Whether you want to unleash your inner medieval knight or do a standup job, there's a student organisation to help you along, writes LOUISE HOLDEN

MUCH LIKE the internet, the university campus is a breeding ground for odd collectives. In the real world, you won’t find enough juggers to form a juggers’ – no, not jugglers’ – society, or enough pirates for a pirates club. And even if you could assemble a Simpsons support group, who with a real job and an actual life would turn up every week to talk about Disco Stu and democracy in Springfield? Club culture on campus is always in transition, although some societies, such as UCD’s Literary and Historical Society, have been thriving since the dawn of civilisation.

For some students, the society they join can end up having more of an impact on their life and career than the course they study. Who doesn’t know an economics graduate who joined Filmsoc in first year and ended up making movies instead of money for a living? Bear this is mind when you select your collective in freshers’ week. It could more important than the CAO.

HOTS SOCS FOR 2009

The Nothing Specific Society Making hats out of newspapers, Where’s Wally competitions or whatever, really – the members decide at NUI Galway.

Gaming Cubed

Choose from shoot ’em up to Guitar Hero at the Limerick Institute of Technology.

The Juggers’ Society

Medieval jousting with foam weapons and international competitors at the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology.

The Comedy Society

Last-man-standing nights and regular appearances by the likes of David O’Doherty at the hotbed of hilarity that is UCD.

The Singer-Songwriter Society No one will listen to you at parties but the SSS at the National College of Art and Design will indulge your creativity and never ask you to play Wonderwall.

The Entrepreneurs’ Society Pulling in 1,500 DCU members every year, all of whom want to be their own boss. Everyone for president, then.

The Cancer Society

This TCD society is headed up by a former ents officer and is pulling in members, and money, by the trolleyload. Do your bit.

The International Society

This club at the Cork Institute of Technology won the national award for best society last year, as did UL’s version in the university category. International students run the best societies, apparently – come on Paddies, you’re welcome too.

Juggling societies

Now common on campuses around the country, including CIT, NUI Galway and TCD. Juggling works the right-brain hemisphere, which is a relief for engineers and mathematicians but a busman’s holiday for arts students.

The Literary and Historical Society It’s not exactly hot but at 153 years, it’s older than UCD and continues to create monsters such as Dara O Briain and Ryan Tubridy.

The JournoSoc

Although just three years old, this UCC media collective is winning awards all over the place. Achievements include the acclaimed student mag Motley and the National Journalism Conference.

The DJ Society

The Limerick Institute of Technology is building an army of members tasked with whipping Limerick into a frenzy. There’s a pretty vibrant one in UCC too.

Food Not Bombs

This society sends its members out to collect unsold food from restaurants around NCAD and distributes it to the good people of Thomas Street. Won’t be sniffed at this year.