Welcome to Refreshers 2021!

Welcome back from your well-deserved break. We're halfway through the academic year (already!) and it's been a hectic one. So let's take time to REFRESH! Have you got that new year new YOU feeling? Do you want to branch out and find a new passion or hobby for 2021? Looking for a new group of friends? 

THEN LOOK NO FURTHER!

Join us and a whole host of societies this Refreshers Week 11th - 25th January (longer than a week, we know!) as we dive headfirst into 2021!

Get Involved

Societies

It’s important to find a balance between work and play. Joining a society is a great way to broaden your horizons, meet likeminded people and have some fun. Explore our societies list here and find your new tribe!

Mates

2020 was a difficult year, to say the least. We know that it's been hard to meet people and get involved in societies, so that's why we've created MATES! MATES is a brand new way for you to meet other Heriot-Watt University students, form friendships and get a personalised introduction to any society or club you want! Check it out and sign up here!

Groups

We have various Student Groups that meet a couple of times per semester to discuss things within that remit. Some groups you need to have another role within the Student Union to attend (like being a Class Rep, or a Society Committee Member), other groups are open to anyone who has an interest. The best bit is you can attend as and when you like to share your opinions, put forward ideas or even take on a project from the group and help make them happen!

Elections

The Student Union is a democratic organisation, which means we need YOU to lead us! Every year we hold elections to decide who will represent YOU and champion YOUR voice within the University and at a wider national level. Find out more and apply for one of our positions here!

Refreshers blog

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Events

Sports Union Virtual Half Marathon
11th January midnight - 3rd April midnight
Set yourself a goal for the New Year and join us for the WattFamily’s first ever Virtual Half Marathon!
Multi-Day Event | Sport and be active | Free! | Open to Everyone
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Give it a Go: Society Panel
11th January 3pm - 4:30pm
Online
Join the Student Union and some of our fantastic societies to find out more about what they do and find out everything you've wanted to know about society life! Part of the Student Union's Give It a Go Fortnight.
Featured | Have fun and meet people | Society & HWUnion Collab | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone | Society
Drama Society Give it a Go: Drama Society Taster Session
11th January 6pm - 8pm
The aim of this taster session is to mainly help introduce any new members to everyone in the society and the radio play we are currently rehearsing for this semester which is Dracula.
Freshers Week Edinburgh | Have fun and meet people | Online | Open to Everyone | Society
Chaplaincy Tuesday Soup Lunch for HWU Students
12th January noon - 2pm
Heriot-Watt University Chaplaincy
Tuesday Soup Lunch for HWU Students
Wellbeing and Support
Chess Society *EVENT POSTPONED* Give it a Go: Free chess lesson and games!
13th January 5pm - 7pm
Online
This event has been postponed until Weds 20th January.
Freshers Week Edinburgh | Have fun and meet people | Online | Open to Everyone | Society
Sports Union Refreshers Bingo
13th January 7:30pm - 10:30pm
Online
In collaboration with the Volleyball Club the Sports Union are doing their first social of 2021! Join us on Wednesday 13th January to kick of the semester regardless of where you are in the world.
Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Eco Society Give it a Go: Table Quiz
13th January 8pm - 10pm
Come and join us this refreshers week for our first event of the year! Questions will be on a variety of topics and some rounds with a twist!
Have fun and meet people | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone | Society
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Tea @ 3 - Women's Edition
14th January 3pm - 4pm
Online - Teams
Grab a cup of tea and come have a friendly chat other female and non-binary students!
Wellbeing and Support | Have fun and meet people | Online | Free!
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Welcome to Scotland International Students Quiz
14th January 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Online
Failte Gu Alba! How much do you know about Scotland?
Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Psychology Society Give it a Go: Ice Breaker Event with Veg Society!
14th January 6pm - 8pm
Zoom
Join us for our first event of the second semester, the Ice Breaker Night with the Veg Soc, as we host various getting-to-know-each-other games such as Pictionary, Jackbox games, charades, etc.
Freshers Week Edinburgh | Have fun and meet people | Online | Open to Everyone | Society
Geography Society Give it a Go: Virtual Pub Quiz
14th January 7pm - 8pm
Welcome back! Let's start as we mean to go on...
Freshers Week Edinburgh | Have fun and meet people | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone | Society
Languages Society Give it a Go: Cocktail and Quiz Night
14th January 7:30pm - 9pm
Online
Join us for our first event of the new year! Whether you are a current member or new everyone is welcome to join us, have a chat and meet new people or familiar faces. We will be hosting a quiz night and making a few different cocktails.
Freshers Week Edinburgh | Have fun and meet people | Online | Open to Everyone | Society
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Tea @ 3 - Disabled Students
15th January 3pm - 4pm
Online - Teams
Grab a cup of tea and come have a friendly chat other disabled students!
Wellbeing and Support | Have fun and meet people | Online | Free! | Society
ISoc Heriot Watt (Islamic Society) Virtual Meet & Greet
15th January 5:30pm - 7pm
Online
Join us for an interactive game and quiz. This is a great opportunity to meet new Muslims and some of the committee members. The event is free! Date: Friday 15 January 2021 Time: 5:30pm
Freshers Week Edinburgh | Faith and Culture | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone | Society
Watt Esports and Video Games Society Community Games Night
15th January 7pm - 10pm
Online
Our weekly meetup where we play a chosen game and chat
Gaming | Online | Free! | Society
Watt Esports and Video Games Society Give it a Go: Community Night
15th January 7pm - 10pm
Discord
Our weekly community game night! https://discord.gg/JwJcHgX
Gaming | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone | Society
Medieval Society Games Night
16th January 7pm - 9pm
Our discord server
Fun online games with the Medieval Society!
Watch LIVE! | Freshers Week Edinburgh | Freshers Week SBC | Featured | Have fun and meet people | Gaming | Society & HWUnion Collab | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone | Society
Watt Esports and Video Games Society Give it a Go: Movie Night
17th January 7pm - 9pm
Online
Our weekly movie night, with community voted films!
Gaming | Online | Free! | Society
Careers Service TNO is on Jobteaser!
18th January midnight - 10th February midnight
Online
All you need to know is that TNO is now on JobTeaser, don't miss any of their opportunities!
Multi-Day Event | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Library and IT Services Skills Hub: Citing and Referencing Harvard Webinar
18th January 10am - 11am
Online
Come along to this session to cite them right using Harvard
Skills & Employability | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Focus Group: Asian and Ethnic Minorities
18th January 3pm - 4pm
Online
Are you keen to share your experience at Heriot-Watt University? Is there more support we can be providing you? Then come along to one of our focus groups and share your experience of being a student with a protected characteristic.
For a good cause | Wellbeing and Support | Equality and Activism | Featured | Online | Free!
Chaplaincy Tuesday Soup Lunch
19th January 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Chaplaincy
The Chaplaincy are glad to announce that they can now re-open for catered events on a takeaway basis!
Wellbeing and Support | Free! | Open to Everyone
Library and IT Services Note taking and note making
19th January 2pm - 3pm
Online
Good notes from live lectures, recordings, and reading are essential for succeeding in assignments and exams. Find out about the difference between taking and making notes, and how to do both effectively.
Wellbeing and Support | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Focus Group: Black and Ethnic Minorities
19th January 3pm - 4pm
Online
Are you keen to share your experience at Heriot-Watt University? Is there more support we can be providing you? Then come along to one of our focus groups and share your experience of being a student with a protected characteristic.
For a good cause | Wellbeing and Support | Equality and Activism | Online | Free!
Careers Service Conversational AI Deep Dive – Build a Chatbot in 60mins
19th January 4pm - 5pm
From developers, for developers. Data and AI are essential across all industries. Here you can see a broad and growing spectrum: from Machine Learning to Neuronal Networks, from Chatbots to AI in IT Operations…
Skills & Employability | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Brewing Society Flavour and Aroma of Raw Hops
19th January 6:30pm - 8pm
Microsoft Teams
Food and Drink | Online | Free! | Society Members Only | Society
Careers Service An Introduction to Professional Accountancy Bodies
20th January 1:30pm - 3pm
Online
This popular event is highly recommended to students who are considering a career within the Accountancy and Finance sector.
Skills & Employability | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Focus Group: LGBTQ+
20th January 3pm - 4pm
Online
Are you keen to share your experience at Heriot-Watt University? Is there more support we can be providing you? Then come along to one of our focus groups and share your experience of being a student with a protected characteristic.
For a good cause | Wellbeing and Support | Equality and Activism | Online | Free!
Chess Society Give it a Go: Free chess lesson and games!
20th January 5pm - 7pm
Online
Free chess lessons and games!
Featured | Have fun and meet people | Open to Everyone | Society
Chaplaincy Wednesday Evening Meal
20th January 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Chaplaincy
The Chaplaincy are glad to announce that they can now re-open for catered events on a takeaway basis!
Wellbeing and Support | Free! | Open to Everyone
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Give it a Go: FREE Life Drawing for SBC Students!
20th January 7pm - 9pm
Online
Get your creative juices flowing at the beginning of Semester 2 with a brilliant FREE Life Drawing session run by @reconfigure_lifedrawing. Click through to sign up!
Freshers Week SBC | Have fun and meet people | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Focus Group: Women in STEM
21st January 1pm - 2pm
Online
Are you keen to share your experience at Heriot-Watt University? Is there more support we can be providing you? Then come along to one of our focus groups and share your experience of being a student with a protected characteristic!
For a good cause | Wellbeing and Support | Equality and Activism | Online | Free!
Wellbeing Services Coping with Presentation Nerves
21st January 4pm - 5pm
Online
Strategies to help make presenting less of an ordeal.
Wellbeing and Support | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Chess Society Weekly games and social
21st January 4pm - 6pm
Online - lichess
Our weekly games and social!
Have fun and meet people | Gaming | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone | Society
Wellbeing Activities Observing the Tradition of Dry January: Our Relationship with Alcohol with Mindful Healthcare
21st January 6pm - 7pm
Zoom
To kick off the new year, the team at Mindful Healthcare are discussing our relationship with alcohol and its effects on mental health.
Wellbeing and Support | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Heriot-Watt University Student Union Focus Group: Disabled Students
22nd January 3pm - 4pm
Online
Are you keen to share your experience at Heriot-Watt University? Is there more support we can be providing you? Then come along to one of our focus groups and share your experience of being a student with a protected characteristic!
For a good cause | Wellbeing and Support | Equality and Activism | Online
Watt Esports and Video Games Society Community Games Night
22nd January 7pm - 10pm
Online
Our weekly meetup where we play a chosen game and chat
Gaming | Online | Free! | Society
Medieval Society Discord Pub Quiz 3
23rd January 7pm - 9pm
Our discord server
An epic quiz that will test your knowledge of various things
For a good cause | Watch LIVE! | Freshers Week Edinburgh | Freshers Week SBC | Featured | Have fun and meet people | Gaming | Society & HWUnion Collab | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone | Society
Eco Society Movie Night
23rd January 7:30pm - 9:30pm
!!!Hey everyone!!! Hope you are all safe and healthy and getting back into the swing of things! If you fancy taking a break why not join us on Saturday for a movie night! We will be watching Kiss the Ground as chosen by YOU in our polls!
Have fun and meet people | Online | Free! | Society
Chaplaincy Global Sunday morning service
24th January 11:30am - 12:30pm
Online
Via MS Teams every Sunday at 11.30am UK time
Wellbeing and Support | Online | Free! | Open to Everyone
Watt Esports and Video Games Society Weekly movie night.
24th January 7pm - 9pm
Online
Our weekly movie night, with community voted films!
Gaming | Online | Free! | Society
Christian Union Hope 2021
25th January midnight - 29th January midnight
Online
A week of events run by Christian Unions across Edinburgh!
Multi-Day Event | Featured | Have fun and meet people | Online | Open to Everyone | Society

 

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