"During two years in Canberra I have self justified another cup of coffee far too
many times."
Lilli Ireland shares an ultimate guide to café study spots on and around Campus.
I don’t know about you, but studying can, at least occasionally, be less than
enjoyable. There are two things I find that help me get through the tedious times.
The first; a strong dose of caffeine. The second; surrounding myself with people
from the outside world so I can almost live via osmosis through strangers who
aren’t trying to defy laws of time and fit four weeks of content into one day.
During two years in Canberra I have self justified another cup of coffee far too
many times. Naturally this has instigated a fear of checking my bank account to
see just how much damage my bougie habits have wrought on my non-bougie
budget.
Unfortunately, HECs doesn’t quite cover caffeine addiction. However, it means I
have explored all of the (non-bush) parts of Canberra and found my favourite
places, which are a light even in the darkest of times (I’m looking at you, week
12). After all, nowhere but Canberra hosts cafes that have reluctantly accepted
the dense student population which spends mere dollars to justify aggressively
hogging a table for hours; stealing warmth, wifi and wattage.
So here it is: the ultimate guide to café study spots on and around Campus. Note:
cafes I have unceremoniously been removed from for overstaying my welcome
are not included (a small, but nonetheless satisfying, revenge). I hope you can
appreciate this in a way that my bank account never will.
Grounds, Campus
● Pros: super convenient spot, nice coffee (sometimes a lil milky).
● Cons: often busy which triggers guilt for table hogging, can be quite cold in
winter, Daley Road dwellers prepare to see every single person you’ve
ever met. Come in college merch or not at all.
● Overall rating: 6.5/10
School of Art Café, School of Art
● Pros: doubles as a bakery.
● Cons: doubles as a bakery.
● Overall: 7/10
Little Pickle, Forestry Building
● Pros: the building has just been redone so there is lots of little nooks to
explore, enviro people (objectively the nicest on campus).
● Cons: sometimes my coffee has been more burnt than that one time I got
heat stroke.
● Overall: 6.5/10
University House, Campus
● Pros: The best hot chocolates, always has free tables, nice spots outside in
summer, cozy in winter, opens late (8am-8pm).
● Cons: do not come here on a Thursday/Friday night unless your kink is
studying while in the company people having a LOT more fun than you.
● Overall: 9/10
Street Theatre Café, Childers Street
● Pros: spacious, tasty coffee, and the only café I know that has student
prices (!!).
● Cons: really close to campus but lacks campus wifi, so obtaining wifi
password involves actually talking to a human waiter/ess; be prepared.
● Overall: 8/10
Lonsdale St Roasters, Braddon
● Pros: Probably the most quintessential café for studying with tree top
views (just try not to feel inspired to write a novel), super friendly, good
coffee. If you stay long for a long enough duration, and look sufficiently
sad/poor, its rumoured they give you free pastries.
● Cons: busy on weekends, and a little trek for those not used to travelling
beyond campus, only has CBR-Free wifi (yes Cady, the limit does exist).
● Overall: 9/10
Oliver Brown, Civic and Dickson
● Pros: an abundance of power points (a rare and valuable commodity),
good wifi, opens til late, always empty - it must be the only place in
existence where workers are actually happy for your lengthy presence.
● Cons: coffee is not their thing; chocolate is (potentially this is a strong
pro).
● Overall: 8/10
Pollen, the Botanical Gardens
● Pros: such a beautiful place, amazing if you want highly aesthetic
backgrounds to your study, good coffee.
● Cons: very pricey, not ornithophobe friendly (intimate bird experiences
100% guaranteed), lots of families on the weekend (babies are cute but
LOUD).
● Overall: 7/10
Psycadelli, Marcus Clarke
● Pros: spacious, possible to convince yourself you’re a successful
businessperson, close but forgotten (always lots of space). Come in a suit
if you want to fit in.
● Cons: okay-ish coffee, regretfully no loyalty cards (or potentially just
none for fraudulent businesspersons).
● Overall: 7/10