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By Alice Lampard, Third Year Veterinary Science
Following a recent Epigram article accusing science students of stealing arts resources, it is time we put aside our differences and realised this university is chronically under-funded.
I am currently writing this as I sit in the Medical Library at 9:30am. I had to get here early to secure a table. Every so often I look up from my laptop and I am always met with the sight of students entering the room desperately looking in every corner for a free seat.
You would think this surprising, as most sciences students descend en masse upon the ASS library, or so the arts students would have you believe…
However, the Medical Library fills up just as quickly as the ASS library, as does the biological sciences building and most other science libraries. I have often had to visit three or four buildings around exam time before finding a free seat. And of course, none of these are open 24 hours a day, everyday, like the ASS library.
overcrowding and lack of seats is an issue faced by all libraries and student spaces throughout the University.
In fairness, the Veterinary Sciences Library is always open and often has several free desks. However not many students are able to make the over forty-minute journey to the middle of nowhere. For those arts students who do not know, the vet campus is not even in Bristol- it is in a place called Langford.
'What about the study centers?!' I hear you cry. Well, not only do you have to fight to find a seat not taken by a student, but you will often struggle to find a desk not taken by notes or a laptop. Yes, taking a well-earned break from studying is acceptable - going to stretch your legs, or even grab some lunch. But, I have seen all too often desks taken up by laptops, notes or jackets, only to see the student come back from a 3-hour long lunch break. Infuriating!
the Veterinary Sciences Library is always open and often has several free desks. However not many students are able to make the over forty-minute journey to the middle of nowhere.
The truth is, overcrowding and lack of seats is an issue faced by all libraries and student spaces throughout the University.
Online and in student publications, we hear all too often that science students are 'stealing' the seats of the arts students in the ASS library, and that they should return to their own territory. However, we do not often hear from the science undergrads. This is certainly not because there is plenty of free seating in all the science libraries, quite the opposite, however perhaps it is time we realize that this is not the fault of students.
This university is facing an overcrowding and under-funding crisis.
Instead of blaming each other and fuelling an 'Arts vs Sciences' war, perhaps we could put our heads together and come up with some solutions.
We should not be fighting and ranting at each other, we should be ranting to the University, who does not seem to appreciate the additional stress and difficulty this issue puts on students every year.
Featured image: Epigram/Will CharleyDo you struggle to find a seat in the University's libraries? Let Epigram know!
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