Monday 27-09-2021 - 15:50

Tia van Loggerenberg introduces you to the brand new Disney Society.

Hi everyone! I’m Tia, a second-year South African Education Studies student at John Snow college, and I’m the president of the newly ratified Disney Society! 

I think some element of Disney was present in all our childhoods. Whether it’s one of the classic animated movies you loved watching over and over again, a beloved Disney Channel series you looked forward to all week, one of the powerful Marvel superheroes you adored or the adventure-packed Star Wars Saga, or maybe it was just one of the iconic characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy or one of the glamorous princesses – Disney is definitely a franchise that sparkles its way into all our lives, and now it’s an official society at Durham University! 

The Disney Society is a new group all about celebrating and appreciating the different aspects of the wonderful world of Disney. Our society is all about inclusivity – it’s a space for anyone who enjoys part, or all of Disney, from Marvel or Pixar shorts to the classic animations or spunky TV series. 

We’ll get together for film nights, pub quizzes and discussions about movies or series. We’ll make arts and crafts, sing karaoke, eat Disney-themed foods and have all other sorts of fun, themed activities and socials. 

Even if you’re not a Disney buff, this society is meant to just be a relaxed space where people can make friends and have some fun in the wonderful world of Disney. We hope there’ll be at least one activity or social event each term that everyone finds is the perfect thing for them. 

As a new society, we have lots of fun plans for the year. For first term, we’re planning weekly film nights and a pub quiz every month. There’s also a Halloween Costume Ball on the cards, as well as a Christmas Cosy Fest to get everyone ready for the Christmas season, complete with Christmas cookies, pyjamas and hot chocolate so stay tuned to hear more details later in the term. For the rest of the year, we’re hoping to host karaoke nights, themed dinners, a mad hatter’s tea party and an extraordinary masterclass session on top of our regular activities. 

Disney has always been a massive part of my life. It holds special childhood memories, like singing karaoke with my older brother or watching movies with my dad early on a Sunday morning. Now, as I’m older, it’s always a reminder to hold onto childhood magic and memories. All of our exec members have strong connections with Disney as a franchise, even our secretary, who only started watching the Disney classics over the summer. So, I guarantee you don’t need to be as obsessed with Disney as I am to be part of this society, but hopefully, we’ll up your Disney enthusiasm and fluency throughout your membership!

I am so excited to bring this new society to the Durham student body this year. Disney is not just about entertaining little kids – it’s full of laughs, heartwarming messages, adventure, conquering challenges and magic, no matter what part of the Disney universe you’re looking at. As students, life can already be quite stressful. Sometimes we all just need a little pixie dust to help get us through the next week, and that’s what we hope the Disney society can bring – a fun, relaxed and inclusive space where we can step away from university stress for an hour or two, and just enjoy the magic again. 

I look forward to hopefully seeing lots of you at the Freshers’ Fair and as members of our society! Follow our social media to see our upcoming events, and always remember …

‘It’s kind of fun to do the impossible!’ – Walt Disney

 

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