needs more funding!!!!!!!! Being part of pole fitness has made my time at Hull uni much more enjoyable. It would be more so if it had the necessary funding! I believe that the university should show appreciation of the benefits of sport more readily. Financial restrictions hamper all teams and it would appear moreso than at other universities. 72
Facilities are expensive and relatively poorly maintained. The university seems to look down on and hamper sport participation rather than promote it. Funding always appears to go elsewhere. Sports teams are rarely consulted about what they want/feel would help them I feel that the sports teams should be funded for our BUCs matches as we are representing the university and so shouldn't have to pay to represent the university. I have enjoyed being part of the club for all the reasons listed above however lack of sufficient funding for BUCs and pool hire among other things has caused issues and meant that I can't always enjoy what the club has to offer nor can I afford to join more than one club at a time which is annoying. I have really enjoyed being in the horse riding society however I feel that the facilities available are not as good as other universities. I feel that the university should put more funding into the club to ensure that new equipment and opportunities can be provided for team members. I think the sports teams and the union are embarrassingly underfunded by the university. When I go into an interview and I'm enthusing about my role in a team, they're given such a positive impression of Hull University. This is in no way deserved, given how little the administration seemed to care or help our development. I thoroughly enjoy playing lacrosse, but it seems to receive far less training than other teams in the Athletics Union, this may be because it is small compared to others, like rugby and football, but it takes funding to grow a team, equipment is expensive and sometimes we struggle to equip the members we have. Involved with the new Pole fitness society, would be brilliant if they could have more support financially from the university in order to help get pole lessons on campus and involve as many people as possible (lessons are currently off campus). It has been great so far I have met some really nice lads, would be great if we could have had some funding to buy more/new equipment It still annoys me how poorly financed the football club is. It felt like a major step down playing for the university team compared to my team before university. Because of this I wasn't enjoying playing as much. I've seen these thoughts repeated as the club would have talented individuals trial but then chose not to play for the club. Usually people will refuse to play for the club due to a combination of high costs involved in playing and the clubs facilities. Its hard to attract players when you have limited to footballs, kit and no manager. It lacks professionalism which enhances this stepping down feeling. Players will then go and play for local Sunday league teams, which have playing ability, but are better financed and organised. It would be lovely if we didn't have to pay a lot of money for membership as this limits the number of clubs one can join as it's very expensive including the sports pass as well. Paying to play at each training session has discouraged a lot of people from continuing with the sports. It would be great if the AU can increase funding for this. It's definitely been positive. The union appear to have provided zero support for my team so I dislike that they require any fees. Joining a sport at university has really helped me build my confidence and become a member of committee. I wish that there was more funding and recognition of cheerleading as a sport and more support generally. To have sports days organised and to meet other teams not just social wise would also be really nice and for ALL teams to be involved. Pole is great, but more funding so it can be done in uni and members can come more regularly. Also, more mmbers could join! Societies and hullfire need better funding for new/ better equipment
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Societies and sports make the university what it is and to be honest, is the big attraction of hull (other than the degrees on offer!). if they were given greater funding these could become truly great and fulfil the potential they have. Societies need more funding, without them this university would be a much darker place Societies need more of a budget Sports clubs are under funded The AU needs more funding for improvement of the S&FC and the purchase of new material and sports gear The only disappointment is the seemingly unfair allocation of funds amongst the AU teams. Be it from external sources outside of HUU's control or internal funding either through coaching or through cash injection towards equipment. Perhaps having some sort of advisor for ALL Athletic Union teams in this area would be something to look into. The women's cricket team definitely need more funding and the attitude of some sports teams seriously needs to be looked into. Although I do believe being part of a sports team is fantastic some of the songs some clubs sing at social are utterly disgusting. Throughout being involved in athletics it seems the club would benefit from more funding. We desperately need more money We should invest more in sport. A dojo should be built. If we build a Dojo more people will come to university. Wish there was more funding in sports especially so more people can get involved without worrying about financial constraints
Other Advertise training times better Being a member of an AU Team was far more organised and a better experience that joining a society. AU Teams are all year long with more events and opportunities. Societies fizzle out relatively quickly. Dance Squad requests that the University she's the AU as a responsibility and respectable Union, and to allow the sports vp to get new supplies as it will attract new student and enhance their overall university experience. HUU is run for it's own profit making schemes. It's not about the students, it's not about liberation of holding education to account. The budget cuts to all zones to make a new bloody pizza parlour and expand the shop is ridiculous, unintelligent and just disgusting. HUU is a terrible place to volunteer. I don't know why everybody doesn't join a sports club. Need to remove the stereotype of if I join a club I have to do the drinking as well, which many people don't enjoy. Speaking from a club point of view, whilst we social, there is never any pressure for anyone to drink, as drinking games whilst played occasionally, are not the point of a social night for us. I feel that the AU doesn't value all clubs equally and that some clubs are favoured more than others. This includes issues such as funding for sporting facilities, coaching fund, being recognised at AU council and other AU events as AU Ball. Specifically in my experience my club has been overlooked in various ways such as requested mini buses not being booked, kit shop not online with the other AU teams, kit order delivered late and incorrectly printed etc I think there needs to be more freedom for some societies especially political ones Involved in 74
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been jokes man Loved working with the media area, but wish more was done to promote and sustain it. More verity No None. Pole society need more organisation and better communication. Also need classes on campus or and a studio for stretch instead of sharing with dance students Thank you to Rhys Davies for his hard work for the badminton club- all the best for the future The Archery club needs to stop being ignored The university need to make the sports teams easier for freshers to join. Having 2 days in freshers week for freshers to come down and see what's available, when people are still making friendship groups means a lot of them feel like they have missed the opportunity. From personal experience, trying to join a team after the first few weeks when groups have already been established is very hard, which could quite easily put freshers off. Maybe an on going effort by the university to introduce freshers into the AU and show them what is available and encourage committees to get involved with the freshers during this time. Stating club/soc Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m part of the frisbee and breakdance society American football and baseball Cricket (HUCC, tamil soc Cricket, aquatic science society Drama soc, ice hockey I play for sharks American football I'm a member of Hull Sharks American Football team. Netball squad, performing arts society Part of mountaineering, kayaking au clubs, physics and music societies Swimming/ womens cricket Facilities As an active member of several AU teams, I cannot emphasise enough how beneficial more space for the teams would be. Specifically more studio space for Dance, Dancesport and Pole Fitness would allow these teams to really excel and achieve their goals set for the year. For instance, the Pole Fitness society has enough funds to buy nearly a full set of poles for a studio but no space to set them up or even keep them. All we'd need is a room! Facilities and coaching options is terrible. The sports hall not being owned and run by the university is ridiculous. For those clubs, such as Tennis, not having adequate onsite facilities is extremely frustrating and exceptionally costly. In the medium to long term, the University need to look at investing in adequate tennis courts (potentially with a bubble so play can go ahead in the Winter months). It would keep the club more financially viable and have a sports team with over 70 memberships using onsite facilities, mutually beneficial for all. Horse riding is a great club to be part off. Just wish the horse riding lessons could be more frequent and with more places. We can't practice for pole dancing AU because the university won't provide us with a space suitable on campus.
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I believe that the university should show appreciation of the benefits of sport more readily. Financial restrictions hamper all teams and it would appear moreso than at other universities. Facilities are expensive and relatively poorly maintained. The university seems to look down on and hamper sport participation rather than promote it. Funding always appears to go elsewhere. Sports teams are rarely consulted about what they want/feel would help them I have really enjoyed being in the horse riding society however I feel that the facilities available are not as good as other universities. I feel that the university should put more funding into the club to ensure that new equipment and opportunities can be provided for team members. We should invest more in sport. A dojo should be built. If we build a Dojo more people will come to university.
References 1.College Student Retention: Formula for Student Success: Seldman A 2. Good practice in student retention: an examination of student integration of non-completion: University of Sunderland, Newcastle University and University of Hull 3.Integration and adaptation: Approaches to the student retention and achievement puzzle: Zepke, N 4.Dodge et al., 2009; 5.Tinto, 1975; 6.Wells, 2003; 7.Wells, 2007 8.Ascend Learning, LLC. (2012). Student attrition: Consequences, contributing factors, and remedies.
9.http://www.hepi.ac.uk/455-2142/Flexible-Learning--Wrapping-Higher-Education-Around-the-Needs-Of-Part-TimeStudents.html
10.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/299689/bis-14-516-nationalstrategy-for-access-and-student-success.pdf 11.NUS/CBI December 2010.
12.http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jan/20/university-societies-employability-students
Authored by: K. Brook (VP Activities), G. Sanghera (VP Sport)
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