Cymraeg                                                                                                                          

Getting involved in societies and sports clubs is often a key part of the undergraduate student experience - but what about postgraduate students? Well, postgrads can join any of the 200+ societies or 70+ sports clubs Cardiff Students' Union has to offer! There are also opportunities to get involved with a range of volunteering projects or student media.

Whether you are a new or returning postgraduate student, getting involved in a society or club can sometimes feel like a daunting experience. You may worry about feeling older than the average student, having different interests or priorities, or about time constraints due to your studies, amongst other factors.

While these are commonly shared concerns among postgrads, be assured that clubs and societies are open to every student and many postgrads are already members:

"Joining a club as a postgrad student is no different to being an undergrad! Everyone is so welcoming and there are often so many postgrads in the society that you can quickly bond with and make new friends! It's so worth doing."

"At first it seemed daunting, but at the same time it felt just like joining a sports club as an undergrad. Everyone was so welcoming and made me feel part of the society no matter my academic status or age."

"I joined the Triathlon club as a postgraduate student. I was under the impression that the sports clubs were only for younger students and freshers, but in joining the club I found lots of other PGR students and this was so refreshing! We all agreed it was a brilliant release from our continuous efforts in the lab/office during the day. All the training sessions were easy to work around doing my project, and I found mentoring and advising younger students in the club really rewarding too."

Why you should get involved

Getting involved comes with so many benefits. You can make new friends with similar interests to yours, feel part of a new community, and have some fun!

Being a member of a society, club, or volunteering project can also act as a well-deserved break from your studies and research. These opportunities have also been proven to help support your wellbeing and mental health, and research has shown that being involved in extra-curricular activities can improve your academic performance.

"Becoming a postgrad can leave you feeling a little lonely as you see all your friends off taking on jobs and other changes in life.  Joining a society can quickly give you back that group of friends and give you a new sense of community, ensuring the postgrad experience isn't just all hard work, but a little fun too!"

"Being a member of a sports club has been an integral part of my university experience. I've made friends within the team that I now call my family. It has also provided a positive respite from my academic studies, including physical exercise itself but also the social opportunities which every sports club offers to their members. My uni experience would not have been the same, nor as good, if I had not joined CU Tennis."

"Being a member of a sports club added so much to my experience as a postgraduate student. I felt more than just a cog in a machine, and it helped me keep my perspective that I am more than just the results I produce. Training in a sport gave me great ways to connect with staff and other people in my department, rather than just discussing our academic progress. I could connect with the undergraduate students in my tutorials too; a few of them were in the club with me!"

How to get involved

There are lots of ways to find out about what's on offer, from the SU website and social media channels, to visiting our Societies and Athletic Union fairs. But if you missed out in term one, don't worry, you can join at any point in the year. The Students' Union even holds a Refreshers fair in February if you wanted to chat with committee members in person!

"The sign-up process was super easy because all sports clubs are present at the Athletic Union Fair (held during Freshers and Refreshers), so I was able to talk to various committee members from different clubs that I was interested in joining; putting all my concerns to rest and making me very excited."

"Definitely come along to all the Freshers' fairs and speak to people! No worries if you can't attend though, as all of the societies and volunteering groups are on the SU website. There's over 250 of them, so you'll 100% find something for you!"

So, what are you waiting for? Go make your postgraduate experience one you won't forget!

Find out more about what’s on offer here. 

Check out our societies and Athletic Union fairs here. 

Cymryd Rhan mewn Clybiau Chwaraeon a Chymdeithasau fel Myfyriwr Ôl-radd  

Yn aml, mae cymryd rhan mewn cymdeithasau a chlybiau chwaraeon yn rhan allweddol o brofiadau myfyrwyr israddedig – ond beth am fyfyrwyr ôl-raddedig? Wel, gall myfyrwyr ôl-radd ymuno ag unrhyw un o’r 200+ o gymdeithasau neu 70+ clwb chwaraeon sydd gan Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd i’w cynnig! Mae yna hefyd gyfleoedd i gymryd rhan mewn amrywiaeth o brosiectau gwirfoddoli neu gyfryngau myfyrwyr.  

Boed os ydych yn fyfyriwr ôl-raddedig newydd neu’n dychwelyd am flwyddyn arall, gall cymryd rhan mewn cymdeithas neu glwb weithiau teimlo ychydig yn frawychus. Gallwch boeni am deimlo’n hŷn na myfyrwyr eraill, meddu ar ddiddordebau a blaenoriaethau gwahanol, neu gyfyngiadau amser o ganlyniad i’ch astudiaethau, ymysg ffactorau eraill.  

Tra bod y pryderon yma yn arferol ymysg ôl-raddedigion, gallwn eich sicrhau bod clybiau a chymdeithasau yn agored i bob myfyriwr a bod llawer o ôl-raddedigion eisoes yn aelodau:  

"Nid yw ymuno â chlwb fel myfyriwr ôl-raddedig unrhyw wahanol i fod yn fyfyriwr isradd! Mae pawb yn hynod groesawgar, ac yn aml mae yna ôl-raddedigion eraill sy’n rhan o’r gymdeithas gallwch siarad gydag a gwneud ffrindiau newydd! Mae’n hynod gwerth chweil.."

"I ddechrau roeddwn ychydig yn nerfus, ond ar yr un pryd roedd yn teimlo’r un peth â ymuno gyda chlwb chwaraeon fel myfyriwr isradd. Roedd pawb mor groesawgar, a gwnaethant i mi deimlo’n rhan o’r gymdeithas dim ots fy statws academaidd neu oedran."

"Gwnes i ymuno â’r clwb Triathlon fel myfyriwr ôl-raddedig. Roeddwn o dan yr argraff fod y clybiau chwaraeon ond ar gyfer myfyrwyr ifancach a glas-fyfyrwyr, ond wrth ymuno â’r clwb gwnes i ganfod bod llawer o fyfyrwyr YÔR yn aelodau, ac roedd hyn yn wych! Gwnaethom oll gytuno ei fod yn ffordd wych o ymlacio wedi diwrnodau hir yn y labordy/swyddfa. Roedd yn hawdd trefnu’r holl sesiynau ymarfer o amgylch fy mhrosiect, ac roedd mentora a chynghori myfyrwyr iau yn y clwb yn brofiad gwerth chweil hefyd."

Pam dylech gymryd rhan

Mae yna sawl fudd i gymryd rhan. Gallwch wneud ffrindiau newydd gyda diddordebau tebyg i chi, teimlo’n rhan o gymuned newydd, a chael ychydig o hwyl!  

Gall fod yn aelod o gymdeithas, clwb, neu brosiect gwirfoddoli hefyd fod yn ffordd dda o ymlacio a chymryd saib o’ch astudiaethau ac ymchwil. Mae ymchwil hefyd yn dangos bod y cyfleoedd yma yn helpu cefnogi eich lles ac iechyd meddwl, a bod cymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau allgyrsiol hefyd yn gallu gwella eich perfformiad academaidd!  

"Gall ddod yn fyfyriwr ôl-radd eich gadael yn teimlo ychydig yn unig gan eich bod yn gweld ffrindiau eraill yn dechrau swyddi a newidiadau eraill yn eu bywydau. Gall ymuno â chymdeithas eich helpu i ail-sefydlu grŵp o ffrindiau a rhoi teimlad o gymuned i chi, gan sicrhau bod eich profiad ôl-radd nid yn unig yn ffocysu ar waith caled, ond yn cynnwys cael ychydig o hwyl hefyd!"

"Mae bod yn aelod o glwb chwaraeon wedi bod yn rhan allweddol o fy mhrofiad prifysgol. Rydw i wedi gwneud ffrindiau o fewn y tîm bydden nawr yn eu galw’n deulu. Mae hefyd wedi bod yn ffordd gadarnhaol o ymlacio yn ystod fy astudiaethau, gyda’r ymarfer corff ei hun yn fuddiol ond hefyd y cyfleoedd cymdeithasol y mae pob clwb chwaraeon yn eu cynnig i’w haelodau. Ni fyddai fy mhrofiad prifysgol yr un peth, neu hanner mor dda, heb y clwb tenis."

"Gwnaeth bod yn aelod o glwb chwaraeon ychwanegu cymaint at fy mhrofiad fel myfyriwr ôl-raddedig. Roeddwn yn teimlo fel mwy na chog mewn peiriant, a gwnaeth fy helpu i gadw persbectif fy mod yn fwy na’r canlyniadau rwy’n eu hennill. Roedd cymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon yn ffordd wych o gysylltu gyda staff a phobl eraill yn fy adran, yn hytrach na thrafod ein cynnydd academaidd yn unig. Roeddwn yn gallu cysylltu gyda myfyrwyr israddedig yn fy nhiwtorialau hefyd; roedd rhai ohonynt yn y clwb gyda mi!"

Sut i gymryd rhan

Mae yna sawl ffordd i ddysgu beth sydd ar gael, o wefan yr UM a sianeli cyfryngau cymdeithasol, i ymweld â’r ffeiriau Cymdeithasau ac Undeb Athletau. Ac oes wnaethoch golli allan yn nhymor un, peidiwch boeni, gallwch ymuno ar unrhyw adeg yn ystod y flwyddyn. Mae Undeb y Myfyrwyr hyd yn oed yn cynnal ffair y glas tymor dau ym mis Chwefror, os hoffech siarad gydag aelodau pwyllgorau mewn person!  

"Mae'r broses cofrestru yn syml iawn oherwydd bod yr holl glybiau chwaraeon yn bresennol yn Ffair yr Undeb Athletau (wedi’u cynnal yn ystod y Glas a thymor 2), felly cefais gyfle i siarad gydag aelodau pwyllgorau gwahanol glybiau roedd gen i ddiddordeb ynddynt; gan leddfu fy mhryderon a fy ngwneud yn gyffrous i ymuno."

"Yn bendant dewch i holl ffeiriau’r Glas a siaradwch gyda phobl! Ond peidiwch boeni os na allwch fynychu, gan fod yr holl gymdeithasau a grwpiau gwirfoddoli ar wefan yr UM. Mae yna dros 250 ohonynt, felly mae 100% rhywbeth i chi!"

Felly, am beth ydych chi’n aros? Ewch i wneud eich profiad ôl-raddedig yn un bythgofiadwy!  

Dysgwch fwy am beth sydd ar gael yma. 

Dewch i weld ein ffeiriau cymdeithasau ac Undeb Athletau yma.