The top five libraries for exam season

With Easter term in full swing, it seems that all anybody wants to think about is exams. Will I pass? Do I actually know enough to do another year at this place? Can I still go to revs before an exam at 9am on Thursday?

Have no fear, here is a list of the top 5 libraries in Cambridge to get you through that stressful revision.

Number 5: the UL

Now, hear me out. Whilst the UL does definitely have an authoritarian vibe, isn’t that what you want while revising?

If you’re the sort of person like me who will do literally anything to distract myself from revising, the hushed tone and barrier-like bookcases are just the thing you need to actually focus.

Surrounded by the nicely-bound volumes and the PhD students pensively wandering around, where else are you going to get a more Cambridge-y vibe?

Number 4: the Marshall Library

Doesn’t it just scream Wall Street? (Image credit: Leah Whiting)

I’m not going to lie, I had to look up where this library was for this article (it’s the economics department btw). To my delight, it is regularly open until 9pm and has beautiful balconies and a spiral staircase to make sure you can study in style.

Number 3: AMES Library

Just look at that beautiful sunken mezzanine (Image credit: Leah Whiting)

The MMLL library’s precious younger sister, the AMES library offers the perfect opportunity to bring some much-needed culture to your revision.

More likely to be quiet because so few people do this subject (or are on their year abroad), the AMES Library is a lovely little corner of Sidgwick to camp out in to avoid the horrors of the Seeley.

Number 2: Girton College Library

What a pretty lampshade you have there (Image credit: Rosie Morritt)

With beautiful Victorian architecture and leather-bound books, the Girton College Library feels like a safe haven away from everything, with nothing to worry about except your academics. What more could you ask for in a library? For it to be close to town? Wildly overrated if you ask me – too many distractions from my enthralling lecture notes.

(For similar, see Homerton College Library – just as far, but nowhere near as nice.)

Number 1: the MMLL Library

Camp yourself out in the Beit Library to avoid literally everyone (Image credit: Leah Whiting)

Are you surprised? You shouldn’t be. The MMLL Library is, in my opinion, the perfect mix of comfortable and academic. The right blend of subtle lighting which means that you aren’t blinded and – with a little willpower – won’t fall asleep.

If you study languages, every book you need is right there at your fingertips. And if you don’t, well, there’s nothing to distract you because you can’t understand what anything says.

Hopefully, this handy list will take away from your exam season worries, and if not, at least make you consider going to the raised faculty building every once in a while.

Featured image credit: Leah Whiting

Related articles recommended by this author:

• Ranking the worst types of Cambridge students during exams
• How to survive exam season, according to six Cambridge tripos toppers
• Why Week Two is worse than Week Five