Find your perfect study spot on campus

Our campus is beautiful and now in spring it becomes especially lively again after hibernation. Yet, do you know all its special spots and hidden places? This article provides you with an overview of the perfect study spots on campus.

The campus is as diverse as the whole university. There are various places on campus that each serve a specific purpose. In other words, every place has its unique function. There are the usual quiet and boring places for reading, lively places where you are inclined to procrastinate and some beautiful hidden spots.

The boring

The two main libraries in Forum and in Leeuwenborch (Lebo) are the two most obvious places to turn to when you need to study. But probably also the most boring ones. In Forum, you have at least a nice view, but sitting in Lebo in the basement seeing only the feed of the people walking by once in a while, can be rather dull. But still, the libraries are probably the places that most of you haunt most frequently and they are good for reading and studying, indeed.

The vivid

If the library is too quiet or maybe also too boring and you prefer a buzzing background when studying, you can turn to one of the canteens. Personally, I think the Spot in Orion is one of the nicest places to study when you are in favour of a more vivid place. Of course, also in Forum and Lebo you can find nice spots in the canteens for studying. Yet, be aware that around noon until 13.30 the canteens are flooded with hungry students looking for a place to eat. The canteens are suitable not only for reading on your own, but also for group work.

There are some more, hidden places in Orion for group and individual study sessions in the hallways and secret corners. Use your time to explore the possibilities of the building.

The lonely

When you need to focus and want to study in a silent environment or when you need to do focussed group work but do not want to disturb anyone, there is the option to reserve a room, for instance in Lebo or Orion. In Orion, there are a couple of rooms with a very nice view over the campus, most of them equipped with PCs and whiteboards. Nonetheless, there are also less attractive rooms in Orion when it comes to the view. Some of them are at the inside of the building and do not have a proper window, but just a glass front to the hallway. The rooms at Lebo also differ immensely with respect to their attractiveness. The reservations can be done at the receptions of the respective building. But watch out! Especially in the study and exam weeks these rooms are particularly popular and you often need to be there very early to get a spare one. I was once very disappointed when I arrived at eight in the morning and every room was already taken.

The beautiful

There are some buildings on campus that regular students visit less often. Among others these buildings are Radix, Atlas and maybe Impulse. To enter Radix, you need to bring your student card. On the first floor, there is a cosy open space with comfortable furniture and even a piano. To me the place seems perfect for discussions and group work. In Atlas, the architecture is stunning. Sitting on the ground floor and looking up, you spot numerous bridges crossing the gallery. So far, I have been only on the ground floor and I did not test the “study-ability” of the place myself, but it seems like you can find a nice spot for reading there.

And here is now my favourite study spot. It is in Impulse. Both, the spots on the ground floor as well as on the basement are pretty gorgeous. To me the whole building is the nicest one on campus and the interior the most beautiful, too. You can get a comfortable spot at one of the benches and look out of the window. It is much quieter there than in the canteens, but still not as lonely as in a reserved room or as boring as in one of the libraries. So, it is perfect for all kinds of work such as paper writing, doing exercises or reading. And the best part of it: Also, the coffee at Impulse is the best one all over campus.

The one with fresh air

Now, that spring is slowly coming and the Netherlands are showing their sunny side, you can also haunt outside places. However, even outside, there are different categories of places. So, the very basic one is sitting at one of the stone tables and benches or on the grass in front of Forum, while the deluxe version is the wooden footbridge at the pond. Especially now, in spring, the terrace is perfect since it is slightly wind-sheltered. Being outside might be too bright and therefore not suitable for working on a laptop, but for reading printed paper or books – even non-uni-related ones – this is a perfect spot.

The relaxing

Finally, after a long day of studying and/or after your workout, the terrace of the sports centre de Bongerd is a perfect place to enjoy a beer or another drink and to see friends. Check it out!

See Satoka’s vlog below to find out her top 5 of best study spots on campus!