If you are a literature student who yearns for time to read for fun during term-time, or you just love yapping about books, literature societies at Edinburgh University are your perfect safe haven.
The Spoken Word and Poetry Society (SWAPS), despite being only one year old, has proven a hit with budding poets and poetry-enthusiasts alike. I asked the Social Secretary, Isobel, about the evolution of SWAPS since it was founded last year. “It started as an unofficial society, so last September, there was no one in the Freshers’ fair, and it was not a EUSA thing. It was not until January that we became an official society. And the vibe is not just that we sit and dissect Chaucer or something. It is a space for curiosity—it is meant to be accessible.”
SWAPS have weekly themed Poetry and Pints socials, and other monthly events including open mics. For their weekly socials, there is no requirement to be a poet or bring poetry: “It is not only a space for writers, it is for all people who are interested. You do not have to write stuff yourself to join, you can just show up.”
One year on, it now has a close community of regular social-goers. “I just think that the people who show up are open to interesting conversations, and it is a really nice break from small talk like, ‘where are you from?’ That is what freshers have enjoyed—that you can have real conversations about stuff. There is a big variety of people. It is such a space to be interested and talk to people from so many different backgrounds about different things.”
A breather from stuffy English Literature tutorial rooms, SWAPS prides itself in being informal and non-academic. “If you want to show up and talk about the structure of Chaucer you can! But also if you want to show up and just talk about how you are feeling, you can. People are always talking about Minecraft for some reason! One theme for the pub socials was digital worlds—that was just because the Treasurer wanted to talk about Minecraft. People think [SWAPS] is a really swotty, pretentious thing. It is really not, it is very chill!”
A similar informal space for fellow bookworms on campus, the Book Club Society, is a friendly place for likeminded readers to chat about all their bookish opinions. They do a range of socials as well as their monthly Book of the Month discussion—which for October is M. L. Rio’s If We Were Villains, perfect for spooky season. The President, Evie, lists some of her favourite events they have done: “We have done pub quizzes, bookshop crawls (even a Halloween-themed one!) and movie nights! In Welcome Week, we ran a picnic where you could bring your own book, and it was wonderful to see the variety of what people brought along! Our memberships are free to ensure that our space invites as many people as possible.”
I spoke to Evie about why it is so important to have Book Club as a non-academic space for book lovers. “We really love seeing students from all subject areas come to talk about the books we are reading, and it is so interesting to hear all the different takes that people have. Sometimes it is nice to have a place to talk about books without the extra reading, strict deadlines and an essay at the end of it. It takes away that formality you can get in class discussions. You absolutely do not have to be a literature student—they are definitely outnumbered!”
So, whether you’re a seasoned lit student craving a break from close reading, or just someone who loves a good chat over a pint and a poem, SWAPS and the Book Club Society offer the perfect corners of campus to unwind, read, and talk about what you love.
Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash