Life on Campus at Warwick Business School

Current MSc students Minh and Sandy share their experiences of life at WBS, reflecting on everything from welcome events and study spaces to balancing postgraduate study with social life.

What was your first impression of life at WBS?

Minh: Honestly, when I first arrived at WBS to study MSc Business Analytics, I felt excited but also a bit overwhelmed. Everything was completely new, the campus, the teaching style, the people, even figuring out where to go between classes. I think Orientation Week helped a lot though. The icebreakers, welcome events, and even things like free pizza made it much easier to start talking to people.

Looking back now, WBS became way more than just somewhere I went for lectures. It slowly became a place where I made friends, got more confident, joined activities, and eventually even became a Student Ambassador.

Sandy: I remember being surprised by how lively campus life actually was when I arrived for my Master’s in Finance. I expected postgraduate study to be very study-focused all the time, but there’s honestly so much happening around campus.

After a few weeks, I found myself getting into a routine of studying, eating with friends, attending events, and just spending time around campus. It felt busy, but in a good way.

Where are your favourite places to study and relax on campus?

Sandy: I probably spend most of my time in the library. I know we have postgraduate study spaces, but I personally focus better there because it’s quiet and has a really nice atmosphere.

That said, I’ve realised breaks are really important too. Sometimes after studying for hours, I’ll just walk around campus for a bit to clear my head. During spring, the cherry blossoms around campus are honestly so pretty.

Minh: I kind of created my own little “WBS map” over time. The WBS Café and District became my regular spots for coffee or lunch between classes.

I also used the postgraduate student lounge a lot because it was somewhere I could study, relax, heat up food, or just chat with friends before going back to assignments.

One thing I liked was that there were different spaces depending on what you needed. Some days I wanted somewhere quiet to focus, and other days I needed space for group discussions or presentation prep.

What role does food play in student life at Warwick?

Minh: Honestly, food became one of the easiest ways to connect with people. A lot of my conversations with classmates happened over coffee, lunch, or after events.

Especially at the start of the year, those small moments made settling in feel much less scary because everyone was trying to get to know each other.

Sandy: Food is definitely a huge part of my routine. After classes, I usually go to Dirty Dark Restaurant because it’s affordable and really convenient.

If I’m really hungry, I’ll go to Panda Mama in the Arts Centre because the all-you-can-eat lunch is actually such good value. And of course, I have to mention fish and chips near the library because it feels like one of the classic campus meals.

On busy days, I’ll just grab a Co-op meal deal because it’s quick and cheap. Honestly, having lots of food options nearby makes student life so much easier.

How do you balance studying with social life?

Sandy: I think balance is really important during postgraduate study because it can get intense quite quickly.

One of my favourite ways to relax is playing pool with friends in the Atrium. I’d actually never played before coming to Warwick, but now it’s become something we do quite regularly.

I’ve also really enjoyed events like the Christmas Ball and Winter Ball because they gave everyone a chance to dress up, socialise, and forget about assignments for a night.

Minh: Some of my favourite memories at WBS actually happened outside class. Things like networking events, volunteering, random conversations after lectures, or just spending time with classmates became a huge part of my experience.

I feel like I learned a lot outside the classroom too, not just academically, but also how to communicate better, work with different people, and become more confident.

What has been your most memorable experience at WBS?

Minh: Becoming a Student Ambassador was definitely one of the biggest highlights for me.

At the start of my MSc, I was the person asking questions about everything, where to study, how to manage assignments, how to meet people. Later on, I ended up helping other students answer those same questions.

I also got opportunities to speak at events, join virtual sessions, and share my experiences with prospective students, which really helped build my confidence.

Sandy: For me, it’s honestly the small everyday moments I’ll probably remember most.

Walking around campus after studying, seeing the cherry blossoms, hanging out with friends in the Atrium, or going to events together, those are the moments that made university life feel memorable.

What advice would you give to future WBS students?

Sandy: I’d say try not to spend all your time only studying. Of course academics matter, but some of the best parts of university life come from the smaller moments too.

Try different food places, go to events, spend time with people, and actually enjoy being on campus.

Minh: My advice would be to get involved early, even if you feel nervous at first.

Go to welcome activities, try different study spaces, talk to people in your classes, and say yes to opportunities when they come up.

I think settling in takes time for everyone, but the more you get involved, the more WBS starts to feel like a real community rather than just somewhere you study.

Inspired by the student storytelling style used across the Warwick Business School blogs and the Q&A structure from How to secure a WBS Scholarship.