When you’re not in lectures, classes, or tutorials, you’ll probably have some work to be doing. Thankfully, Oxford has lots of different beautiful locations where you can do this.

One of the most famous aspects of Oxford is its libraries - it has over 100 of them! Each College has its own library, and we are also very lucky to have the Bodleian Libraries. This is the largest academic library system in the UK, and is made up of 27 libraries, including the Bodleian Library itself, alongside the libraries of different faculties, institutes, and departments. They all have different subject materials, atmospheres, and facilities.

In my first 2 years at Oxford, I preferred to study in my room, but in my 3rd year, I started to do much more of my work in libraries, because I wanted more work-life balance, and a change of scenery! I’d strongly recommend that people start doing this earlier in their degrees than I did! It definitely made revision more enjoyable/bearable, because I could come home from a day in the library and properly relax in the evening - having a greater degree of separation between my revision and my rest time was really helpful for keeping the momentum of revising going.
I spent a lot of time at my College’s beautiful library - ranked 5th on Buzzfeed’s “25 Libraries Every Voracious Reader Must Absolutely Visit”! I also often used the Vere Harmsworth Library (where the science textbooks are stored) and the iconic RadCam (Radcliffe Camera), as well as the law library, which has 2-person study rooms (“carrels”), which are great to go to with a friend if you want a study buddy you can silently work alongside. There are also work rooms you can book out in some libraries if you want to talk to the people you’re working with.

I have many friends who love to work in cafes, and Oxford has many to choose from! When the weather gets warmer, some people also like to work outdoors, for example in Uni Parks or Christ Church Meadow, or at the Botanical Gardens, which all Oxford students have free entry to.