Best study spots on campus

8 March 2023

At Queen Mary’s there isn’t a shortage of places to study, whether it’s to catch up on lecture notes or to sit and finish your reading for tutorials. Here is an overview of a few of my favourite places to study (in no particular order) on the Mile End campus. 

Mile End Library:

Situated at the heart of the campus, near the Ground Café, with plenty of seating both inside and outside.

Pros:
•    Many floors with lots of tables to study at 
•    I particularly like how there is a choice between social study spaces on the bottom floor and silent study spaces on the upper floors – it’s perfect for both when you want to study with friends or when you need to study in peace (to meet those looming coursework deadlines!)
•    Charging sockets on each table so you’re never faced with the annoying situation of having your laptop die on you just when you’re almost finished with your work
•    Open 24/7, perfect for early birds and night owls alike
•    You can book study rooms for you and your friends – ideal for exam season and study groups
•    There are vending machines to fuel you through your study sessions

Cons:
•    Gets very busy on weekdays so it can be hard to find a place to study (the weekends are a lot quieter) – however, there is the ability to book seats in advance on the upper floors to ensure that you always have a place to study

Arts Two:

Pros:
•    Big windows so lots of natural light (I always prefer natural lighting to artificial lighting, so this is an important factor for me)
•    Spacious so you don’t feel cramped 
•    Plug sockets to charge your laptop as you work
•    Never too busy so you can be sure to always find a seat

Cons:
•    Can get noisy when people are queuing for lectures

Graduate Centre:

Pros:
•    Big windows so lots of natural light
•    The most comfortable booths to study at
•    There’s a café so you can treat yourself to a hot drink and a snack while you work (a cup of hot chocolate always motivates me to finish my tutorial work when I’m convinced that I can’t go on)

Cons:
•    It’s a social space so if you’re the type of person who needs silence when you work then it won’t be for you – personally I don’t mind the background noise so it’s perfect for me
•    Not open on weekends

The Canalside:

Pros:
•    By far the prettiest view to look at while you’re studying
•    There are computers to work at as well as normal tables

Cons:
•    Not open on weekends