Whether its exam season, you’re cramming for an essay or you’re just keeping on top of all your readings, finding a good place to study is essential. Personally, I really struggle with working from home. There are too many distractions so I am always less productive. I also find it healthy to have some separation between where I live and where I study. If you are like me, then keep reading to learn about my top favourite study spots on (and one off) campus. 

Centre Building

Let’s be honest, you’re either a Centre Building (CBG) person or a Marshall Building person. Personally, I’m a fan of CBG as I find the interior design more inviting and the layout better. CBG also has a lot of floors, with great views of the city. There are also empty seminar rooms you can use outside of class hours. Make sure you explore all the floors in the building – some have rooms specific to different departments, but there are still loads of seats in the foyer right by floor to ceiling windows. There is also a rooftop terrace on the sixth floor, for when you need a break and some fresh air. 

Postgraduate common rooms 

Speaking of rooms specifically to your department – If you are a postgraduate student, you will likely have a postgraduate study room. These are great places to study, as they are available to less people so there is more space. You are also likely to run into someone you know there, so you might find a lunch buddy. The postgraduate common rooms are places where you can work on group projects, or have study groups as they are not silent rooms. The Department of International Development common room is on the 6th floor of Connaught House. Check with your department where the common room allocated to your cohort is located on campus.

Postgraduate silent rooms

However, if you do need that complete silence to really put your head down and focus on an assignment, I recommend the postgraduate silent rooms in the LSE Library. There are silent rooms on both the first and fourth floors. Again, these are only available to postgraduate students, so it is easier to find an available seat. My favourite is the fourth floor as it has a lot of study spaces and gets natural lighting which helps with my motivation and concentration. 

Senate House Library

Although campus has a lot of great places to study, it can sometimes be nice to have a change in scenery. If you are looking for something different than a café, the Senate House Library is a great option. It is in Bloomsbury and available to all University of London university students of which LSE is a part of. All you need to do is register online with your LSE student ID and you can get a library card which gives you unlimited access to the study areas. Senate House is a beautiful library with numerous different study spots. Just take the lift up to the fourth floor and you will be greeted with a traditional looking library, like the ones you see in the movies. I like to go to Senate House during exam season as it allows me to get a break from the campus routine, and to surround myself with students from other London universities. It is also an environment that allows me to focus very well. If you haven’t visited  the Senate House Library yet, I recommend you give it a try! 

Your surroundings are incredibly important for your productivity, so finding a study spot that works for you is important. These are some of my favorite places that I recommend for different modes of study. If you are looking to cram for an exam or bang out an essay perhaps places like the postgraduate silent room or Senate House is for you. However, if you are looking for somewhere to catch up on some readings, or work on a group project – CBG and common rooms are great options. Find what works for you!

Browse the complete list of study spaces available on the LSE campus.