As the weeks of term 1 go by, assignments pile up and exams get nearer and nearer. If, like many students, you like to study in campus, but find it difficult to secure a nice spot or just don’t know where to look, then this is the article for you! Based on my experience and what I’ve heard, I’ve decided to rank the study spaces in Exeter University’s Streatham Campus. That way, if you are ever wondering where to go study, you can just read this guide!
1. Most common study place: Forum (specifically Forum Library)
Maybe you’ve been there, having decided to meet up with your friends to study together at the Forum. You set off to find a place, only to find out that all the tables near the Seminar Rooms and in the law library (and everywhere else) are already occupied. While the Forum Library can be a lovely place to study, offering silent pods, meeting rooms and tables with a lot of charging ports, it is EXTREMELY BUSY. During term time, unless you have a stroke of luck, you might find that the only way to secure a spot there is by booking it in advance (for silent pods and meeting rooms) or getting there really early/late.
2. Can be as bad as the Forum: Devonshire House
When it comes to DH1 and DH2, Devonshire House really lives up to being next to the Forum when it comes to the difficulty of finding an empty table to study at during peak times of student traffic. To make the situation worse, while I am sure some people might consider it the perfect study atmosphere, others might be bothered by how loud it can get around midday. However, not all hope is lost as The Loft (located above DH2) saves Devonshire House from being at the very bottom of this ranking. While it can get really busy in deadline season (not denying that), it is also one of the most quiet study areas I’ve been to. Plus, there’s a printer and desktops, as well as a lot of charging plugs. Perfect for all of your assignment needs!
On a similar note is the Amory Building. Offering a beautiful view of campus and with desktop computers, meeting rooms AND a Cadbury vending machine, you would think this would be the dream study spot. Well, it kind of is. After the Forum/Devonshire House, Amory is one of the nearby buildings that most attract students wanting to study. As a result, it is almost always busy (especially when you most need it). The one thing that saves it from that dreaded number 1 spot is its silent study area, which proves to be a safe haven for those in dire need of some peace and quiet to study.
3. Excellent during off-peak times: Harrison Building and Peter Chalk
While the places previously mentioned are almost guaranteed to have some type of traffic regardless of the time, these two buildings can be quite quiet sometimes. The problem arises when you pick a study time right after a lecture/seminar in these buildings. Suddenly, it’s an avalanche of loud students heading your way, and any previous thoughts of studying immediately vanish. But, hey! If you figure out when the peak hour is (and avoid said time), you will find them very relaxing study spaces!
4. Perfect coffee shop study vibes: Queens Building
With the camper coffee shop being inside, the Queens Building study area is perfect for those students who desperately require their daily (or hourly, in desperate times) caffeine fix. With a beautiful view of nature and outside seating options, Queens is bound to be a favourite for those looking to romanticise their studying. However, it is filled with humanities students and teachers, so, HASS students, be aware of the risk of running into your lecturers there!
5. Beautiful view of campus, if you can find the room: Physics Building
Hear me out here. I know this might evoke some shock from readers as the Physics Building is known for being extremely difficult to navigate. However, it is this reason that makes it such a perfect study spot. Located at the top of the building, this room is usually pretty much empty (perfect for some long-wanted peace and quiet!) and offers, in my opinion, the best panoramic view of Streatham campus. So, if you are willing to embark in a journey to this study room, you are sure to be rewarded for your hard efforts.
6. Nice, though small: Xfi Building
While, most people might think of La Touche at the Business School when thinking of study places in the business area of campus, you shouldn’t ignore the Xfi Building. Having much less foot traffic than the Business School and Streatham Campus, its small size doesn’t mean you have no chance of finding a spot to study there. If you want to study in a place that, while not completely empty, is also not overcrowded, Xfi offers the perfect balance between these two. Plus, if you get tired of studying inside the building after some time, you can just head outside in the green to take a well-deserved study break!
7. Not the most picturesque, but a lot of spots guaranteed: The Sanctuary
While not technically in the Forum, The Sanctuary is right next to it, in the Great Hall. It might not offer the glorious views of the Physics Building or the atmosphere of Xfi or Queens. However, sometimes all you want as a student is a table, a place to charge your laptop and a decent amount of silence. Especially during deadline season. For those in need of such a study space, the Sanctuary proves the perfect place. So, next time you find the Forum full, consider giving the Sanctuary a chance!
8. The underdog of study spaces: Institute of Arab & Islamic Studies
Unlike other buildings on campus, the Institute of Arab & Islamic Studies only holds classes for a select few subjects. This makes this beautiful building’s study place the least well-known gem in this whole list (in my opinion). Almost hidden by the Sports Park, many will not consider it a possible place to study. However, this building has one of the best study atmospheres on campus. Don’t underestimate it!
9. If you REALLY want to study in the Forum: Study/Career Zone
So if, despite my naming of a great variety of places you can go study at BESIDES the Forum, you remain unconvinced, try the Study/Career Zone. With a nearby toilet, computers and a more secluded location, it is more likely to have a table available for you and your friends to study. So if you are not in a mood to embark on a walk through campus in search of a study spot, the Study/Career Zone could be your best bet in the Forum.
10. The better library for studying: the Old Library
If you are willing to go on a small walk, the Old Library will prove to be a worthy contender to the Forum Library. Much less visited, you are almost always guaranteed a spot (though the best ones are highly contested of course). Offering some nice views and a calm atmosphere, the Old Library is the go-to place for those students who have lost too many times the race for a study spot. Why not make it yours too?
As shown in this list, Streatham Campus offers a great variety of study places to fit every student’s wants and needs. From coffee availability to great visuals, from busy to extremely quiet, I hope this ranking (entirely subjective, of course) helps you the next time you are in dire need of place to study on campus!