Anna, a 2nd-year Liberal Arts student, loves campus life. Here are her top 5 spots on campus.
I'm currently a second-year studying Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences. My main areas of study are Criminology, Business and Education. Next year, I am going on a year abroad (hopefully to Canada), which will be a great experience. After university I am planning to go into primary education, although I am keeping an open mind!
The Main Library is a firm favourite campus location for me. It is open 24/7 and has over 2000 spaces so it is ideal for weekend or late-night studying. There are silent, quiet and group study areas, so there is always a space that suits my preferences. There are also study rooms that can be booked online and these are perfect for meetings about group projects, or just for studying with friends. The library café is also a frequently visited part of campus for me - perfect for grabbing a coffee to get me through a long study session!
The Academic Skills Centre is located in the library. They offer support when it comes to essay writing, referencing and exam revision, which was particularly handy in first year when these were all new skills to me.
Learn more about academic support
The Green Heart is a lovely green, open area in the centre of campus. It is fantastic to have green space even in a city and it provides a nice place to sit and have study breaks, or hang out with friends in the summer when it is warmer outside.
I often spend a lot of my time at the Sport & Fitness Centre. I personally love the gym classes (particularly yoga, spin and body pump, but there are over 150 to choose from!), which are included in my membership. There are discounted membership options for students. There’s also a 50-metre swimming pool and a sauna and steam room, which is a great way to unwind after a busy day on campus. There are over 57 sports clubs to join, and I decided to join a sport that I had never heard of before called Korfball. This is great fun, and I have made so many friends by picking it up. Being involved in sports has really shaped my university experience.
Find out more about Sport & Fitness
The University Centre offers everything I need on campus, making it one of my top five favourite places. Along with a post office, hairdresser and opticians, there are also multiple food outlets - my favourite is a jacket potato and sandwich shop. You can also find careers support here, making it a very useful space on campus.
Finally, the Guild of Students is a great place on campus, providing a variety of opportunities. There are over 350 societies on offer at the Guild, which provides really good social opportunities for students. Joe's Bar is the student bar on campus, and they offer food and drink throughout the day, as well as events in the evening. My favourite event is the ‘Big Quiz’, which takes place on a Thursday evening, as well as the club nights on a Wednesday and Saturday. The Guild also has a lovely study space, which I will often go to if I want a more relaxed environment than the Main Library.
I couldn’t talk about my favourite places on campus without giving an honourable mention to my first year accommodation: Tennis Court. This is a shared bathroom accommodation in the Vale student village. I loved my year of living here and have the best memories because of it, and while it isn’t quite on campus, I couldn’t leave it out of this blog. I have written a different blog about my university experience if you would like to find out more about my experience.
I'm Anna, a second year studying Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences student. Next year I am going on a year abroad to Can...
