“Get involved with the SU and clubs and socs straight away. It took me almost four years to get really involved in SU life and I really regret not being part of that for my whole time there.” Aileen Murphy, Financial & Actuarial Mathematics 2009, Treasurer Dance Soc.

We know going to University isn’t all about lectures and books. It’s also about getting out there, getting involved and having some of the best experiences of your life. When you come to DCU we want you to get the best all-round education you can get, so we encourage you to get involved in campus life outside the lecture theatre. That’s why we were the first university to offer credits towards your degree for extracurricular activities (Uaneen Link here) and why we encourage high performing athletes with sports scholarships (scholarship link here). Clubs and Societies are where you’ll make lasting friendships and find the people you’ve most in common with during your time in University.

So when you’re finished with lectures you might be wondering what DCU has for you to do with the rest of the evening? Whether you’re interested in some amateur dramatics, kicking back and playing some Halo with the lads, or even strutting your stuff down a catwalk, DCU’s society life covers it all. Drama or Debate; Paintballing or Style; Celtic Supporters or Home and Away; DCU has a society for almost any interest you can imagine. Societies generally meet at least once a week to hold their regular activities and even more often if they’re planning something big. Like say when Style Soc host their Fashion Show in front of an audience of 1000 people or when the Media Production Society is running a full time radio station. If you get to DCU and you have an interest that isn’t covered by our current list of societies, say you prefer Neighbours to Home and Away, it’s very easy to set up your own society, the Office of Student Life is there help you to do this and before you know it you’ll be organising your own events.

Sport has a special place in DCU, we want to encourage everyone to get involved in some sort of sport and we have around 50 Clubs covering everything from Soccer, Rugby and GAA to Archery, Fencing and even Ultimate Frisbee. These clubs take members at every level from beginner upwards so if there’s some sport you’d like to try that you’ve never done before this is the perfect opportunity. Every year our Sports Clubs compete all around the country and indeed all around the world and are constantly earning bragging rights wherever they go.

As well as over 100 Clubs and Societies, the Students’ Union also runs (usually massive) events all throughout the year. Orientation Week 09 for instance had the Lock and Key Ball, County Colours Night, Michael Jackson Ball, an old time Ceili and PJ Gallagher doing a stand up comedy night. And that’s just the first week. There are events going on all during the year and there’s rarely a quiet night. Nothing is more spectacular than seeing the Hub Student Centre or the Helix turned into one massive niteclub holding 2000 people.

So whatever your interests, DCU has something to offer outside of the classroom too. They say University Life is what you make of it, make yours epic.