The Best Study Spaces: York
For such a small city, York has a lot to offer in terms of study spaces, here are some of my favourites!
Uni of York Library – Morrel, Fairhurst & Burton
The main university library, an obvious mention to get out of the way. I love the fact that there are three libraries to choose from, Fairhurst for a more chilled and chatty study environment, Burton for a silent and focused environment and Morrel for something in the middle. You’ve got everything you could need in the building. I also really enjoyed the café on the ground floor with a boiling water tap to keep me supplied with hot drinks all day. The library’s café is also a great place to work and was one of my preferred spots in first year. There is also an extensive range of food on the menu for a little lunch break. This is only accessible to University of York students, but there are plenty of options for YSJ students yet to be mentioned!
Church Lane Building
A personal favourite and highly frequented space in my third year, to the point where I ended up getting a cheeky confession from an admirer on the Facebook page who’d noticed me there! I usually went to the upstairs of the building and set up camp from around 11am until 6pm. What I loved about this space was the chilled yet still focused atmosphere, comfy modern chairs and sofas, an abundance of plug sockets, clean toilets, and the little kitchenettes to keep me topped up with tea. I would recommend arriving around 10am to secure yourself the best seats. There’s also the Link Café on the ground floor selling loads of great snacks, meals, and drinks to keep you going. Unfortunately, this is only accessible to University of York students.
Hungate Reading Café
Located near the Foss River, this café is a bit outside of town, so it is usually frequented by locals and is set up as a workspace as well as a café. Most of their customers go there to work so you do not need to feel conscious of how much time you spend there. There are plenty of tables and plug sockets to allow you to get through your university work. Food and drink are all reasonable prices. Definitely worth trying out!
Coppergate Cafê Nero
I don’t often like studying in independent cafés because I am conscious that I probably will only buy a couple of drinks and take up valuable table space. Therefore, studying in a chain café was often a preference for me because I didn’t feel guilty about how much time I spent there. The Café Nero on Coppergate was especially good because I always found there were a lot of tables, many of which accommodated just one person and were in reach of a plug socket. The seating area is also somewhat separate from the serving counter which made the space a little less hectic. Mid-week it also tends to be rather quiet if you need to focus.
Keystones
If you fancy more of a pub vibe Keystones is a great spot to study. It has long tables with plug sockets, perfect for studying. The prices are very reasonable so you can keep yourself topped up on drinks and snacks all day using their ordering app. It’s also in a great location for YSJ students, just a 5-minute walk from the Groves. There’s also a massive beer garden which is a wonderful spot for the summer months. It’s definitely a pub which can get a bit livelier in the evenings so I would recommend going during the day so you can have a bit of a calmer environment, and maybe shutting your laptop and enjoying some drinks to reward yourself for a solid day of studying.
King’s Manor
The most beautiful study spot I’ve been to in town. King’s Manor is a medieval, Grade I listed building. It is now part of University of York’s Archaeology department and one of the few off-campus buildings. It has a beautiful library which has various study spaces. There are also many tables throughout the building, if you have a bit of an explore. King’s Manor is a very popular study spot, especially during deadline and exams seasons, so if you want a good seat, I recommend arriving around 10am. Due to the age of the building and the fact its listed, it can get extremely cold, so definitely bring lots of layers!
Piazza Building
A go-to in my first year! This building is located on University of York’s East Campus, so it is ideal for any Constantine, Langwith of Goodricke students who don’t fancy jumping on the 66 into town. The Piazza Library is a quiet and focused space with plenty of seats and plug sockets. There are also various tables throughout the building which are great for a slightly less focused study spot. You’ve also got a café downstairs to keep you topped up on food and drink all day.
Black Swan Inn
Another pub! If you want to enjoy York’s charm whilst getting your reading done, Black Swan is a cosy little pub with great regulars, a good number of tables, plug sockets and Wi-Fi. It tends to be rather quiet during the week, so you can really knuckle down and get your work done. They also have an adorable pub cat to help alleviate any uni stress you may be facing. If you fancy using alcohol to help you ‘focus’ on your studying, they have a nice selection of beers to enjoy. The beer garden outside is also great in the summer.
Picnic Benches
Finally, York Council’s picnic benches. During the summer, the Council has been putting benches out in certain locations around York, notably in front of the Art Gallery and on College Green in front of the Minster. When it’s sunny and all the tourists are about in York, it always feels wonderful to bask in the sun whilst still getting my essays done and enjoying the beautiful views of the city. You just need to make sure you’re fully charged and will need to use a Wi-Fi hotspot.
