It is easy as a first-year student to feel lost and unsure about where you fit in or what Hatfield has to offer. You may find yourself focusing solely on finding your next class or ensuring that you make it to second year. However, there is more that UP and Hatfield have to offer. With so many options available, you are sure to find your place.
There are various types of extracurricular activities offered at UP, from academic, cultural, social, religious, and political societies to sports teams and running clubs, and even leadership structures and faculty specific clubs.
Some of the academic societies include the Psyche Society, which is within the Psychology Department and run by students with a focus on mental health and social work. This society aims to “bridge the gap between theory and practice”. There is also the UP Aerospace Society that “aim[s] to provide a community for like-minded students who share a passion for all aspects of aerospace”.
There are also cultural and art-focused societies such as the Tuks Anime Society. There is also the Culture Shifting Society that is “dedicated to advancing the success of the youth in the entertainment industry”. Other societies include Tuks Student Christian Fellowship, Tuks4ClimateJustice, and UP&OUT. It is important to research UP’s societies, follow their social media pages, and keep tabs on them in order to find out where you would like to be. To find a society that suits you, you first need to log in to the UP Portal, navigate to the Student Centre, click Student Societies, and then Explore Societies. Here is where you will find a list of all the societies you may join, and all you have to do is click “Join” to be a member of that society.
There are also a range of sports at UP, from aquatic sports to individual and team sports that mostly take place on the LC de Villiers Sports Campus. There is lifesaving, a sport that “empowers you to serve as a lifeguard and compete at provincial and national levels”. There is also highly competitive swimming with a team that prides itself as “one of the leading and competently coached swimming programmes in Africa and South Africa”. With alumni like Tatijana Smith (née Schoenmaker), it is clear that this environment promotes “a culture of hard work, dedication and good fun”.
For those who did not know, UP has underwater hockey, which is “a non-contact water sport where two teams of six players compete in a two-metre deep 25m x 15m pool, maneuvering a puck across the pool bottom into the goals”. It includes wearing a diving mask, snorkel, fins, and a swimming costume. Gloves and a stick are provided. There are also more traditional sports like training for a triathlon through TuksTriathlon for cycling, swimming, and running.
The individual sports consist of Aikido, which is a “traditional Japanese system of self-defence that emphasises throws and joint lock techniques”, as well as Archery, Athletics, Badminton, and Chess. These sports “provide an inclusive and dynamic environment where students sharpen their skills and engage in friendly competition”. There is also Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, and even E-Sports for those who want to be competitive gamers. TuksSport also has racket sports like Squash and Tennis, and then they have more combat-orientated sports like Karate, Judo, Wrestling, and Taekwondo.
The team sports consist of well-known options such as Basketball, Cheerleading, Cricket, Football, Hockey, Netball, Rowing, Rugby, and Volleyball – which you should go watch during Varsity Cup season. Students can also participate in Ultimate Frisbee, which is “a highly competitive, mixed-gender sport played with a frisbee or disc”. These athletes play under the rules created by the World Flying Disc Federation. No matter who you are or what your interests and background are, there is a place for you at the University of Pretoria.
Beyond the university, there are also social running clubs such as Running to Coffee, where you can enjoy a good workout, have social interactions, and visit local coffee spots. You can also take an adventure to the recently opened Pantry in Hazelwood. In Pretoria, you could also go for a hike, trail running, or biking at the surrounding nature reserves, including the Wolwespruit Bike and Trail Park, Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, and Groenkloof Nature Reserve.
Being aware of these activities may help you settle into university more confidently and help you navigate academics and create lasting friendships. Although participation is optional, these activities offer valuable ways to connect and grow in a new city and academic space.
Visual: Danielle Oosthuizen
