Not too sure where you can hang out and relax between your lectures and seminars? Looking for a change in environment? Or just looking for a place to relax? We’ve got you covered.

 

The student union here at the university boasts a range of places to eat for affordable prices and lots of different spaces to hang out with your friends. The union square provides not just many seating areas, but also restaurants such as Wok & Go and Humpit, and even has a ping pong table. 

Take a few steps down the stairs and you’ll find yourself in Common Ground- a space that offers games as well as food and drinks. This is also where the Global Cafe opens, every Monday evening, so if you’re interested in learning about cultures from all over the world, practising your language skills, or just meeting new people, then drop in every now and then (and enjoy free tea, coffee and biscuits too!)

Other places to hang out and eat in the union include Pyramid, equipped with lots of tables and a nice toasty menu, and Terrace and Old Bar. There is also a newly-installed seating area just outside the union if you prefer sitting out in the open air.

There are plenty of spots around the university where you can sit out in the open air as well. The area outside the Edward Boyle library is dotted with vibrant colour tables and chairs, a great space to meet up with your friends between lectures or just to hang out. You can even sit on the grass area if you can’t get a seat when it gets busy.

Walk down the stairs and you can grab a table in the outdoor seating area of the Waterside Café, granting you a view of the pond right outside the Roger Stevens building while you enjoy some sunshine and delicious cakes. The sustainable garden situated at the foot of this building also provides a few benches where you can sit and enjoy the peace and lovely greenery around you.

If you’re a fan of grass, then you’re in luck – there are various other green spaces where you can relax and hang out. Both St George’s field and the outside area by the Business School are incredibly calming, spacious, with lots of grass and plenty of benches.

If the great outdoors are not quite your thing, and you’d rather relax and hang out in a café, you’ve got plenty of options here at the University of Leeds. There are 15 cafés spaced out across the campus, in different buildings, for your convenience and easy access. Some schools may have their own cafe such as the Business School’s cafe, the Engineering School’s Fuse, to name a couple. There is also a Camionnette café on campus called Hugo, located just outside the student union and right opposite the Refectory with tasty treats and a range of drinks, both hot and cold, that you can grab before finding a seat around the union area.

The Edit Room is also a popular café, so it may be a bit difficult to find a seat, especially during peak hours. But it has an eye-catching modern interior with bright lights and comfy furniture, the perfect place to relax, meet your friends and chill. 

 

Mary Yeh

 

Image: University of Leeds