Joining the club

Arts and science student Amelia Orr recalls not having much to do with other students in between commuting in and out of campus during her first year at the University.

That all changed, though, once she signed up to some clubs.

“Joining a club is genuinely one of the most valuable things you can add to your university experience,” says Amelia, now in the final year of her undergraduate degree.

“Through joining clubs I’ve made friends that I’m going to have for the rest of my life.”

Getting involved in executive positions in clubs has been especially valuable, she says. As well as being co-president of the Psychology Students’ Association, she’s co-founder and co-president of the Arts and Education Student Association (AESA) alongside fourth-year law and arts student Jessica (Jess) Luo.

The pair co-founded AESA last year following the lapse of the former Arts Students’ Association and the emergence of the combined Faculty of Arts and Education. The association has since attracted 500 members, has an executive committee of 19 and carries out a range of functions, such as advocacy and events.

The success of the new club was reflected in its dominance at last year’s Clubs Awards, where it won best well-being initiative, best new club, and was the supreme award winner.

Jess leads the association’s events activities, which include the annual Arts and Education Ball, bi-weekly free breakfasts (an initiative that won the club the well-being award), and a debate series between Auckland University Students’ Association candidates.

“We also put a lot of time and effort into our Creative Arts Week,” says Jess.
“Given we’re now representing this super faculty, which includes lots of creative practice disciplines, the week is about highlighting the amazing creations that come out of student work.

“It’s a week where we define our identity as a faculty and bring together a bunch of creative, talented students.”

AESA takes up a lot of time, but Jess is also a member of SpaceHub UoA and Amelia belongs to the AU Tramping Club, one of the University’s largest and oldest clubs (founded in 1932).

With more than 250 active clubs at the University – spanning everything from a dessert club to a role-playing guild to a crochet corner – “there’s something for everyone”, says Emma Ko, the University’s acting student voice team leader.

All clubs are independently owned and run by their members, however the University oversees the registration of its clubs, which need a minimum of 30 members.

Some of the biggest clubs have around 1,500 members and more than half of all clubs have 100-plus members. Overall club membership is around 49,000, with some students, like Amelia and Jess, having multiple club memberships.

“Although so many clubs can seem niche, it’s really powerful when they’re able to reach out to different clubs that have similar or overlapping values or interests to collaborate,” says Emma. “And it’s even cooler when they’re reaching out to clubs that have nothing to do with them and they’re still wanting to collaborate.”

Clubs from across campus will gather in the first week of Semester Two for the University’s Clubs Expo, which showcases their activities. It’s a key time for clubs to recruit new members, network with executive teams across different clubs and showcase the variety of activities that happen on campus.

“Being a University student is a unique period in someone’s life, and getting involved in clubs makes the student experience more holistic,” says Emma.

“So, when you look back on that time, you’ll remember it as a special chapter where you were able to explore new ideas and hobbies, connect with different people and communities, and tap into opportunities you may not have otherwise had.”

Caitlin Sykes