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annabelbenton
5th October 2022

Lifestyle Loves: Campus hidden gems

To continue our new ‘Lifestyle Loves’ series, we offer readers our top picks for new places to discover on the UoM campus
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Lifestyle Loves: Campus hidden gems
Photo: Annabel Benton @ The Mancunion

For the next instalment in the brand new ‘Lifestyle Loves’ series at The Mancunion, we’ve decided to uncover some of the best lesser-known spots on UoM’s main campus.

It’s the perfect time to explore your surroundings as students settling into a new term, so why not enrich your university life with our list of hidden gems?

Whitworth Art Gallery

Photo: Erin Osman @ The Mancunion

Just a five-minute walk from the Main Library, Manchester’s Whitworth Art Gallery boasts a diverse collection of paintings, sculptures, architecture, fabrics, and sketches. Its cafe overlooks Whitworth Park, with floor-to-ceiling windows that create the ideal biophilic environment.

The Whitworth Art Gallery is also the perfect way to aestheticise your studying experience. The Gallery houses an Office of Arte Util; essentially a public workspace. Its 20th-century-style interiors and bay windows serve as the perfect escape from the routine University libraries and study spaces.

Union Hair

Photo: Erin Osman @ The Mancunion

Union Hair is an amazing hidden gem. Located on the bottom floor of the SU, and only £7.50 a cut, it’s absolutely worth a visit! Union Hair has been running for 20 years, and has always been a chatty and fun environment.

If you’re fancying a spontaneous haircut mid-study session, now you know where to go. Cheap, cheery, and on campus – Union Hair is one of our favourite hidden gems!

The Hive

Photo: Annabel Benton @ The Mancunion

This article is your sign to fully explore everything the SU building has to offer, starting with The Hive. Located on the first floor, The Hive is an open-plan study space with tables, beanbags, study booths and even a picnic bench.

It’s worth getting to know the various study spaces around campus for when you need a change of scenery. The Hive is a great place to start as it is close to food and drink on the SU’s ground floor, and offers a comfortable and collaborative working atmosphere. It also has a microwave, perfect for those long-haul study sessions.

Kro Bar

Found opposite the SU, Kro Bar is a great spot for a quick bite to eat or drink, whether you’re between lectures or at the end of a day on campus – the outdoor seating beside Oxford Road is always full of students when the sun comes out.

The cafe-come-bar has a huge selection of sandwiches, burgers and Danish-inspired dishes to accompany a catch-up with friends in a prime location.

Each day they offer food deals, such as two-for-one hot dogs, and drinks aren’t ridiculously overpriced. There’s even a ‘Manc Lager’ for those wanting to get into the local spirit.

Main Library

Photo: Annabel Benton @ The Mancunion

This might seem like a ridiculous place to include in our list, as most students will be familiar with the Main Library. However, UoM’s Main Library is maze-like, and, as the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons (Ali-G) is often packed with students, it might be time to take another look.

Branching out from the newer ‘blue’ area into the older section of the library you can find cosy rooms, tonnes of desks and collaborative study spaces. If you’re already familiar with the Main Library, there are also plenty of smaller work environments across campus: we’ve previously compiled a list of UoM’s secret libraries for when you want to spice up a study session.

If you want to read about what else The Mancunion Lifestyle team are loving, you can access the full series here.

Annabel Benton

Annabel Benton

Co-Culture Managing Editor at The Mancunion // Twitter: @AnnabelBenton_

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