Society Showcase: Newcastle 20 Minute Society

One of the many obstacles that new students experience is making friends and feeling like they genuinely belong at campus. However, one way to join in is to socialise – specifically with societies.

With only a month to go until Freshers begins at universities all across the UK, this August we have focused our showcases on everything fresher related. Last week we spoke to London student Nancy about her top tips as a student, as well as her experience working with us at Hype. This week we’re going to the opposite end of the country and speaking to the 20 Minute Society in Newcastle all about their unique and fun society, as well as their advice for freshers seeking societies out at their new universities!

Hype: Hey 20 Minute Society, it’s great to talk to you. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and the society?

20 Minute Society: Hey there, I’m Ethan and I’m the president of the 20 Minute Society. This year I’ll be studying for a master’s in data science. The 20 Minute society is a hugely popular society due to its unique concept. The fundamental of the society is that you get a text with a meeting point, and you have 20 minutes to get there and then you go off to do a random activity!

Hype: What kind of 20 Minute challenges have you gotten up to over the last year?

20 Minute Society: This past year has been amazing for 20 Minute after building back from Covid. We have had a range of socials, from Zumba to ice-skating, to bowling and even crazy golf. This just touches the surface though, and there is always such a huge variety to get involved with. Other than this, we’ve had a Winter and Summer ball, along with our annual mystery holiday!

Hype: Apart from 20 Minute challenges, what other fun things does your society get up to?

20 Minute Society: We also have 2 mystery city breaks in the UK, along with a mystery holiday. With the mystery trips, members don’t know where they are going until we get to the location! Our winter and summer balls have been iconic parts of the society’s annual events. These are less mysterious with members knowing the date and time of these events in advance. Finally, our welfare officer will be putting on a host of welfare events with things like free dominos pizza, summer BBQs and more.

Hype: As part of your fun society, you hold mystery holidays. Where has the society been in the past?

20 Minute Society: We have been to a range of different countries and cities over the years. Some of these include Cologne, Germany, Krakow, Poland, Zagreb, Croatia and most recently Budapest, Hungary. There will be another mystery holiday coming up at some point, so keep your eyes on our socials for how to get involved.

Hype: What has been your favourite challenge so far?

20 Minute Society: Personally, for me, our weekend trip to Manchester was my favourite. It was a really great weekend, and being from that area made it feel that much better. Plenty of food trying, sightseeing, couple of nights out, it was simply the best.

Hype: For Freshers starting uni, the prospect of joining societies can be both exciting and daunting. What can freshers expect from your society?

20 Minute Society: Being a fresher myself, I know how daunting university life can be, the best advice I would give is to get yourself involved as much as possible. By joining 20 Minute, you can expect a whole range of fun, opportunities, and the chance to meet loads of different people. Plus after you pay the £10 sign-up fee, every social is free afterward. So it’s also great for those who want to save a few pennies as well. But I think the biggest thing to expect is some mystery. You never know what our amazing committee is working on behind the scenes, and there is always an opportunity to get involved with 20 Minutes.

Hype: What advice would you give to freshers who want to join societies, but don’t know where to start?

20 Minute Society: I would definitely recommend going down to your university’s freshers fair. For Newcastle, our freshers fair is happening on the 20th and 21st of September. If you’re coming to our uni, come meet us. I will be there along with other members of the committee, so you are more than welcome to come along and say hi!

Freshers fairs are a great way to scope out the different societies your university is offering, plus lots of freebies and goodies. If you miss the fresher fair, definitely don’t be afraid to reach out to societies through social media or email.

Hype: Finally, what are your top 3 overall tips for Freshers starting university?

20 Minute Society: Get involved, have fun, and throw yourself into it! University is what you make of it, enjoy this incredibly unique experience.

You can find out more about the 20-minute society through their Instagram, Facebook and their website.