Nowadays, I’ve been finding myself staying on campus more than I’m at home because I can’t seem to concentrate on studying at home. Although I’ve already survived a few assignments and tests, I still have two more tests coming up right before we go on winter break. It so happens that they fall on consecutive days as well, with one of them falling on the day of the One World Gala Showcase by the Students’ Union (which I will write about at another time, so keep updated!). With the Malaysian Society participating in the showcase, we’ve been practising fairly frequently which gives me little time to study for those upcoming tests. This is why I’ve been staying on campus between and after classes. The stress is real. I can’t wait for winter break.
Anyway, since I’ve been spending so much time studying on campus, why not write about my favourite places to study?
The most conspicuous study space would be the library, obviously. Along with 5 levels of available space to study, it also houses whatever facilities you may need such as laptop loans, training rooms, silent study rooms, and more. Many spaces have electrical outlets which you can use to charge your devices. Plus, it’s open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year! So, why wouldn’t you study here? Personally, I love the library because it has everything, plus SimplyFresh is right there if I ever feel a little peckish. I find myself camping out on the second floor very often between classes. However, during the exam season, it can get really packed and it may prove difficult to find available space, especially if you plan to sit in a group. With the mass of people in the library, you may also find it a little difficult having a peaceful and quiet environment if that is what you prefer. This is where the silent study rooms come to play. I should also note that during revision and exam periods, Library+ becomes available on the 3rd floor of the AC building (AC03) though these rooms are not open 24 hours like the library is.
What other study spaces do I go to? As a Biomedical Science student, I also find myself studying in the Innovation for Health building if I would like a change of pace from the library. The spaces on the first floor and the computer lab zone on the second floor are available for anyone, as long as there isn’t a class being taught at the time. It’s a well-lit environment and, at times, can be really quiet as not that many people tend to study there. However, you can’t stay past 21:00.
Hillside also proves to be a fairly good environment for group study. It is open from 07:30 to midnight, so you can stay there for a while. I often go there for lunch and stay until I feel like leaving. I also get snacks before they stop serving at 16:00. Even though it can get really busy during lunch, the crowd dies down fairly quickly as everyone starts to leave after lunch. The only caveat is that there aren’t many electrical outlets you can use if you would like to charge your device.
If you live in Manor Park, you can freely use the Reception as a study space as well. If you are a Veterinary student, you are also able to study at the Main Building of the Vet School. Do keep in mind that you need your card to access the building, so if you aren’t a Veterinary student, you’re out of luck. That is unless you have a friend who’s a Vet student.
There are way more study spaces available than what’s stated here but if I were to go through them all, this blog post would seem like it wouldn’t end. If you click here, I’ve linked a post by the University of Surrey about the available spaces on campus. That’s all for me for now because I have to get back to studying, unfortunately. See you again next week!
