Nirmal John Thomas

Coming to UCL this year, one of the things that made settling in so much easier was finding the Indian Society. Moving to a new city and starting university can feel overwhelming at first, but Indian Soc quickly became one of the spaces where things started to feel familiar.

What stood out to me was how the society manages to feel both big and close-knit at the same time. The events bring everyone together, but the family system makes it feel much more personal. Having that smaller group within such a large society makes it easier to meet people, build friendships, and feel like you actually belong.

Some of my best memories from this year have come from those moments, from meeting new people at events, spending time with my family, and seeing how easily the society brings people together.

That’s why I want to be Social Secretary. I’d love to help organise events that people genuinely look forward to and that continue to bring the whole society together, across all years and ages. For a lot of people, especially first years, these events are where friendships start and where UCL begins to feel like home. As social secretary, I hope I can play a part in creating those experiences and giving them the same space that I was fortunate to find.