Those one-hour breaks between lectures when it’s useless to go home, that friend who is always late, the meeting which you arrived early for….there are many reasons why you’d be waiting around on campus, but that doesn’t make doing it any less awkward.

 The Pay Station

NOT scrounging for money

No, I really do have the money, I’m waiting for my friend. STOP LOOKING AT ME.

Spend any longer than the exact amount of time needed by the parking pay station and you will get some funny looks from people wondering if the student stereotype of ‘broke’ has gone to a whole new level. God forbid you are rooting around in your bag (obviously for spare change stuck to the bottom)…the shame!

Doing the awkward dance

The Sportspark

Not impressed at all

Specifically the glass wall, on the other side of which are dozens of fit, lithe, sporty people staring back at you. It’s kind of hard not to perve, and any prolonged observation makes you look creepy and also feel bad about your not-so-buff bod.

Floor 0- The Library

Please don’t look at me…

It may be the only floor where eating is allowed, but being alone on floor 0 eating your ham sandwich has to be about the most awkward activity ever, especially when you can’t find a seat in the actual working area so have to sit next to the desk trying to disappear (not that this has ever happened to me…)

The Hive

This table is mine!

Normally a happy, social place, when you sit alone at a table you are taking that table from someone who has more friends (at this point in time) than you, and this is just downright selfish behaviour. Style it out, and enjoy not having to make conversation. Better still, get out a laptop or book and stay there for at least two hours, drinking bottled water you brought with you, that’ll show them.

 The Sainsbury Centre

And it wasn’t even open.

Feeling arty

Particularly if art isn’t your thing and for some reason you are meeting someone at the Sainsbury Centre, you may take to walking around stroking any stubble in an ‘arty’ fashion, hoping the staff won’t discover that you a an art fraud. Awkward.

The Waiting Room at the Medical Centre

Just be cool

There must be something wrong with you, you don’t look ill: obviously there for an STI test. Now that is #awkward.

Taking The Photos For This Article

Taking one for the team