Jasmin Lemarie
On the fourth day of freshers, Jasmin shares some of her favourite places to enjoy a good book on campus.
As a second year English student, reading avidly has become a necessity for my degree. Whilst I struggled with the volume of books I had to read in first year, I never lost my love for reading, and living on campus allowed me to discover the best spots to curl up with a book uninterrupted.
Hallward Library
Starting with the obvious; the humanities library. Located centrally on campus, Hallward is an easy walk from halls and with several floors you are bound to find the perfect spot. If you prefer reading in a more relaxed atmosphere with white noise, then the ground floor has lots of tables and comfy sofas that are perfect to read in. If reading in silence is more your style, than the top floors have “silence” zones with different set-ups of desks and comfy chairs to provide the best area that allows you to be completely absorbed in the book.
Portland Coffee
Reading in a coffee shops is a favourite pastime of mine and the Portland Coffee shop located in the Portland building is no exception. With fairy lights, chill music and an array of sofas, this café is a relaxed environment which can make the heavy reading your course requires more enjoyable. With a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a book in the other, it’s easy for the hours to slip away.
Hugh Stewart Hall Gardens
The gardens behind the accommodation in Hugh Stewart are very scenic and peaceful, which makes the perfect reading spot. You can sit on one of the benches in the garden, or if you prefer, bring a picnic blanket to sit on the grass. This spot is very out of the way and only a few people walk through it, so this is the best place to stay in touch with nature whilst reading without being disturbed. This place is the perfect spot to curl up with a book on a sunny day.
The Monica Partridge Building
Formerly known as the Teaching and Learning Building, the Monica Partridge building has specific study areas that are great for privacy. They also have sofas on the ground floor, first and second floors which are perfect for curling up on to read.
The Downs
Located centrally on campus, the downs is a pleasant area of greenery which is perfect for escaping the bustle of campus. Bring a picnic rug and some blankets, and this will be the best place to lay back and escape into another world. Its also a good place to take a walk during study breaks when things get a bit too stressful.
The English Common Room
The School of English Common Room is perfect to use for relaxing, studying and reading, especially if you are an English student. It can be found within the Trent building, and there are loads of sofas to curl up on and get lost in your favourite book. I would recommend bringing your own cushions for that extra level of comfort. There is also a kettle within the room so that’s perfect for anyone who loves to drink a cup of tea whilst they read.
Jasmin Lemarie
Article images courtesy of @uonenglish @uonsustainability @portland_coffee_co @lucythereader via instragram.com. Featured image courtesy of Priscilla du Prees via Unsplash.com. Image license can be found here.
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