The life and loves of a Societies Snob

Initiating the following conversation, I had no idea of the consequences.

I’d met the guy in question a few months before and we just clicked. Like, I’ve-got-butterflies clicked. This was exciting for a number of reasons, including the fact that it most definitely meant that I was over a self-confessed Douche Bag (his words, and later mine) as well as it being rare that I clicked so naturally with anyone. The banter levels were high and there was mutually appreciated comedy which led to shared hysteria. It was one of those times when you forget anyone else is there.

But back to the story in hand… On reflection I should have felt nervous about the potential for what was about to happen – everything balanced on an innocently-given reply to my very much innocently-asked question.

Picture the scene: Skype – 22:42 – 06 October 2011.
Me: “What do you do outside of lectures and stuff?”
Him: “I get drunk. I get high. And I go to a few parties here and there.”
Me: “No sport or … anything?”
Him: “Oh yeah, I play football at least once a week with friends. Not with a society or anything.”
Me: “Are you part of ANY societies?!”
Him: “No…”

That was it; I had just inadvertently let myself be talked out of it. It had all been going so well, but it was his slight lacking in the extra-curricular department that had done it. I couldn’t help but be consumed by a panicked oh-my-god-I-feel-slightly-unattracted-to-you-now feeling. Panicked because I had most definitely already invested too much ‘Pondering About How Much I Like You’ time in him… and in true me-style, had told everyone I know about him, a ‘skill’ which almost always comes back to proverbially bite me in the bottom when things predictably go wrong. I know – literal self-induced FML.

According to my (highly accurate and professionally conducted) survey findings, it seems we involve ourselves in societies, etc for various reasons:
1. For CV purposes,
2. It’s something to talk about in interviews,
3. Because we enjoy it – the sport/activity, making new friends or just the feeling of belonging to something – ‘la solidarité’ our French friends call it. I never realised that free time occupations could or would lead to this kind of absurdity.

We all have dating CVs. It’s absolutely true, even if you are reading this whilst simultaneously thinking I’m being ridiculous. Well-used free time, among other things obviously, make people attractive. Fact. Normally we go on aesthetics first off and then aspects of their personality either make them more or less attractive. When mulling this issue over with an American pal of mine, she put it like this: ‘I mean, if you’re chatting to a nice guy and then you find out he works for Walmart, you don’t usually hang around.’ Is it about money? I don’t think so…

Firefighters earn next to nothing, just like Walmart-Workers, yet knowing that someone is the aforementioned is a huge pro. It comes down to snobbery. I previously had a thing with a guy who worked for Sainsburys. At the beginning, it didn’t matter SO much, but by the end, it was just another reason why we couldn’t continue.

Being a job-snob is one thing, but now it’s crept (without consent) into soc-snobbery. The guy who inspired this train of thought was in fact part of a society, but not one I consider to be much cop. Hockey, Football or even Law or Warwick Events Society are far from turn offs. But there’s something about ‘English Society’ that doesn’t float my boat. And ‘Bridge Soc’ certainly does not tickle my pickle. Each to their own.

Shame really, he had such potential.