Rating Different Places to Study on Campus

Hello everyone. Not only is exam season a busy time for everyone, but it is also a busy time within the study areas around campus. So in light of this, today’s blog delves into the wealth of study spaces available to students on campus and explores my opinions and ratings of each of them!

THE LIBRARY

To begin, I’ll start my discussion with the library. Even before I joined Warwick, my first impressions weren’t the best. The building on the exterior is quite depressing to be completely honest, so it can be quite off-putting to go in for studying. However, there have been recent developments made to modernise some of the rooms, so they’re more comfortable and appealing to and study in. There’s a nice range of spaces to work in, you can have the choice of working in the silent areas or the more communal/social areas, which is a nice advantage to the space. Another bonus is that the library now operates for 24 hours, which caters for early birds or night owls! One of the biggest disadvantages of the library, however, is the issue with getting a space there during exam season. No matter how when you go, it’s always quite difficult to get a seat there unless you go at the crack of dawn.

Library rating: 7.5/10

THE OCULUS

The Oculus is one of the most modern buildings on campus. Without a doubt, during my first year, you would always catch me here. You have access to comfy sofa seats and chairs, as well as classrooms so you can work collaboratively in groups. I like the airiness of the building and how it has a whole side of pure windows to overlook the outside, it feels more open and bright, which I really like for studying. One downside, however, is the fact that many lectures and seminars take place in this building as well, so it can get quite loud and noisy, which becomes quite distracting and a difficult environment to work in after a while. The other final minor disadvantage is the fact that there is a waffle/crepe stall on the ground floor so the smell is always really tempting and can get quite distracting if you get food cravings often like me!

The Oculus: 6/10

ROOTES LEARNING GRID

There are loads of benefits to the Rootes Learning Grid. I spent the majority of the final term in my first year here and it was definitely one of my favourite spots. One of the biggest benefits for me was the fact that it was local to basically everything, but most importantly, it’s right next to Pret (which was absolutely essential for me!) It’s also near to the Rootes Grocery Store so it’s convenient to stop by for food, and it’s also near to the bus stop so it’s super convenient to manoeuvre to and from each place. The Grid is also a host to various seats and spaces to sit, with a more social study room and also a silent computer room, which is nice as it gives you options to choose from to study in. The downside is that during exam season, like most of the other study spaces, there is limited availability for seats. I had to go every morning at 8 am to guarantee a seat for myself to study.

Rootes Learning Grid: 7.5/10

FACULTY OF ARTS BUILDING

The final study space up for discussion is also the most newly renovated one. The Faculty of Arts Building (FAB) is stunning beyond words; it’s modern and massive. Since it’s opening, it has become a hot destination for studying and socialising. The perks are its aesthetics and comfort, however, it’s generally a loud environment and can be quite difficult to work in without getting distracted. It’s a toss-up between comfort and distractions…

Faculty of Arts Building: 8/10

I hope this provides you with insight into some of the main study spaces available at Warwick, and the pros and cons of each.

Jess x