Since results day you have all probably been looking at what DMU has to offer aside from your course. University is not just all about your degree, although that is quite an important part! It is also about the experiences that shape you into adults ready to take on the daunting real world of work. When you are paying £9,000 for your degree, you want to make the most of your university life and what your university has to offer. So why should you join a sports team at DMU?
1. Keep fit! It goes without saying for many of you this will be your first time away from home and our habits change in a new environment. So it is important to stay healthy and exercise regularly. Joining a sports team at DMU gets you into a routine of keeping fit and all without the expensive gym membership!
2. De-stress! Sport and exercise are a great way of relieving stress especially during deadline weeks and exam periods. Half an hour of training on the pitch/field/court with your team will boost your mood during the tougher days of uni. You’ll be grateful for the fresh air and human contact after hours cooped up in the library!
3. Time management! Learning to manage your time wisely is crucial when you graduate and enter the big world of work. It also teaches you to start your work early so you can balance your week between uni work, training and socialising! For those of you on courses with little contact time (like myself) it gives you something to fill your free days with.
4. Socials! It is a well-known fact that the best nights out at uni are always a Wednesday night. Every Wednesday each sport teams meet at their sponsored bars for social before all hitting the SU together. It’s the best way to get to know your teammates and other clubs! Don’t fret if you’re not a drinker, as it is great just being out with your team whether drunk or stone cold sober, plus Wednesday nights aren’t the only socials! All teams have plenty of other social activities throughout the year such as team meals and laser quest. At the end of the year, all sporting achievements are recognised at Colours, the end of year sports ball and the biggest event of the year.
5. Varsity! The end of second term is renowned for arguably the biggest sporting event in Leicester; the annual derby between DMU and Leicester Uni. Varsity fever kicks in from January when sports teams start to prepare for their biggest fixture of the season. This year is DMU’s turn to host the two week event which begins with the Football and ends with the Rugby at the home of Leicester Tigers, Welford Road. Even if you are not playing on a team, you’ll want to be at as many games as possible to support and cheer on your team.
6. Family! The people you meet on your team by the end of first term will be your friends, but by the end of first year they will be your family. Ask any member of a sports team and they will tell you how they would not know what to do without their team. You will revel in the glory of victories and face the pain of defeat together. Through the highs and lows of university life, your team will be the ones that will always be there for you, through thick and thin.
Over the next few days in the build up to the Sports Fair, each sport will be showcasing what they have to offer as part of our Spotlight series. You can find out more information, meet the teams and sign up at the Sports Fair, Thursday 25th September outside the Campus Centre. All teams will be holding taster sessions and socials in the following weeks so you can have a taste of the sport before committing to anything.
