You’re only a fresher once... or twice?

By now, you’ll have noticed just how many sports societies Imperial has on offer. A plethora of chances to reinvent yourself, laid out stall by stall.

When I started my undergrad at Bristol, I could have seen it that way. Instead, arriving as a seasoned cricketer, I was fixated on cementing a spot in the university first team and learning to down a pint efficiently. It was an experience in itself, but it meant I barely noticed what else was on offer.

So this freshers’ week as I made my postgrad debut, I was keen to see what other activities I could get stuck in to. I spent most of Tuesday afternoon working my way along the sports stalls on Imperial College Road, joined WhatsApp groups galore, stacked my calendar with ‘Give it a Go’ sessions and promised “I’ll see you there” far too casually.

A couple of weeks on, I’ve tried more than I expected. If you’re still deciding where to spend your free time (and your student loan), here’s what I found.

Tennis

First up was tennis. Having played at a decent level before, I was keen to find my way into the competitive sides. After a scramble through the sign-up process, I was given a twenty-minute slot to prove my mettle. A few lucky winners later, I found myself dressed head to toe in white, hitting at Queen’s Club for the second round. The men’s captain was clearly still dubious about my ability (as was I) and invited me back for a third. I wasn’t complaining: Queen’s is a serious establishment, and the prospect of training in indoor luxury rather than braving the cold this winter was motivation enough.

When the captain pulled me aside and told me, deadpan, that he’d “seen enough”, I went home unsure whether I’d impressed or embarrassed myself. Fortunately, I soon learned I’d made the cut.

You don’t need to trial to get involved, though. The committee deserves credit for running regular events throughout the year for players of all abilities, so have a look at what fits your schedule. On the whole, tennis here is inclusive and a really easy way to meet people.

Padel

Tennis was familiar ground, though. For something genuinely new, I joined the rest of London on the padel bandwagon and turned up to a taster at Padel Social Club in Earl’s Court. 

Having hosted Stormzy and Tom Holland, PSC carries itself well. With rooftop bars, recovery rooms, and indoor and outdoor courts at £80 an hour, it obviously isn’t built for a student budget. Cue Imperial Padel Society: £120 gets you a weekly session for the whole year!

There’s a reason the sport is booming. Part tennis, part squash, it quite literally adds a new dimension to racket sports. I only had a half-hour slot, but it’s a game you could play for hours: intuitive, creative once you’ve got the basics, and an efficient way to get your cardio in. Above all, it’s a community sport at heart.

Shaolin Kung Fu

Following my padel outing, I was about to settle back into work on campus when a coursemate mentioned they were heading to a Shaolin Kung Fu intro class, and I couldn’t turn down the invite. Martial arts was unfamiliar territory and well outside my comfort zone, so much so that I think I’d confused Kung Fu with Tai Chi.

I was expecting to finally find the inner peace my gap year never gave me. Instead, I found myself throwing spinning kicks within minutes. I can’t claim I reached serenity, but unleashing on the pads was certainly cathartic.The star of the show was Jeffrey, the Sifu (master): engaging, powerful and unnervingly calm all at once. In a beginners’ session, the teaching makes all the difference, and his had me ready to go back to the training hall.

Bouldering

My final venture was to learn the ropes (figuratively, as bouldering doesn’t use any) at Ravenswall, a bouldering centre ten minutes from South Kensington on the tube. I’d climbed before but never seen it as something I’d do regularly. It was only when I reframed it as an upper-body workout that spared me the Uni gym that I decided to give it another crack.

It was indeed an upper-body workout. My wrists ached for days, and I’d torn the skin on my fingers in more places than I could count. Still, with routes graded for every level, anyone can experience the unmatched relief of grabbing that final hold.

Sharing beta (climbing speak for tips on how to crack a route) is a rite of passage, and the newcomers at Ravenswall took to it straight away. Climbers are a famously friendly bunch, and by the end of the session we were also planning hikes together.

As you can probably tell, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last couple of weeks. I’m tempted to sign up for everything, but my bank balance and my coursework may have something to say about that, so I’ll muse on it a little further.

Taster sessions may be winding down, but every society here welcomes new members all year round. Whichever I commit to, I’m glad I truly embraced the ‘give it a go’ mentality. Whether you’re a first-year or a postgrad like me, it’s not too late to do the same. After all, you’re only a fresher once… or twice.

Recommendation!

Definitely Padel. When the workload gets crunchy and you have to prioritise between social life and staying fit, it’ll be nice to know you have it all in one place. Go consistently through the academic year and it works out at not much over £4 a session. Factor in the chance of bumping into your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, and a jacuzzi waiting after a freezing winter knockabout, and it’s close to a no-brainer.