The most iconic dissertation picture locations on campus

Professional models of the highest standard were used in all of these photos – including the ducks


Sure, a diss pic in front of the Lancaster University sign will look good on your Instagram, but why stop there? When you’ve spent six months (or three weeks) writing a 40-page essay, it deserves to be shown off and taken on a tour around campus.

Luckily, we’ve scouted out some of the best spots for you – all you need is your finished dissertation and a friend who you trust to get your best angles in every photo.

Alexandra Square Steps

Being a very popular campus spot, Alex Square steps might seem like a bit of an obvious choice but fear not. You can spice up your diss pic with a cheeky pose, as shown in the picture on the left (Kate Moss inspired). Alternatively, if you’ve been doing 20-hour days in the library to get the diss finished in time, you can opt for the pose on the right. A picture speaks a thousand words… or ten thousand.

Yes, I did get some funny looks from onlookers enjoying their Greggs sausage rolls, but it was so worth it.

Next to the 100 Bus

Ahh, the trusty 100 bus – a blessing and a curse to all students who live in the town centre. Maybe it doesn’t get you to campus as quick as the 1A, but at least it gives you an extra 10 minutes of thinking about all the work you have to do before you get to the library. Plus, going the long way around means you get to admire the beautiful Bowerham landscape from the top deck.

It’s an unorthodox location, but will definitely get you noticed… by the bus driver and everyone in the underpass.

Among nature

Summer has finally come to Lancaster… sort of. Why not immerse yourself in the campus flora and take your dissertation with you? This location was a personal favourite of mine and I definitely felt like I was embracing my inner Instagram model.

Though I did have my foot in a nettle bush, which explains the facial expression.

A Floor Printers

We’ve all been there, especially in the past four months because they’re the only printers in the library that aren’t out of order. Get a pic with your dissertation here whilst it’s hot off the press. There really is nothing better than standing there for 15 minutes whilst it prints off the most important assignment of the year, then spotting a spelling mistake on the first page.

Do expect some weird looks from the library staff with this one.

With the campus wildlife

“Tell me you went to Lancaster Uni without telling me you went to Lancaster Uni.”

*Diss pic with the ducks*

It’s a hard life being a campus celebrity, but if you ask them nicely they’ll find time between strutting about campus and begging for pasties to pose for a picture. Obviously, I’m not as photogenic as them but we move.

Learning Zone Toilet Sign

Nothing screams “edgy” like a diss picture near the learning zone toilet sign. Absolutely no justification for this one – I saw an opportunity and I went for it.

Top fashion tip: to stick with the quirky theme, roll one leg of your joggers up and leave the other down. You heard it here first.

So, there you have it. The top six most iconic and unorthodox diss pic locations on campus. I had much more fun with this than I anticipated and it’s definitely something I’ll remember doing in years to come (because they’ll be framed on my wall).

Grab a mate and try it yourself and send your favourite pictures to the Lancaster Tab Instagram page to be featured on our story!

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