This is a guest blog by Laragh MacDermott, who is studying BSc (Hons) Sport Management.

In my first year, I signed up to the Bournemouth University’s Boat Club (BUBC, rowing club). Best decision I made that year! Being part of this club, I got to meet a diverse group of students with the similar mind-sets as me and now they are some of my closest friends. Our coach, JCB, set us a training plan and you can pick how involved you want to be. I have been on two training camps in Nottingham and Cheshire, as well as travelling up to Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre for the British University and Colleges Sport national championships every year.

Being part of BUBC, gave me the opportunity to travel England to train and compete for Bournemouth University! This society also provides students with the opportunity to develop leadership, teamwork, organisation and planning skills, as well as other transferable skills, as the club is student run therefore our committee consists of students.

But being a part of BUBC is also being part of a family, we support each other through our university careers as it is great to know people outside your course. We also get our own personalised kit. Another bonus is the opportunity to look silly with your fellow team mates on the sports’ night out, Cameo Wednesdays!

Another extracurricular activity I am involved with is RELAYS. RELAYS is the Regional Educational Legacy for Arts & Youth Sports (RELAYS) is a volunteering programme based at Bournemouth University!

I am a RELAYS ambassador so I get to volunteer in our local community for a wide range of sporting activities and events. These vary from children’s birthday parties in SportBU to assisting PE in local schools to being a sport science intern at the gym and help coach strength and conditioning to BU’s performance teams.

These activities have made my university experience so much fun and I have gained friends for life which, in some ways is what going to university is all about. But they have also developed my transferable skills, improving my employability after university (great topics to talk about in interviews too), which is another reason to come to Bournemouth University.

Both BUBC and RELAYS are very easy to sign up and welcome all students, no matter your course or fitness ability! During the freshers’ fair you will be able to sign up for so many sport teams and societies so be sure to come along and see which you fancy trying, as well as getting loads of free student essentials. Links for further information on both are detailed below: