Sports and Societies are at the heart of St John’s, sparking excitement and aspirations in both new and experienced students. Life in John’s editor, Maia Tollner, explores the wide variety of sports and societies available in college, reflecting on the community spirit they foster.
Returning to college after the holidays was strange. Dark by 4pm and bitterly cold, shoved into the deep end of summatives and exams, it was a struggle getting back into the rhythm of things. To raise spirits, the SJCR took us back in time to Freshers’ Week, packing in everyone’s favourite activities from over the years into 24 hours. From Durham Monopoly to Ceilidh, Mario Kart to Tea and Toast, Refreshers’ day was an enjoyable and nostalgic deja vú moment for us all. However, we had a proper refresher with the Sports and Societies Fair in the morning which replenished everyone’s memory about the plethora of activities available at St John’s. In light of this, I would like to take the opportunity to reflect on the world beyond academia and pique your interest in some of our wonderful societies.
Image sourced from Billy Wilson via Flickr.
There are many cherished societies here at John’s, such as the rowing club, the Bailey Theatre Company and netball, just to name a few! But, since the beginning of this academic year, new societies have been revived.
Before arriving in Durham in 2022, Board Games Society caught Jen Ravenhall’s eye on the college website, only to find it was non-existent when she arrived. “[I] thought it’d be great to revive it,” Jen, now President, explained, “but I didn’t really have anyone to do it with.” Luckily, in the Michaelmas I SJCR meeting, Jen discovered an enthusiasm for the club and some fellow students who could help her reestablish it. Every Monday evening, the club meet to play a new game each week with previous games including Wavelength, Werewolf and Herd Mentality. Due to popularity, Jen is hoping to offer longer games but in smaller groups to ensure everyone can get involved. When discussing the benefits of the club, Jen described that “It’s just like a chance to relax and do something non-academic for a change”, illustrating the new friendships and connections made. If you would like to join the Board Games Society or to find out more, check out their Instagram account: @johns.boardgames. The society has recently made a group chat, where you can sign up for the next meeting depending on your availability.
Like the Board Games Society, Feminist Book Club has made a comeback. After noticing it in their first year, co-presidents Amber Price-Butterworth and Mira Kothari were determined to further establish the club. Alternating between fiction and non-fiction, the society chooses a book on social media to read and discuss. In their upcoming meeting on the 15th of February, they are planning to focus on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, hoping to explore “where feminism comes into play [and] some sort of like history of feminism”, Amber elaborated. “Literature is a reflection of life”, Mira explained, and so Feminist Book Club crafts an accessible and welcoming environment for students to extract the feminist themes conveyed in the book and draw parallels with what they observe in everyday life. With no pressure to read an entire book before the meeting, students are encouraged to join in, as Amber painted the meetings as a welcoming and inclusive space to ‘discuss what we think’. So whether it’s listening to others or bringing their own thoughts to the table, students can get involved with an invigorating conversation on feminism. Beyond reading, Feminist Book Club hold socials with their most recent one being a pajama social with a bar crawl and a Thursday Fab’s! If you are interested in Feminist Book Club and would like to find out more, take a look at their Instagram: @johnsfeministbookclub.
Drawing a celebration of sports and societies to a close, St John’s held a Sports and Societies formal on the 22nd of January to praise students’ talent and dedication, in particular the exec members, who work extremely hard to create and organise their respective societies. Docked out with overhead lights and with a flurry of green and red serviettes, this formal was a truly special one. After dinner with a Burns’ night twist, we had a speech from our principal Jolyon, and Dave Coldwell, the Head of Sports at Durham University, reminiscing on John’s various sporting achievements and athletic skills. The nourishing food and heartwarming atmosphere mirrored the bonds our sports and societies foster across year groups and degrees.
At John’s, community is key. It is found in all aspects of life at John’s, in the academics, the accommodation and the formals, but where community truly flourishes is in the sports and societies. From playing badminton to creating artwork, connections blossom as students are united in their shared interests and passions. Over the past few weeks of crafting this article, enjoying Refresher’s day, meeting society presidents and attending the Sports and Societies formal, our exuberant and spirited community has come to light.
Image Credit: Billy Wilson via Flickr
John's Chronicle 