SOCIAL

EDITED BY LIV KESSLER

What LSE Study Spot are you based on your star sign?

By Hila Davies & Illustrated by CHARLIE TO

Aquarius - e ree Tuns

You can frequently be found in Tuns for your study sessions, that is, if you even make it on to campus. Your contrarian attitude is at home in Tuns’ cosy sofas, 12-11 opening hours, and the ability to read Saïd slightly tipsy. With the bar practically empty in the a ernoons, you love how antisocial your study sessions are (whilst still giving the illusion that you are up for a good time). Cheers!

Pisces - Shaw Library Terrace

Ah, good old Pisces - romanticising your life once again. You can be found doing your readings on the Shaw Library Terrace, probably sipping a dirty chai, headphones blasting some sort of dramatic movie soundtrack that gets you just to the edge of tears. For you, studying only happens when you’re emotionally in the right headspace …Enjoy the views (and awful wind), babe!

Aries - Bottom Floor of the CBG

Always the social butter y, you can be found on the bottom oor of the CBG, itting from table to table for a chat… or maybe to make sure your friends are not getting distracted again. A natural born leader, you love how you can sit with your co ee, enjoy the busy atmosphere of the CBG, and keep tabs on everyone, all at the same time. Is the CBG absolute sensory overload? Yes - and you thrive in it.

Taurus - Lincoln’s Inn Fields

Ever the earth sign, Taurus’ can be found in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, basking in the outdoors every chance they get. e sign known for being the sleepiest, you enjoy a cheeky mid-a ernoon nap under the trees and being able to feel the ground beneath your back. Always the stubborn one, you will be out in that eld come rain or shine, no matter how many pairs of trousers you’ve had to dry clean, ruined with mud stains.

Gemini - Old Anthropology Library

My fellow anthropologists are going to hate me for this one, but honestly, I don’t think there’s anything more Gemini than the Old Anthropology Library. Sometimes dead silent, sometimes lled with raucous laughter, this space is perfect for you, restless Geminis. Always lled with new, interesting people, it ful ls your desire for a good conversation, without leaving you bored. You always get to be the ‘Yes, but…’ person and you love it.

Cancer - Pret A Manger

Sometimes campus can be a bit overwhelming, and there is no one it is more overwhelming for than my darling Cancers. You prefer the comfort of your local Pret, complete with a hot chocolate (with added whipped cream, obviously), for your daily study sessions. You enjoy the routine, but also nd great comfort in the strangers who pass through Pret’s hallowed halls each day. Everyone has a story, and you’re just grateful that you get to be a part of theirs.

Leo - 3rd Floor tables near spiral staircase

Oh Leo, oh babe… we know what you’re doing with this one. As much as you want to deny it, all Leo’s love being the centre of attention. Not in a 2000s mean girl way (for the most part…), you just want people to appreciate your out t! You don’t spend hours curating your Pinterest board for nothing! Your view of the spiral staircase makes this the perfect ‘watch-and-be-watched’ spot for all your mid-study sesh cravings. And as an LSE Leo once told me, ‘the higher the oor, the cooler the people’. Everyone loves a little drama. XOXO and that…

Virgo - Silent Zone

As a Virgo, your study sessions are meticulously planned out. You enjoy the structured order of the Silent Zone, the no-food rule brings you much joy - you cannot stand the pesky rule breakers on lower ground - crumbs have no place near your freshly cleaned Macbook keyboard! When you enter a space, you like to use it for its intended purpose, and then leave it just how you found it. Voila - perfection!

Libra - 4th Floor Women’s Library

Always the cool kid, you can commonly be found fraternising with postgrads and PhD students in the 4th Floor Women’s Library. Obsessed with balance and equality, you nd harmony by being on the top oor, the symmetry of the rounded sofas and neutral colour scheme. is study spot reminds you of why you came to LSE - to have a meaningful impact in the

Scorpio - Velvet Sofa in 32L

Your study spot of choice is basically the closest you can get to dark academia within LSE’s newness. Suitably dungeon-like, the velvet sofas of 32L let you live out your vampire dreams, whilst also just being a great quiet place to get some work done. You like how there’s easy access straight into Lincoln’s Inn Fields for your midreading cigarette breaks, and are perfectly content with the lack of actual tables

Capricorn - Marshall Building

Capricorns, Capricorns, Capricorns… you’ve been waiting for this one, haven’t you? e perfect, no-nonsense place to live out your corporate fantasies - who could want more? You love how the Marshall Building makes you feel that your work is oh-so important, and nd much joy in the aesthetic of a brown paper bag apjack from the ‘Beaver’s Brew’. You’re there at 9, leave at 5, and cannot wait to be in the next morning. is is your world, LSE’s just living in it…

e Best and Worst of Festive Co ees

By RACHEL PONTING & illustrated by IGA JASINKA

With the festive season around the corner, co ee shop chains have launched their much-anticipated Christmas drinks menus. ese holiday drink items have a cult following, with many consumers eagerly awaiting their arrival each year, myself included. So, I thought I would take it upon myself to rank this year’s new festive editions from Costa, Starbucks, Ca è Nero, Pret, and Blank Street Co ee. Note, I am only reviewing the new co ees, not the hot chocolates (sorry chocolate lovers). If you are a black co ee drinker who would never dream of debasing your co ee by adding syrup, it’s safe to say this article is not for you. For everyone else, here is my ranking from worst to best of this year’s new releases.

6. Worst: Starbucks’ To ee Nut Cream Cold Brew Price: £4.45 is drink was a sweeter take on Starbucks’ classic cold brew with the addition of to ee nut cream and sprinkles. I personally liked this drink but it didn’t necessarily scream Christmas to me. Perhaps this was to be expected seeing as it was a cold drink but I still wasn’t overly impressed.

5. Sweetest: Ca è Nero’s Cinnamon Swirl Latte Price: £4.35

Whilst I absolutely love the design of Ca e Nero’s cups this year I found the drink itself to be disappointing. I couldn’t really taste the cinnamon and it was overwhelmingly sweet.

4. Cheapest: Pret’s Praline Latte Price: £3.55 e slightly more reasonable price earned it some brownie points but I found the avour to be a little strange. at said, I liked how it wasn’t overly sweet (like some of the other drinks) and I think the design of Pret’s Christmas cups this year is quite cute.

3. Most nostalgic: Blank Street Co ee’s Chocolate Orange Mocha

Price: £4.90

Growing up, Terry’s Chocolate Oranges were a Christmas staple in my household, so I was very excited to try this drink. It tasted absolutely divine. However, it was the most expensive drink that I reviewed and it wasn’t served in a festive cup.

2. Most festive: Costa’s Toblerone Latte

Price: £4.35

Although I found it slightly too sweet, I did like how creamy this latte was. However, the selling point of this drink for me was the mini Toblerone that came with it. is little extra was exactly the kind of festive cheer that I needed to keep me going through my otherwise depressing workload, and so boosted the ranking of this drink.

1. Best: Ca è Nero’s Luxury Black Forest Mocha

Price: £4.35

I really enjoyed this drink and I found that the sharpness of the cherry avouring perfectly balanced out the sweetness of the chocolate. is together with the fact that I love the design of this year’s Ca è Nero cup means that this drink occupies the No.1 spot in my ranking of new festive drinks.