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Which is the definitive best seat in The Maughan? An investigation

We put in the long hours of painstaking research and analysis so you don’t have to


Ah, sweet Maughan. She’s been with us through the highs and lows. The panicky all-nighter for the 4000 word essay due the next day, the classic meal-deal-and-procrastinate scenario, and let’s not forget that one magical time you were actually productive.

Yet, one essential question remains. Which is the definitive best seat in The Maughan?

Round Reading Room
We all remember being wowed by the Round Reading Room on a campus tour or a King’s brochure before we enrolled. It’s almost impossible not to imagine yourself in the future, sat at one of the desks, matching stationary set in tow, meeting eyes with someone attractive across the room.

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The Reading Room

But this is an illusion. It’s always packed by 9am (honestly, who are the people who get up THAT early for a good seat?). If you do manage to get a seat, you are guaranteed to be at the receiving end of an angry “shush” at least once. Probably not worth it, even for the study aesthetic.

Main Seats on the Main Floors

A risky choice because this part of the library is usually pretty busy so you never know who you will end up sitting opposite. They could be perfectly quiet, pleasant people who keep themselves to themselves. OR they could be the type of person who crunches Doritos like they’re made of gravel, takes their shoes and socks off (ick.), and turns their headphones up so loud that you're forced to listen to terrible dubstep on a loop for 3 hours.

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Main Floor Seats

Mezzanine Floors

Honestly, the Mezzanine floors deserve our appreciation. They’re usually less crammed than the main floors. They’re reliable. But they’re not exactly aspirational study spaces. They’re a mile from the toilets, not to mention the distance from the water fountains.

So overall, fine, but we can definitely do better.

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Mezzanine Floors

Booths
The booths in the lift lobbies are a status symbol. You have to claim a booth position as soon as one is free otherwise it'll be gone in seconds. You sit, superior, in the booth and watch as all the sad, boothless students walk past. You’ve made it.

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Booths

But these seats aren’t as comfy as they appear. There’s a group of people in the booth next door chatting really loudly about Love Island and there’s a suspicious amount of crumbs on the desk. Alas, the booth is both a blessing and a burden. Ultimately, not worth the title of best Maughan seat.

Rolls Café
Honestly, we aren't even mad about Rolls Café. The vending machine chocolate can be the difference between success and failure when it comes to a long day of studying, and its conveniently close to lifts, toilets, and water fountain. However, it could never snatch the crown of best library seat because its always noisy; great for chatting, not so great for working.

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The Rolls Cafe

Computer Rooms
While its undeniably great for all students to have access to high quality computers, we have to admit that the computer room seats were never a real contender.

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Computer Room

Rooms behind the reading room
Quieter than the main library but filled with natural light these seats are super close to some lovely gender-neutral toilets, and even furnished with its own lift, this section of the library is an absolute goldmine for best seats.

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Rooms behind the reading room

So, there you have it. The best seats in Maughan Library are in the rooms which extend around the back of the reading rooms on the second and first floors. You’re welcome.

Alternatively, go to Senate House.