11 things you’ll only understand if you study law at the University of Warwick

Avatar photo

By Amy Clarke on

Everyone remembers the tort law banana lecture

Image via Instagram (@kawakamiiyu)

With freshers’ week in full swing, one Warwick student shares 11 things you’ll only understand if you study law study at the top Russell Group university.

1. None of your lectures are actually in the law school

Despite the shiny ‘Warwick Law School’ sign and the attractive exterior, the law school does not actually have any lecture theatres. Your lectures might be anywhere from maths to chemistry, where ever will fit the 300+ students for core modules. But at least this means you know your way around campus quickly as a fresher.

2. That tort law banana lecture

If you know, you know.

3. Law students get possessive over floor four of the library

Image via Instagram (@runninglauren)

Floor four of the library is the law floor. Unlike all other social sciences, which are grouped together on level five, we are important enough to deserve our own floor. This can make us slightly protective and possessive over use of floor four by other subjects. Despite the fact people can study on any level. And despite floor four being shared with education, government publications and statistics.

4. The second hand book sale is ?

Every year law soc organises a second hand book sale, meaning you can get some reduced price textbooks. This all seems great, until you realise you’re 5ft 2 and struggle to open heavy doors, let alone carry ten textbooks back to your halls or, worse, on the U1 back to Leamington.

5. People regularly turn up to lectures in full business suits

It seems weird, but it is never questioned.

6. Law Soc has got your back

With the twice a week emails reminding you of everything law-related, from careers to the law ball, law soc makes sure you’re not missing out. Plus they seem to have an endless supply of food at every event.

7. Reading week is never as productive as you hope

You’re probably the only non-BA subject to get a reading week, which instantly makes all other non-BA subjects jealous. You begin reading week hoping to catch up with the 1000s of pages you haven’t read, and finish the week having read about 200 pages because of the five essays you were set. Every term is the same.

8. Everyone loves Claire Leslie

Image via Twitter (@griffithsleslie)

Throughout your law degree this wonderful woman will consistently be there to remind you of the reason you’re there: your career. She is a guiding light to law students, and appointments to see her get taken quicker than Glastonbury tickets on release day. If you manage your whole time at Warwick without speaking to her you’re really missing out.

9. The law hub is a mysterious place

Nobody tells you about this place and it’s almost like a secret of the law school until your second year. It’s a study area for law students, but with sofas and more comfortable chairs. And quite often there’s careers events, meaning there’s often stuff happening and going for free if you’re there at the right time.

10. Choosing your modules is a big deal

From second year onwards you choose your modules, which is the biggest academic decision you’ve made since A-levels. Second year the choice is massive, but you realise by third year that second time around there isn’t so much you want to do. Everyone tells you to take business school modules. Whatever you choose, you still have the impeding doom of trusts in final year.

11. It’s the quirks that make it

As weird and wonderful as it is, and whether it was your first choice or not, Warwick ends up being where you belong. You love it for its best parts and its more unusual, and there’s nowhere else you would really want to be studying your degree.

Amy Clarke is a law student at the University of Warwick.

Want to tell readers what it’s like studying law at your university? Get in touch.