Which is the best university study space?

In most other unis if someone says they’re going to the library you’d know what they mean. In Bristol, there are so many options. Too many options. So I tested them out to see which was the best and most effective of them all.

The Wills Memorial Building

I’ve only been in Wills to get drunk or vaccinated, so I was excited to see the library.  It certainly didn’t disappoint.  It has more wings than a pack of Bodyform.  It has shelves full of important looking books.  It has a lot of dark wood.  I bumped into a friend who uses it, who summed it up as fancy, if a bit intimidating.  This library’s got class.

10/10 would study again.

What a dump

The Victoria Rooms

I did my research for this article.  I had a list of the university’s study spaces on my phone.  So imagine my disappointment when I swanned into the gorgeous Victoria Rooms to be told (a bit rudely I thought) that there were no study spaces.  When I referred to my list they told me that there are in fact study spaces, but they’re strictly for music students only.  They asked if I was a music student.  If I was I’d be the most lost music student in the history of music students, not to turn up to the Victoria Rooms ’til January.

It’s not really fair to rate it since I haven’t seen the inside.  Music students, leave a comment to let me know what I’m missing.  I bet they’re hiding something good in there.

Turned away

The Union

The union’s actually not a bad shout as a study space.  Lots of light, food, and all the furnishings are covered in that material you can draw on with your finger.  And while you’re there you can say hi to all your favourite Student Officers, whatserface, so-and-so and the one with the hair.

Eight balloons out of ten.

Unleash your creative potential

The Physics library

The Physics library is really nice, with a sort of social area and a quiet area. What a shame you have to go through the Physics building to get to it. It’s boiling hot, with a hospital vibe and scary signs on the doors about nuclear business.  Oh, and there’s the stairs. Flights of them. Numerous flights.

Might push through the building again to get to the library if things got desperate at exam time.  Six hot nerds out of ten.

This is why the Physics students are so buff

The ASS

Opposite the Physics building we have its antithesis, the infamous ASS library. Getting in is a series of trials. First you must get through the front doors without contracting lung cancer. Next, you must battle the urge to chat and eat hummus with your friends in the social area. The last trial is actually finding a seat. Few survive.

Seven carrot sticks out of ten.

The Multifaith Chaplaincy

This one’s a bit out of left field but it’s a bit of a gem.  It’s a smallish, quiet space inside with a communal kitchen where you can keep your own food or buy whatever’s been made that day.  It’s usually a soup with an adorable name like “give peas a chance”.  Oh, but there’s a strict no meat rule, so leave the Fridge Raiders behind.

Seven quorns out of ten.

More faith than George Michael

The Chemistry Library

As a social scientist I was way out of my comfort zone trying to find the chemistry library. This place is more heavily guarded than V-Shed on a local’s night. When the fire alarm’s not going off I’m told this is a great study space. It’s pleasing to the eye and has a funny little bell in a glass case. It’s magical. But who knew chemistry students had to read so much? I suppose man can’t live on bunsen burners alone.

Nine burnt eyebrows out of ten.

The Chemistry library, where colour blocking never goes out of style

If all else fails, just stay at home.  It’s where the food is.