A timeline of university through my favourite study spaces

At the beginning of first year, you’ll probably head to the library not knowing what to expect. You’ll sit down on the ground floor, or the first floor, not yet knowing your favourite desk or side of the room. The whole building is unfamiliar and slightly daunting…

By the time third year comes around, you’re heading to a specific chair at a specific table on your favourite floor, armed with the exact study snacks that have previously proven to get you through your work.

Over the course of university, each of us build up a list in our heads of our favourite places to study on campus – the best computers, quietest corners, prettiest views. Without even realising, we head to the same seat as always, as if we’re meeting a best friend. It’s here that we can work the hardest, and our friends always know where to find us.

Every single study space we find holds a special place in our hearts.

I didn’t discover the joys of the third floor of the library until the beginning of final year, but now I don’t even think about the other three floors until I need to find a certain book or journal. I walk up the stairs without even considering where I’ll be spending the next few hours – I know exactly where I’m going. I’ll usually see the same people there, and there’s a shared understanding that this is their spot too.

At the end of first year, I couldn’t work in silence, and the hub in Tower Bar was my preferred place to get my head down. Now, on the rare occasion I head back there, it’s like working alongside an old friend.

At the beginning of second year, the top floor of the Minerva Building was the only place I’d go to work. I’d arrive early to guarantee a computer and to appreciate the view of the cathedral.

If I don’t fancy the library these days, I know my close friends will be working in the Alfred Tennyson Building – usually in Newsroom 1 or 2. This is where I’ll head if I want to work socially, or if I need advice on an assignment. My tutors can usually be found here too, to provide support and answer any questions. If I’m in the mood to procrastinate or eat some food, I’ll still go to Tower Bar to do work, but now I favour the booths on the bottom floor.

Thinking back to these favourite spots on campus to knuckle down gives me a timeline of my time studying at Lincoln and makes me nostalgic for the quieter memories of my university experience. I know that every student here will have their own preferred spaces that are unique to them, where they sat alone or with friends, and that paint the picture of the university for them.

This article is featured on Learning at Lincoln. 

Please note: This content was created prior to Coronavirus, and some things might be different due to current laws and restrictions. Please refer to the University of Lincoln for the latest information.