With three papers and a presentation breathing down my neck, I was looking for new places to study in order to keep my motivation at the needed level and tackle my to-do list. I am sure others might also be tired of the same study spots on campus or might be looking for different off-campus study spaces,  I present you my top three picks from this month:

The Reading Room at the Wellcome Collection

I went to the Wellcome Collection with the intention to simply look at the exhibitions after I had studied for a while on campus one Saturday. After seeing the “Medicine Man” and “Being Human” exhibitions, I arrived at the Reading Room. I was glad that I had brought my laptop with me because it looked like the perfect spot to do some readings in the afternoon. The Reading Room was filled with artwork and books, and in between readings I browsed the titles and looked at some photography. The Wellcome Collection also has a library where you can study in a quieter environment.  There are quite a few people walking through the Reading Room to look at the objects on display so if you prefer quiet spaces, the library might suit you better!

Saint Espresso

Saint Espresso is a café/ brunch place with several branches across London and it was also a great study place. A friend and I met up there at around 10am and stayed for almost five very productive hours. There were plenty of tables downstairs and many people were working on their laptops or meeting up with friends/ colleagues. In the morning it was a bit full, but as the day progressed it emptied out with people just coming in for a cup of coffee. We had lunch there and I’d highly recommend the Loaded Brioche. The space isn’t quiet, but it didn’t get overwhelmingly loud, so if listening to some chatter and people moving doesn’t bother you, it’s a great place to work on a paper.

Foyles Café

Similar to Saint Espresso, the café at Foyles bookstore, is not a quiet, library-like place, but it is a nice atmosphere for when you are tired of sitting on campus all day. I particularly enjoyed my study day there because of all the books I got to add to my wish list during the breaks I took. Studying there might be challenging because of the temptation to buy four books and start reading them instead of focusing on your lectures (just a warning!), but if you can resit the temptation to buy all the books, it’s a great spot!