With midterms and deadlines approaching rapidly, we, as students, must establish our comfort space – whether it be to revise for exams, finish up our last essays, or decompress after ticking off our to-do lists. My aim is to recommend some potential spots on campus where you can do this comfortably; by yourself or with friends!
My first, perhaps obvious recommendation is the Exehale rooms in Devonshire House on the Streatham campus and the Holnicote building on the St. Luke’s campus. There is always a range of well-being resources, such as colouring books and information leaflets in each room, which is an excellent way to calm down before, during, or after a stressful midterm period. It should be noted, however, that these rooms are meant for personal, quiet use only – it is therefore not your best pick for socialising or group studying.
In terms of distractions, the Well-being building located by the Student Health Centre on Streatham and the Guild study spaces also offer an excellent range of sensory fidget toys, which help me stay distracted when I feel uneasy or anxious. For further anxiety relief, when the weather allows for this, I highly recommend the Reed Hall gardens, especially the bench area, where you can comfortably relax by reading a book or simply enjoying your time out in nature. I like to sit here as a little break while I’m on a walk, and I must admit – I think it’s one of the prettiest parts of the Streatham campus, especially when it’s sunny.
The Well-being building located by the Student Health Centre on Streatham and the Guild study spaces also offer an excellent range of sensory fidget toys
My biggest recommendation for the St. Luke’s campus would probably be the Quad, located at the heart of the medical campus. It is an excellent outdoor place to spend time between lectures and is very good for socialising, especially when the weather is good. Definitely keep this one in mind once winter is over!
Arguably, coffee shops are the safest bet for staying productive, enjoying a warm drink, or relaxing. My personal favourite on campus is Barisca in the Peter Chalk building or La Touche in Building: One – both of which have pretty big windows which allow for natural lighting to keep you productive (side note, while I haven’t been myself, I heard the lunches at Cross Keys at St. Luke’s are really good!). I find coffee shops ideal because they allow you to remain productive in your own time, without the stress of sitting in a library and possibly feeling bad for not being productive the whole time you’re there while everyone else is working. Besides, it is an excellent opportunity to enjoy a warm drink when the weather is not great. As a coffee lover, the quality of Barisca coffee is excellent, and the prices are very student-friendly!
So, with deadlines soon approaching, I wish everyone good luck, and I hope that these recommendations for calm spots on campus are helpful!
