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The University of Southampton
Social Impact Lab

Finding Your Home

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So, you're all moved in, you've survived your first night, and now you're ready to explore campus; where should you start? Some would recommend the library, others the campus pub or the union, all of which are very important places and I do recommend you go and check them out sooner rather than later. In my own experience, and as corny as this is going to sound, I would suggest finding somewhere on campus that makes you happy, or somewhere you could at least see yourself comfortably spending some time in before and after lectures.

I wasn't, and am still not, the kind of person who can work in a completely silent environment and so during my first year at university, I only came to campus for my lectures and the occasional visit to the library to check out books. I prefer to have music playing and maybe a pal or two to talk to, be it about our assignments or not, and since our library on campus was a silent working zone for the most part, I decided fairly early on it wasn't for me. For some unknown reason, I didn't think to see what other communal spaces were on campus until my 3rd year and let's just say I'm glad I finally did.

Your choices on campus will probably begin with a chain or two like Pret or Costa. They’re handy for when you need a quick refill of your travel mug between lectures and serve good food. Even though it’s a bit pricey, it’s good for solitary workers due to the layout of tables. For those who prefer a more social experience, I would endorse the idea of finding a place fairly central on campus which many students are known to pass through. From my own experience at the university, there are a couple of places you can go. Bar 3 (a small diner-style cafe), The Plant Pot (our vegan and veggie cafe), or The Stag's Head (the campus pub, affectionately known as Stags) are all popular spaces where students can work, eat, chill, or a combination of all three. For me, however, it was a place called The Bridge where I made myself at home.

With a good selection of food, comfy chairs which easily doubled as a work space, plenty of outlets to charge devices, and the opportunity to meet and socialise with many of my friends, The Bridge is one of the only places on campus that I will always have fond memories of. Along with the interior design, which was quite frankly bizarre but lush, it has seen me in all states of mind; stressed due to my dissertation, hanging from a big night out, in fits of laughter with some friends from a society or calm and collected crafting an essay or something creative in my spare time.

Overall, I recommend that you find your uni version of The Bridge. It should be a place that fulfils all your needs both physically and emotionally and feels like a home on campus. Whether you need it for five minutes or five hours, find that place, you'll thank yourself when you do.

Harriet Harding

The Hysteria Collective

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