This midterm season, I caught the procrastination bug. To cure this I set myself a task: to study at as many University of Edinburgh libraries as possible.
The Law Library:
I wandered around the Old College quad listening to the birds chirp, preparing myself for the much needed focus session. As I navigated the wooden labyrinth that is the Law library I felt like I was wearing a big “I don’t study law and I’m a complete idiot” sign. I found a seat in the mezzanine with a window that looked onto a wall, boring enough to force me to writer my essay.
When I study, I need to feel like everyone will judge me if I doomscroll instead of doing my work. The Law Library is a perfect environment for this as we’re so close. However, if you sit near people that can’t shut up, you’ll get an earful of a stranger’s business (Clemmie if you’re reading this, please break up with your boyfriend).
New College Library:
And on the second day, God said: “Let there be a first draft” as I sat down under the stained glass windows. Because the New College library is just one big room, it’s significantly easier to navigate but all the more echoey, walking down the stairs, I got a few lethal side-eyes. Whether it was that of the lack of heating in the library that sent a shiver down my spine, I don’t know.
The highlight was (surprisingly) the tourists. The ego boost I got from walking past them and scanning my card to get into the library was unmatched.
The Edinburgh College of Art Library (ECA):
I was hungover, still writing my essay, and trying to coordinate that night’s pub crawl, but duty calls. As I scan through the gates, I see the wall of print publications and decide to sit myself next to it so I can leaf through some during my study breaks (optimistic of me to assume I’d have time). It immediately dawned on me that this was a big mistake — I’m next to the reception, which is hell if you can only study in silence.
The Main Library:
The most reliable of the libraries, open for 24 hours a day, excluding holidays and water shortages. It may not be the most aesthetic but you can almost always find a seat, and it was in one of these seats that I finally submitted my essay. As I emerged from the Main Library, through the cloud of smokers and onto The Meadows, I feel a wave of relief. The sun set on Edinburgh and my midterms, I was free (for three more weeks).
Image by Lily Croucher for The Student
