Revision is stressful enough as it is, time to cancel the library police

It's exam season, everything's shit. You can't get a seat in the library past 9.30am, people are visibly in tears at their desk while trying to study, and no one wants to go to the pub with you. Life is bad.

And do you know what makes this time of year even worse? The library police.

The breakdown

When you hear the word 'police', you might think that this is something good the univeristy is doing, that they're bringing in a force for good. Maybe they're finally going to start doing something about sexual assualt on campus, or the abundance of over-priviledged ketty students.

No, of course not.

The University brings in the library police at a time of year that is already awful. Everyone's stressed, tired and overworked. And the University thinks that somehow, it is appropriate to bring in enforcement to ensure that students aren't leaving their desks. What the fuck?

This perpetuates an already toxic attitude that we have to studying

Students at this uni work really hard, that's a given. The Main Library is full from 9am to 10pm everyday, so these students certainly aren't slacking.

The library police document everything from when you go up to fill your water bottle to when you go to get a book. A BOOK. We can't even get books out of the library that we need for our studies without it being commented on by this band of creeps.

The presence of the library police perpetuates an idea that we should be shackled to our desk all day. This is fucked up and wrong. It's normal to take breaks, walk around, and to – God forbid – actually leave the fourth floor once in a while and go outside to get some fresh air. Not doing so would be detrimental to our health, let alone our ability to concentrate and study efficiently.

If I want to take a two hour study break, that's my deicision, and my decision only

Sure, it's annoying walking around seeing that all the desks are full and sometimes occupied by a single book alone, but no one should have to sit at their desk from 9am to 5pm without taking a break. That is absolutely batshit, and no student should be doing that. We need to take study breaks throughout the day if we are going to continue to work effectively.

When are we meant to eat? Are we seriously expected to sit and try to silently eat snacks at our desks, and not break for lunch? And that when we break for lunch, be nervous the enitre time, that you'll return to find your stuff moved by the library police and your beloved desk assigned to someone else?

Let me eat my avocado toast in peace

This is absolute madness. We don't need the extra stress of having our books and notes shunted to the side and desk freed up, on top of our degree-related stress.

We should be able to go for lunch, to call our parents, and to leave our desks during the day, without feeling worried that the library police are going to move all of our stuff. It's not helping anyone.

I'm quaking in my boots

The University needs to do better

If the university is worried about how busy the library is, maybe they should stop opening it to the public, and other univeristies, and reserve it solely for the students that actually pay to attend this university.

Or maybe they should pay their staff properly, and stop trying to cut their pensions, so that two weeks before exams start we don't have strikes, and we're able to contact our lecturers for help.

But what do I know.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• The longer you spend in the library, the less productive you are

• The ultimate guide to Main Library etiquette

• You can now buy a library pin as a memento of the hours you spent there