In 476 AD, the Western Roman Empire collapsed, and with it, the secret of how to make durable concrete was lost, not to be rediscovered for roughly a thousand years. The problem was that making concrete in classical Rome was like riding a bike: everyone knew how to do it, so no one bothered writing it down. It is this fate, dear reader, that I am hoping to avoid – by recording all aspects of Warwick life, even its more oral facets and excluding Circling games, lest it go the same way as Roman concrete. Because, where would we be without concrete? Coventry would be nothing but fields.

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Altoria, a drum and base club, now situated above Spicy Librarian and soon to be rebranded, this cavernous enterprise is always a hit with people who like D and B, DJing, or remember to pre-book tickets, thereby avoiding the brutal on-the-door prices.

Angels, the farewell song that caps off any good night in POP!, when you hear the dulcet tones of Sir (pending) Robbie Williams, you know it’s time to say goodbye. In the winter term of 2023, Dave stopped playing Angels at the end of POP!. In protest, hundreds of students came to Week 10 circle and POP! dressed as angels, in a movement coordinated by the Prince of POP!, Harry Williams. Dave succumbed that night, seeing off the term with a rendition of the 1997 smash-hit. In 2024, a motion to protect playing Angels at POP! was then passed, with strong support, preserving the song for future generations.

Assembly Leamington, a local venue, former club, and coldest place in the world during winter, it is a regular hotspot for Circles and society events. The temperatures are low, the vibes can be high, and, at the very least, it looks quite impressive.

Arthur Vick, regularly confused with Jack Martin due to their similar names and conspiracy theories that they occasionally switch places without telling people, this accommodation is most famous for catching fire in 2025.

Warwick Arts Centre, while it may look like a leisure centre complex from some angles, from the piazza, it’s rather striking. This modern and stylish venue holds hosts to a myriad of comedy and theatre shows too expensive for the average student, but perfectly pitched for the older generations, who will occasionally be seen pouring in, out, or towards the nearest student to ask for directions.

Atrium, the most underrated Circling venue in my opinion, this stadium-like atmosphere is always a good time, though it is sadly too bright for optimal circling and can leave you at the mercy of people staring down judgementally from the upper floor.

BANG!, a farewell club night, organised by the Prince of POP!, Harry Williams, this was a CR2 event featuring Disco Dave, see Disco Dave, circling, and marked the graduation of Williams from the university and the Copper Rooms more broadly.

Backshot Dinosaurs, a famous campus landmark and one of Warwick’s Seven Wonders, this sculpture, officially named The Good and The Bad, has been crudely co-opted by students for the compromising position that the two dinosaurs take up when viewed from the right angle.

Baywatch, a ritual marking the end of the day in the middle of the week, performed in POP! at midnight, male students are encouraged to remove their shirts and spin them around to the dulcet tunes of ‘I’m always here’ by Jimi Jamison from Baywatch, as a paganistic tribute to the dawn of Thursday.

Bedford Street Jazz Bar, affectionately known as ‘BSJ’ by some, this fun jazz bar may have ludicrous drink prices, but it makes up for it with fun live music and by serving as a Leam-based alternative to the live music of Wednesday night karaoke in the Dirty Duck.

The Bowling Green, a favourite of many sports clubs, most notably Rugby Union, this white walled pub is a nice establishment all-round. Fit with a card table, a pool table, and an outside area, it’s a decent, though unremarkable establishment in Central Leam.

Bluebell, the most overpriced of all the accommodations, few flat friend groups make it out, and fewer Bluebell residents ever enter their own kitchens, let alone the external world. See also Schrödinger’s Bluebell student.

Benjamin Satchwell, the heart of Leamington’s student pub culture, this glorified corridor is an iconic aspect of Warwick life and will see you bump into almost everyone.

Big Tesco, one of the university’s Seven Wonders, this famous supermarket is the site of many a shop in first year, and is renowned for its sheer scale in comparison to other Tescos in the Coventry area.

Benugo, the on-campus restaurant, specialising in pizza and located in the Warwick Arts Centre, is ideal if you’re parents are visiting, totally useless otherwise, and made broadly redundant by the presence of Leamington’s Red Hot Mammas.

Birmingham Party Bus, an organised coach trip to one of Birmingham’s several clubs, this classic night out is known for its brutal return journey, questionable listening parties, and for only being good during Fresher’s Week.

See also, Sonic.

Black White Black, *redacted*

BNOCs, a famous slang term that shortens Big Name On Campus, the term is particularly pertinent in Warwick’s campus bubble. It denotes someone of particular note, fame, or notoriety at the university. See Max Pike, Grace for Westwood, Kiam Films, etc.

The BNOC Brain Drain, the supposed mass-flight/graduation of BNOCs at the end of the 24/25 BNOC season, purportedly leaving a drought of talent. Often critiqued for golden age thinking, third year media bias, symptomatic of a lack of knowledge around younger stars, and for being reductive, it is chiefly underpinned by the graduation of several big names in 2025.

BNOC Competition, each year, accounts such as the Warwick Tea, The Grapevine, and The Tab run vote-in competitions to decide who the biggest Big Name On Campus is. Often a race to the bottom of how much people will degrade themselves for a made-up title, this ingenious social experiment has become a great annual tradition.

BNOC Intersectionality Theory, a modern BNOC theory that argues the various forms of BNOC, be that Course, Society or Club, Institutional, Campus, Social Media, and possibly even secret BNOCs, intersect, creating overlapping spheres of influence.

BNOC TV, one of Warwick’s many Instagram accounts, it creates memes and reels around BNOC culture, promising to report on their day-to-day lives.

The Boar, the university’s independent student newspaper, has been reporting on campus life since 1973.

Bottle, *redacted*

BRUBL, a microbrewery beneath the railway bridge, this charming little venue is a good night all-round, though it’s best to avoid their highest alcohol content beer, a fact learned from real-world experience and told to us by the bartender before purchasing.

The Bubble, a common nickname for the university, alludes to its campus bubble atmosphere. Notably, its usage seems to have been in decline over recent years. Whether that’s because of increasing engagement with the outside world or broader changes in language patterns is not known.

Warwick Bus Crush, an account active in early 2025, Warwick Bus Crush, dared to unite lovers in the most inhospitable and unromantic context possible, the campus bus commute.

Warwick Business School, though internationally respected, WBS remains something of a punching bag on campus. Allegations that their modules range from colouring in to crayon work are likely exaggerated, though what they actually do and how they have so much free time continues to baffle and frustrate.

Butterfly, not unlike the Titanic or Lehman Brothers, this monolith of design (an app created by Warwick students and funded by the university with the purpose of tracking your Warwick social calendar and credit) was dubbed by many as ‘too big to fail’, and then it did, because it wasn’t a great idea, and no one used it.

Cannon Park, a shopping centre you’ll spend too much time in during first year, unless you are one of the maniacs/Bluebell residents who do their weekly shop in Co-Op. This iconic institution becomes almost nostalgic in later years and is a sure-fire location to bump into fellow freshers.

The Café Library Breakfast, a breakfast deal available on the ground floor of the library, run by the most draconian, though nice, staff members on campus. This early-morning fry-up has recently fallen out of favour with many due to a decline in sausage quality and a simultaneous incline in price. Some speculate this may even be a family affair, with speculation that a mother-daughter team is at least partially involved.

Caffé Nero, the university has two Caffé Neros on campus, one in The FAB and one in the sports centre. Stereotypes around the two workforces have developed over the years, with some, me included, engaging with the idea that the FAB staff are broadly furious with you and that corporate send all the lovely people to the Sports Hub one. However, I have since determined to walk back those comments, in part, because I have noticed an atmospheric shift in the tone of the FAB service and sympathise with anyone serving Warwick students coffee all day, but also because I talked to two very nice FAB Nero staff members in BRUBL, see BRUBL, and was informed that I was public enemy number one for my potentially comparing them to Emperor Nero. This was broadly unfair, and I have since walked back those comments, not least to avoid any potential drinks-based sabotage.

Canley, ever the bridesmaid, telling people you live in Canley often sounds like an admission of defeat. A suburb of Coventry, with very little going on and presumably exaggerated safety concerns, it’s basically just a lot of houses. Although they do have two whole pubs and avoid the brutal bus commute.

Central Leam, viewed as something akin to the ‘Midlands’ of Leamington, this area stretching from the River Leam to the railroad bridge, is one of the best places to live while at Warwick. It’s convenient for the commute, while still in the heart of the town. Some may even get jealous and suggest Central Leam does not ‘exist’, luckily, this is becoming an ever-more fringe view in polite society, so such claims can be more easily dismissed.

Cheese or disease, *redacted*

Circling, Warwick’s approach to drinking games, students sit in a shape that is probably obvious and play various games, from ‘One fat frog’ to the best one ‘Zummy Zummy’.

Claycroft, not a huge amount to say about this Warwick accommodation. You share a bathroom with another person, you have your own field, and you get to be smug about being near Aldi and Tesco… though not much else.

CMD Sports Relief, an annual strip/dance show put on by CMD and featuring various sports clubs from the university, who all work varying degrees of hard to deliver a great night of choreographed dance to raise money for charity. Perhaps the most talked about moment from this event in recent history was the one-handed handstand on Min Rae’s head into a flip, performed by the winner’s Men’s Rugby Union (for whom CMD seems to be the principal sporting event of the year), a feat that would not have been possible without the astounding strength of Min Rae’s neck.

The Warwick Coffee, the Warwick Tea's relentlessly upbeat counterpart account, described by some as "gratingly positive." It has fallen dormant since April 2025, because, shock horror, the posts weren’t very interesting. Some, such as me, have even posited that the Coffee was created intentionally badly, by the Tea, as a controlled, fake opposition, serving as another, currently unproven, aspect of the Warwick Deep State.

Co-Op, in the summer of 2025, the university controversially closed the divisive Rootes Grocery Store, replacing it with a brand new Co-Op. Though it divided opinions, the new Co-Op has provided cheaper meal deals, more tills, and seems a lot bigger in comparison. Additionally, the feeling of ignoring the self-service queue when it’s busy and using the often quieter human-run till makes you feel not unlike Neo at the end of the Matrix and deeply superior to all the unsociable, inexperienced normies you’ve just left behind.

The Cosy Corner, one of the finest, though most competitive, study spots on campus. While it may be easier to secure a seat on the Supreme Court, if you do in fact manage to bag a chair, you’ll be met with one of the most superior areas for achieving academic excellence.

The Warwick clubbing holy trinity, Kasbah, Smack, and Neon, make up the three finest clubs outside of the Copper Rooms, and within this specific part of the West Midlands. Which club responds to which in the traditional Christian trinity is hard to say, but if I had to guess, Smack is the Father, Neon is the Son, and Kasbah is the holy spirit. But that’s just my list, and I would encourage you to write in with your own.

The Copper Pot, a classic stop in any Leamington bar crawl, though seemingly more because that’s how it’s always been done, rather than any inherent bar-crawl qualities within. The prices are quite high, the beer garden is not the best, but it’s a good atmosphere inside and nicely decorated. So, if you’re feeling a bit financially reckless, it’s not a bad spot to try, though you’ll likely have little choice since it’s seemingly a contractual obligation on any and all bar crawls.

The Copper Rooms, hallowed ground at the university, this two floor club is always a good night out. With its exposed ceilings and upper halves during Baywatch, plentiful pints of Purple, and its status as the best site for Circle, though debate rages between CR1 or CR2 superiority.

Copper Rooms 2 Superiority Complex, this curious case of borderline megalomania is tragically all too common, especially among sports clubs. The belief that anywhere outside of Copper Rooms 2, with its ‘exclusive’ bar and cheaper deals, is not without merit, however, it is often held by people who have never circled anywhere else.

Coventry, the university’s closest city (to the point that some liars and/or loonies have argued it should perhaps be called the University of Coventry instead), is a classic campus punching bag. Not helped by its poor European urban safety rankings, concrete jungle aesthetic, and its only being nice in the 500-foot radius surrounding the cathedral, the city is a frequent point of humour at the university, and the students who live there rarely do so with pride. Home to Kasbah, a beautiful cathedral, and many other fantastic institutions such as The Wave, Coventry is sometimes unfairly maligned by students, sadly misunderstood, and is often ignored as a result.

Coventry University, Warwick’s age-old, post-1990 rival and Varsity adversary. Each year, the two universities collide in a sporting competition known as Varsity, though jabs and jokes continue on both sides through the rest of the year as well.

Craving, a mid-tier post-night out eatery, lacking the icon status of Viallis or even Sicilian Pizza.

CRUT, an acronym for Copper Rooms Urinal Theory, it denotes the complex approach and thinking that goes into the use of the Copper Rooms downstairs urinals. A place which undoubtedly demands are more nuanced methodology than traditional loos, due to its unique arrangement and context.

Cryfield Apartments, little is known of Apartments, though from this we can reason it has a high postgrad population. There is only one recovered writing on life inside, which I have attached here.

Cryfield Cottages, a selection of idyllic homesteads nestled by Cryfield, which are presumably home to postgrads and their families, though again no one is quite sure.

The Cryfield Cryers, it’s said that Cryfield’s accommodation was built on the land of a now-destroyed prison. Over time, there have been many stories of Cryfield Village and the nearby Windmill Hill playing host to the ghosts of long-dead prison inmates. These wailing spirits walk the land, crying out in pain. It is also said that the origin of the name ‘Cryfield’ derives from a shortening of ‘Crying field’, a spooky reference to its notorious spectral inhabitants.

Cryfield Village, though not actually a real village, this title demarcates the grouping of Cryfield Standard, Townhouses, and Apartments. Some have floated it as a potential National Village of the Year winner 2026, though this title win has yet to be realised.

Cryfield Standard, supposedly built over the top of an old prison, which seemingly inspired the accommodation’s design, this cavernous, long-hallway’d labyrinth was always a site of good fun. In my freshers week alone, a tree was environmentally felled and brought to a common room with the express aim of taking photos with it, brightening up the space, and aggravating the cleaners for whom that block were already on a last warning, 6 days in.

The Cryfield Squatter, a ‘ex-prisoner’ was discovered hiding in a storeroom, after reports of food disappearances from a Standard kitchen. Many in the Warwick community subsequently came out in favour of the squatter, for proving that, despite common consensus, Standard was in fact habitable for humans.

Cryfield Townhouses, the East Egg to Standard’s wilder west, this glamorous accommodation has televisions, lovely rooms, and medium vibes, though the presumed-child who designed them saw it fit to deck 2/7 of them out with orange and yellow blinds, refusing to break coordination with each blocks respective colour schemes. Whether the guy installing them took his role as ‘the blind man’ too literally remains unconfirmed.

Curiositea, the Student Union’s campus café, this snug coffee outlet is a bit upmarket for my tastes, but is always a good place to sit and catch up with a friend. Plus, there’s the rumour that it was tangentially responsible for the death of a campus cat when it opened, though this remains broadly unconfirmed by reality.

Cubbington, a village in the suburbs of Leamington spa, this small-town paradise has a visually impressive and friendly pub in the Rugby Tavern and a fierce local rivalry with nearby dump, Lillington.

See also, Lillington

Warwick Deep State, a fringe conspiracy theory which argues that a small number of individuals at Warwick are behind many of the institutions in every-day student life. These can take the form of supposed ‘Secret BNOCs’, speculation as to who exactly is in the Koan, and theories that high-profile student accounts share admins.

DIMAP Bridge, the most impressive bridge since Clifton Suspension, this extraordinary structure connects the Computer Science Building to Zeeman. Uniting almost all areas of the discipline of STEM, it seemingly floats above the air, without the need for any support beams, and stands (or should I say hovers) as one of Warwick’s most famous Seven Wonders.

The Dirty Duck, Warwick SU’s on-site student pub, is an institution. Humiliate yourself with karaoke, be the first to get to the end of the six-hour quiz (ending time estimated, data missing), and grab a burger deal. Are there enough seats? No. Are there lots of images of ducks? Yes. What more could you want, other than more chairs?

Disco Dave, said to be the third of his name, like Doctor Who or the Pope, this title passes on through each new generation. As the DJ for POP! and arbiter in chief or midweek mayhem, Dave, known in real-life as Colin insert surname, is a Warwick institution, and has even inspired celebratory shirts depicting his face as if he were Marilyn Monroe, which, in Warwick-terms is far from a stretch.

Discoteka, Diskotheca was founded by student Leopold Rupf and is a student-run nightlife group that grew from small Warwick house parties into a global brand. Anyway, I’ve never been, but apparently, it’s a pretty solid night out.

Warwick Does Strictly, an annual charity night run by Latin and Ballroom, where students from over 10 Warwick societies and clubs compete Strictly-style to raise money for charity.

Earlsdon, peppered with several fantastic pubs and even more houses, this suburb of Coventry is rarely a point of pride for its student residents. Though somehow worse than Canley, with friendly locals, a high postgrad population, and its status as a lynchpin of Pub Jog, this site of suburbia is an entertaining facet of Warwick life.

East Leam, a region of Leamington characterised by its fierce opposition to West Leam, higher density of clubs, and lower number of residential areas.

Eliminator, though seemingly pure green fruit shoot, these £13 pitches of supposed alcohol are somehow the only financially viable alcoholic drinks option for Circle in Kelsey’s. Though doubts persist over their alcohol content, you certainly need every bit you can get to distract from the harsh realities of the bar around you.

Euphoria, the LGBTQ+ Copper Rooms club night, organised by Warwick Pride Soc. The number of people who complain about it seems to outnumber those in attendance each time by around tenfold, with complaints of low numbers, only the first one of the year being good, and accusations that the DJ’s choices are so bad they border on homophobia.

Eurovision, the University used to show the Eurovision Song Contest on the big screen in the Piazza to an audience of hundreds of students. In 2022, a mosh pit formed in response to Moldova's entry. In 2023, hundreds chanted "cha cha cha!" in protest at Finland being denied victory. And in 2024, the event was cancelled due to outcry from pro-Palestine student groups. The Warwick Grapevine admin team released a statement critiquing this decision and faced the worst abuse of their tenure. The event used to be considered a highlight of the Warwick calendar, though there is a screening in Leamington Spa to fill the void.

See also, Warwick Grapevine

The FAB, the university’s most impressive building, it towers above the rest of campus. Though never as tall as you remember its fit with all manner of baffling staircases, holds host to an uncomfortable, though weirdly popular set of wooden steps to sit on, and stands as a symbolic visual reminder to STEM students of how much easier and less significant their degrees probably are.

The FAB-Oaks Speed Walk Challenge, something of a craze in late 2024, residents of The Oaks off-campus private accommodation took to timing their walks to The FAB and sharing their times on the Warwick Tea. The current record holder is Nikolai Morton, with 12 minutes and 16 seconds. Challengers were always very insistent that this challenge had to end in the FAB, with any walks to the Oculus or Zeeman deemed totally pointless.

WarwickFess, active from 2018-2019, this entry in the Warwick gossip account lineage operated on Facebook, posted over 1,700 confessions, and retired quietly, the dignified ancestor of a tradition that would become considerably less dignified over time.

WarwickFessions, launched in 2019 as a direct response to the original Warwick Love being taken down, this Facebook-based confessions page inherited the mantle and ran it straight into several controversies, most notably allowing racist posts to remain visible for thirty minutes during the 2020 BLM protests before deleting them. Despite this, it was ranked the number one university confessions account in the UK in 2021, which says something, though what exactly that is, is hard to say for sure.

The Floor Three Library extension, complete with its neon green desk dividers and deathly silent atmosphere, this study space stands as one of the most oppressive work environments on campus, ensuring you have frankly no choice but to get your essay done as quickly and quietly as possible.

The Fresher’s Foam Party, try not to get pink eye or drown, in this exciting Fresher’s event. Held in the Copper Rooms, it’s the perfect way to trauma bond with your new set of friends for life!

The Food Station, Warwick campus’s slightly muted answer to Subway or Taco Bell, this iconic cafeteria is a one-stop shop for everything from toasties and slightly questionable baguettes to overpriced nachos and burritos.

The Forfield Catman, haunting the street of Forfield Place, Leamington, this intriguing bald man lingers around the area at night, with some amount of cats as constant companions. Whether he follows them or they follow him is an enduring mystery. Some say that on certain nights, he can even be spotted attempting to communicate with them. Whether he can or not is similarly unknown.

The Forum, a pink horror show of a smoking area outside the library, presumably designed to put people off the habit forever. Much has been said of this cotton candy nightmare, little of it positive.

Fusion, the on-campus sports bar and weirdly adjacent e-sports area, also doubles as a Circling venue on Wednesday nights. The purple is lumpy, the lights are bright, but the atmosphere is good fun, even if it feels like you’re circling in a glorified cafeteria, in the middle of the day.

Geese, a major part of campus life, especially around Zeeman, these fierce animals add some fun jeopardy and cause exciting arguments over whether it’s okay to feed them. They’re sufficiently inspiring that they’ve spawned the beloved Warwick Geese Premium, see Warwick Geese Premium.

Warwick Geese Premium, an Instagram account dedicated to capturing the geese of campus in all their cute chaos.

Gibbet Hill, Warwick's secondary, smaller campus. An almost unwalkable, ten-minute journey from the Piazza, home to the Medical School, biological sciences, chemistry, and, most controversially, the temporary home of the White Koan during renovations of the Warwick Arts Centre. Mispronounced more than GIF, the hill’s name originates from the gallows that once stood atop it, and its presence is even linked to the ever-mysterious WMG rabbit.

See WMG Rabbit.

Warwick Grapevine, the university’s principal source of gossip on campus from 2023-2024, this account dominated in an otherwise quiet period for the university’s student-led social media account scene. Its iconic logo, entertaining memes, and regular lore drops were great fun. Not to mention, it pioneered the first successful BNOC Competition in 2024.

The Warwick Gravy, the most ludicrous of all the liquid accounts. Dubbing itself the "home of love" at Warwick and promising ‘Tinder Tuesday’ every single day, it lasted approximately two weeks before apparently losing the will to continue, leaving behind only ‘relatable’ gravy memes of unclear target audiences.

Heronbank, as I type word 6,854 of ‘Warwickipedia’, I am beginning to lose my mind. Heronbank is a Warwick accommodation of literally no note. I went there once, on the Wednesday of Freshers Week, before the foam party, which has just reminded me of at least two missing entries. Will this article ever end?

Humanities building, widely acknowledged as the ugliest building on campus, this visual terror is a stark lesson against the architectural style of post-war brutalism and stands as one of the many reasons for not having done the world wars to begin with. Supposedly plagued with RAAC, largely redundant, and full of British Office-style bleakness and liminal backroom qualities, this building is best avoided at all costs.

I Love Koan, the campaigning arm of the broader Koan movement, this account lobbies tirelessly for the university to get the Koan spinning again. Operating somewhere between a pressure group and a grief support network, it channels the collective mourning of Warwick students everywhere. The cause is just, yet the continued silence from university management on this is deafening.

Jack Martin, named after the man who owned Smirnoff Vodka, this accommodation is endlessly confused with the almost-identical Arthur Vick. However, the latter recently had a fire, with some suggesting this was motivated by some particularly frustrated JM residents, who’d got fed up of walking into the wrong accommodation. It is also a famous hot spot for flatcest with talk of the JM1 curse and suggestions that it’s now entering its fourth year in a row of rampant flatcest scandals.

Jephson Gardens, the crown jewel of Leamington Spa's green space scene. This Victorian-style spa park is genuinely very nice to see, if you can look past the hundreds of memorial benches that populate its every corner.

Kasbah, the best club in the Warwick clubbing holy trinity, Kasbah, Neon, and Smack, this Coventry institution has a ludicrous number of rooms, from its world-class smoking area and Love Island-style roof terrace to its iconic main room flanked by overlooking balconies. Much has been said about ‘Kazzy B’, but instead of bothering with all that, the best that can be suggested is to get yourself there on a Wednesday and enjoy it for yourself.

Kirby Corner Car Park, winning Car Park of the Year in 2022, this dazzling place to park your car, supposedly designed to mimic the blur of a passing Formula One car at full speed, is one of Warwick’s seven wonders and continues to amaze all who park there.

Kelsey’s, seemingly the only place in the world with the rights or the reckless disregard to sell ‘The Eliminator’ this intriguing establishment is known for its ludicrous prices, countless screens showing music videos that in no way link to the songs actually being played in the bar itself, and its status as one of the two worst venues for Circling outside of maybe Fifteen or Social Sciences.

See also, Assembly

Kenilworth, a nearby town populated mostly with retirees alongside a handful of Warwick students, this scenic spot is a great place for a day-out and some bold contrarians even make the case that it’s a viable student living option.

The Koan, Warwick's six-metre spinning (though less every day) cone and one of its Seven Wonders, is simultaneously a 1971 sculpture by Liliane Lijn, a failed Apollo mission, an alien signal, a glorified manhole, and possibly a god. It has been married, worshipped, cartooned across 32 editions, and mourned in verse for ceasing to spin. No other piece of public art has inspired three dedicated Instagram accounts and a genuinely cultish society. The very word ‘koan’ means an unanswerable question, which feels incredibly apt.

The Warwick Koan, an appreciation Instagram account dedicated to photographing the White Koan in all its majesty and allowing followers to project whatever meaning they need onto it. Part art gallery, part thirst trap, part spiritual beacon, it is undoubtedly one of the more dignified corners of Warwick Instagram culture, which admittedly is not a high bar to clear.

See also, Warwick Smut, Man In Koan, I Love Koan.

Koanspiracies, the umbrella term for the many myths, cults, and competing beliefs surrounding the Koan. Adherents range from alien-signal theorists and Apollo mission truthers to Koanhenge revivalists who argue it was built to commune with sea gods, and the Koanists, who simply believe it created the universe. Most factions are united by one shared concern: the fact it has stopped spinning, and someone must answer for this.

Lakeside, an accommodation that previously seemed to accommodate no real humans, it was recently renovated, which has seen more Lakesidians enter public life. There’s not much to say here, it’s got views of a lake, and they have to manoeuvre the geese, so it’s a mixed bag.

The Leamington Post, Warwick's answer to The Onion, it provides satirical local news to campus.

Leamington Spa, the university’s nearby student town, ‘Leam’, is a vibrant, scenic, and fun place to live. Though deeply divided along geographic lines (North vs South, East vs West, Deep South, Cubbington vs Lillington, etc.), it possesses lots of cool pubs, clubs, and restaurants of varying degrees of quality. The commute is horrendous, though.

Leam Hate Soc, a meme account whose entire being is dedicated to dunking on this pleasant spa town.

Warwick Library, the place to study, especially in Term Three, when securing a seat can require a genuinely Herculean effort. Bump into people you know, try and do an all-nighter, and don’t go up any stairs in Floor Five.

Lifeboat, *redacted*

Lillington, a suburb of Leamington spa, this small-town nightmare is a famous dump with a fierce local rivalry with nearby Eden, Cubbington.

Lord Butterworth, not a popular man, an inscription of Lord Butterworth saying something akin to ‘the Student Union will never have its own building” is adorned on a wall of one of the SU buildings in what is seemingly a modern homage to Mr Birling’s iconic claim that the Titanic was “absolutely unsinkable.” Beyond that, he seemed to build Warwick in line with his own vision, shaping it more than any individual in its history. Staff of the 70s have been known to discuss the ways his extreme behaviour brought them (and the students) together, with adversity creating unity. He nearly resigned following ‘The Files Affair’, whereby staff were found to be spying on left-wing students.

Warwick Love, (first iteration), the original Warwick gossip submission account and founding ancestor of the entire lineage, operating on Facebook before being taken down in 2019 for the content of its posts. Retired involuntarily, which sets a precedent that the gossip page tradition would revisit.

Warwick Love (second iteration), an entirely separate account that borrowed its predecessor's name and proceeded to release a staggering 7,780 individual submissions from 2021-23. Its final post was a student expressing a burning desire to pillow fight someone. A fittingly unhinged send-off for an account that had seen it all. Certainly, it was not uncommon, a few years back, to meet an older year who reminisced over the account as a true golden age for gossip on campus.

Man In Koan, this page bravely continues the awareness campaign for the man allegedly trapped inside the Koan, whose well-being has become increasingly concerning given that it has stopped spinning. Whether the man inside is responsible for the spinning, or whether its stillness indicates something has gone badly wrong for him, remains the subject of ongoing concern and debate.

See also, I Love Koan, The Warwick Koan.

The Wick Memes, the gold standard of Warwick meme culture and a page whose graduation left a vacuum so profound it took a year and an entire cohort of accounts to partially fill it. Remembered now with the same sort of reverence usually reserved for the papacy, The Wick Memes remains the benchmark against which all subsequent Warwick meme pages are judged.

Moo, some say its name is short for the word move as an ironic homage to its complete lack of space, this local Leamington club is an iconic spot. It operates at such extreme human density, it’s a wonder the flashing club lights don’t bend around the room. It’s the perfect venue to get into a fight for the crime of moving your arms, and there’s even furniture on the ceiling, presumably because there was nowhere left to put it.

Neon, almost always worse than your already bleak memories, you keep coming back regardless. While some enjoy a night here, many remember it better for its liminal entry room, packed dance rooms, and its alleyway smoking area, which feels more like a damp, glorified gutter.

New Rootes, Old Rootes’ more modern brick partner-in-crime (it’s important to note that the extent of food theft in Rootes is slightly exaggerated), this highly social accommodation is a great place to live all round and offers unparalleled access to the sights and sounds of the Copper Rooms nearby.

The New Rootes Rattler, a mysterious campus cryptid that has never been seen, only heard. It rattles loudly along the hallways of New Rootes like marbles dropped on metal during quiet periods and exam seasons, some say it’s the reason that New Rootes’ connecting doors are sealed, though this is contested.

The Nook, billed as a lighthouse in the storm of performativity, this campus study space by Curiositea offers relief from the traditional constrictions of a normative study space. Somewhere you can “simply just be”.

The Number 1 bus, Leamington’s local bus service, is a reliable local route across town, offering unmitigated access to some of the most entertaining people and scenarios you'll ever see.

The Number 11 bus, a bougier bus experience for those who enjoy the finer things in life or don’t have the bus pass. This more refined, slow-paced experience sees you tour around beautiful Kenilworth, sharing your ride with professors and pensioners alike and allowing the opportunity for a guerrilla-style, impromptu office hour, while also avoiding the horrors of the more ‘plebian’, if notably faster, Stagecoach commute.

North Leam, this is the distinct geographic area spanning North from the River Leam, known for its Victorian boulevards, additional shops, and allegedly brutal commute.

See also, South Leam, West Leam, East Leam, Leamington Spa

North Leam Bus Theory, this is the slightly controversial idea that the bus commute from North Leamington is actually superior, challenging and revising traditional narratives around South Leam bus superiority.

See also, Copper Rooms Urinal Theory, Upper Parade Accordionist Time Distortion Theory, BNOC Intersectionality Theory

The Oaks, a private accommodation only a 15-20 minute walk from campus (this is debated and hard-fought over), it’s known for its lacklustre social scene, people timing their walks from their to the FAB, and popularity among the quitter types looking to avoid the Leamington commute. It's also home to some of the university's worst benches!

See also, The Oaks-FAB Speed Walk, Kasbah, Vita, Canley

The Oculus, very impressive from the outside and deeply disappointing within, this iconic building is quite the campus paradox. Though it serves its purpose of filling the university's various prospectuses well enough, the fact it has only one proper lecture hall is crazy.

The Old Library, one of Leamington’s most popular student pubs, this classic venue is, ironically, the perfect place to avoid your reading.

See also, The Benjamin Satchwell

Old Rootes, built in proud Stalinist whitewash, this social accommodation has an iconic, chaotic atmosphere and even comes with doors between blocks. It’s a true staple of the Warwick scene, and in partnership with New Rootes, it forms one half of our most famous accoms.

The Warwick Olive Branch, the Grapevine's "overly positive and far less successful counterpart." The account that dared to suggest Warwick students might want to be kind to one another online, a proposition that went down about as well as expected. A noble, if doomed, endeavour.

See also, The Warwick Coffee.

One Fat Frog, *redacted*

The Warwick Onion, Warwick's other answer to The Onion, providing satirical local news to campus.

Panda Mamis, an on-campus all you can eat Chinese restraint that saw more build up than Avengers: Endgame, following months of delays, it stormed onto campus as a great triumph. It’s well worth a visit and not even that expensive!

The Phantom Coach, one of the finest pubs in Canley, this bona fide institution is beautifully priced, and a great spot for any society social, plus, the locals are always very friendly.

The Piazza, the focal point of campus life, the piazza is home to all manner of Warwick events. From almost round-the-clock salsa dancing and general fundraising to the Wednesday food market and the constantly not-open spud truck, this iconic Warwick space is not to be missed.

Planet Bong, the absolute lynch-pin of student costume-wear at the university, this dynamic and multi-purpose shop is the go-to place in Leamington and the surrounding area for that killer Circle look.

POP!, the defining SU-organised club night, each week hundreds flock to the Copper Rooms for a night of midweek mayhem, under the steady guiding hands of Disco Dave. Preceded by circle and capped off by Angels, with some Baywatch in between, this pop music paradise is the ideal place to spend a Wednesday night at Warwick. From getting your tweets on the big screen and stuffing your coat under the stairs in Rouge Bar, thereby avoiding the cloak room charge, to freezing to death while chatting in the smoking area and sneaking upstairs for more circle to avoid the brutal no-mans-land of the 10-11 downstairs slot, POP! truly has it all.

Prince of POP!, a title that can only be bestowed by Disco Dave himself, this extraordinary moniker describes an individual of unparalleled POP! commitment. The only known holder of the title in living memory is Harry Williams, the man who went to 107 POP!s, never missed one in four years despite meningitis, and organised BANG!.

Pub Jog, a termly odyssey undertaken by the Warwick Athletics and Cross-Country Club since 1988, it sees students manoeuvre ten pubs and ten pints across a run that spans from campus to Earsldon to Kasbah. Hardcore Pub Joggers can sometimes be seen attempting Pub Jog XL or Pub Jog Ultra, as it is sometimes known, whereby one runs from Leamington to Kenilworth to campus to Earlsdon to Kasbah, completing 16 pints on the way. However, only two ‘WUAXCians’ have ever completed this physical and alcoholic journey in full, Max ‘WUAXC’ Winfield and Fresher Chris. A fantastic website is linked here, detailing the history of the Pub Jog in full.

Purple, known by some as God’s nectar and others as simply, ‘purp’, this extraordinary liquid, created, in legend, on ‘The Second Day’, matches Snakebite in recipe but surpasses it tenfold in taste, if poured correctly. Much scholarly debate exists over where to acquire that perfect pour of ‘purp’, though most agree that the Copper Rooms surpasses all other available distributors.

Radio Check, *redacted*

Ramada Hotel, a classic bus stop on the U1 route, this baffling hotel seems to actually be called the Riverside Hotel and has, for the last two years at least, a large river facing room, seemingly under renovation, that contains one exercise bike and nothing else. A truly perplexing sight for one’s daily commute.

The Ramphal Building, named after former Chancellor Ramphal, this boring building has a globe mural on the wall, reminding students of all the places they could be instead.

Reading Week, the mid-term break for arts students, placed at Week 6 of each term, which is hypothetically designated as a time for reading. Debate rages as to whether STEM students deserve a similar rest, though many key Humanities student spokespeople argue that “they don’t have anything to read.”

The Red Rocket Café, an on-campus food truck that no one uses because it’s too expensive. Although it does offer the presumably unique opportunity to build yourself a personalised, custom crumble to-go, for reasons only known to the maverick who dreamt it up.

Reflex, a club in Birmingham that is, for some reason, open on a Sunday, allowing you to take the Warwick Week to its most unnatural and intense conclusion.

Rep my flag, a Fresher’s club night where you are encouraged to bring your own flag. This iconic night is the perfect place to bring a random nation’s flag and workshop an accent.

Rolf the cat, Warwick’s most successful cat, Rolf is often spotted in and around campus, has survived being hit by a van, and was even involved in a high-profile hacking incident on Twitter.

Rootes Debauchery, a Warwick meme Instagram account, largely viewed as the spiritual successor to The Wick Memes and standing at the forefront of new accounts in the Warwick Instagram page boom of late 2025.

See also, Warwick Tea, Warwick Sigma Society

Rootes Grocery Store, the on-campus shop from 2015 till its tragic passing in 2025, this iconic institution was overpriced and a bit soulless, but still captured the hearts of thousands of students through its intriguing food options and unique vibe.

Rosies, a rather renowned Birmingham club known for its interesting clientele, slightly questionable atmosphere, and valuable presence as the Thursday fixture in the Warwick Week.

Rouge Bar, the best and reddest bar in the whole of the Copper Rooms, this is the perfect place to chat the night away during POP!.

Warwick Secret, one of the university’s most prolific, if short-lived, Instagram gossip accounts, it ran from January 2021 to April 2021, putting out over 5,000 confessions in only four months.

Sexy Roman Numerals, *redacted*

Sharking, the act of an older year getting with a younger year, often used to criticise potential power dynamic imbalance. Some have alleged that the word has become overused, diluting the term in the process, itself an example of so-called meta-sharking, since, by reducing the term, you enable high-level sharks to go about their business more effectively. I reached out to various serial sharks for comment; however, upon realising that I was a third year and had therefore ‘aged out’, most of them ceased communications immediately.

Eventually, however, one reformed shark, who asked to be kept anonymous, responded, noting that "larger sharks like the Great Whites and Megalodons ultimately give smaller, friendlier tiger sharks a bad reputation." Classic rules like 'half your age plus seven' and 'all's fair in love and war' have been applied to justify various cases, though both have their issues. It has also been argued that the concept is rooted in misogyny, as it implies adult women cannot make their own choices.

Practically speaking, sharking can simply be an easier way to get to a Thursday 9am, avoiding the Leamington bus commute. Most importantly, it remains your moral prerogative to call your friend a shark pretty much regardless of the situation, as long as a fresher is involved.

Sherbourne, famous for burning down, being split into a less iconic new and old section than Rootes, and existing really far away, it is perhaps the best quality, upmarket accommodation. Though it’s peculiarly warm, further away from Cannon Park than anything in the world, and somehow has silverfish, it’s nonetheless a great accommodation, winning Best Accom in a public vote on Warwick Tea in 2024. It even comes fit with kitchen islands!

Warwick Shopping Trolleys, a long-running Warwick Instagram institution dedicated to documenting shopping trolleys in increasingly improbable campus locations.

Shopping trolley theft, a key aspect of Warwick student life, especially as a first year. The university’s proximity to Tesco and a student preference for chaos have seen thousands of trolleys be ‘liberated’ over the years, with entire Instagram pages documenting their treatment on campus. Others in the field have been known to debate the age-old question of ‘Just how high can you get a shopping trolley in The FAB?’, though this question has been sufficiently resolved, remains highly in question.

Schrodinger’s Bluebell resident, simultaneously enrolled at Warwick and completely invisible, these students presumably exist almost perpetually within their rooms, though no one has ever been able to get inside (and they’ve certainly never left) so as to confirm this fact.

The Seven Wonders of Warwick, seven iconic sites on or around campus that were selected to represent remarkable human-made creations across the university. They include The DIMAP Bridge, The FAB, The Koan, Whitefields, Backshot Dinosaurs, Big Tesco, and the Kirby Corner Car Park.

Sicilian Pizza, an iconic Leamington eatery and a go-to place after a night out, if Villis isn’t open.

Warwick Sigma Society, an account that reached almost 4,000 followers through a combination of baffling if funny memes and, most notably, hosting an in-person Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest on the Piazza. Whether any of the entrants actually looked like Timothée Chalamet is secondary to the fact that it happened, and was, by all accounts, a great success.

Skool Dayz, a bi-termly Copper Rooms SU-run event. The circles are bigger than ever, the costume (school uniform) is easy and iconic, if weird, not something you’d pitch today, peculiar since its an alumni returning event, and always necessitates a series of justifying qualifiers. Despite this, it’s a lot of fun, almost always sells out, and serves as a highlight in the termly calendar. Viewing things structurally, its Saturday placement is a fantastic element of its success, ensuring you have much-needed time to both prep and recover.

Slaps, *redacted*

Smack, Leamington’s second-best club in my books, the shots are cheap, and the music is decent after midnight (though unlistenable before). Yes, it’s one long trip hazard, the downstairs reeks, and the smoking area is a damp courtyard, but it’s always an eventful night out, the entry room is an iconic Warwick staple, and Stormzy once visited to get in a fight with someone. Smack is a must-visit for all Warwick students, if you can get through the queue without dying in a fight or of old age before getting in.

Warwick Smut, as I type the 7,003rd word of this document on an Instagram page dedicated to releasing daily Warwick-centred romance stories, I begin to question many of my choices. This insane account has released a concerning number of romance romps, featuring such titles as ‘Touched in Tocil’, ‘Forumplay’, ‘T-Bra’, and ‘Burning hot love in Arthur Vick’.

Sonic, a formally bi-termly indie rock SU club night held in the Copper Room. It has since been reduced to once a year during Freshers Week, with the hope that this will ensure someone actually goes, and is haunted by the Spirit of Sonic.

South Leam, spanning from the Railroad bridge to Upper Whitnash, South Leamington is marked by its more residential, slightly more grounded atmosphere, and supposedly superior bus commute.

Spicy Bites, an iconic Leamington eatery and a go-to for any night out, if Viallis and Sicilian Pizza happen to be closed.

Spillage is lickage, a key tenet of Circling, if you spill your drink, you lick up the damage. Its most famous practitioner is former History Society Social Secretary, Noah Parsons.

See Circle

Spirit of Sonic, a ghostly apparition which supposedly haunts the SU fresher’s week indie-themed club night Sonic. It is reportedly the manifestation of a student who got too into one-man-stepping Sonic, because no one wanted to go with him, because it was Sonic, and became consumed by its Spirit, haunting the event ever since. Unfortunately, since no one ever goes to Sonic, the veracity of these claims has been impossible to confirm or deny.

Stagecoach, *redacted due to obscenities and potential legal issues, though all love to the bus drivers they put up with a lot*

Stormzy at Smack, this is the local folk legend that Stormzy got into a fight in Leamington’s Smack, and amazingly, Stormzy took to Twitter in 2019 to confirm this rumour as true. Clearly, he interpreted the name a bit too literally.

Stuart Croft, the university’s current Vice-Chancellor, known for his devilish charm and reliance on expensed taxis. Additionally, he has featured in plans for a possible ‘Croft the redeemer’ statue, to be constructed outside the Sports Hub as a replacement for the Backshot Dinosaurs sculpture.

Tabula, Warwick's in-house assignment submission system, famous primarily for the fun Koan animation that plays while your essay uploads, and the deep stress the idea of it crashing at 11:59 can cause. Tabula is perhaps the closest most arts students will get to interacting with actual technology during their degree.

T-Bar, recently redesigned to look more orange for some reason, this famous venue offers cheaper drinks than the Duck and nice views of the Piazza in the evening. An absolute staple of on-campus alcoholism.

The Warwick Tea, a cornerstone of Warwick culture, the university's premier gossip account, and the spiritual successor to the Warwick Grapevine, this iconic page has ballooned to over 9,000 followers. Where else can a second year's bus complaint sit alongside a confession of breathtaking romantic cowardice, all numbered for convenient reference? One part town cryer, confessional booth, and public pillory, it has spawned an Etsy shop, a BNOC competition, and, most terrifyingly, many, many imitators.

See also, The Warwick Gravy, The Warwick Water, The Warwick Coffee, Warwick Pints, Warwick Juice.

Tile Hill, a residential area near campus, barely distinguishable from Canley.

TJs, an iconic Leamington bar-crawl hotspot, it’s known for its karaoke opportunities and local vocalist line-up, all of varying degrees of talent.

Tocil, famous for having too many doors, this prison-like complex is a fantastic place to live. Filled with sociable types, adjacent to the central campus, and known for its record-high rat population, ‘Rattatocil’ is not an accommodation you’ll want to avoid.

Twenty plus one, *redacted*

U1, the Leamington to Campus, Stagecoach-run bus service, known for its unspeakable evils and consistent lows.

U2, the other Leamington to Campus, Stagecoach-run bus service, known for its unspeakable evils, consistent lows, and for stopping outside Tachbrook Street.

Upper Parade Accordionist Time Distortion Theory, a fringe theory held by some North Leamington residents, that the Upper Parade area of Parish Church is the site of significant time distortion or is, at the very least, an alternate pocket dimension. Evidence for this includes the historically slow service times at the respective McDonalds and Caffe Nero, and its being a supposed spawn-in location for some of the least conventional looking people you’re ever likely to see. Theorists believe that the accordionist who plays on the corner by Boots is in some way orchestrating this time dilation, ensuring all who pass into this area are marching to the beat of his accordion.

Varsity (sporting event), the annual sporting clash between Warwick and Coventry, we’ve not lost once in its 35-year history. Despite calls for a more competitive opposition like Birmingham or Oxford, students broadly agree that it wouldn’t be worth the possibility of actually losing.

Varsity (pub), an upmarket institution between campus and The Oaks, its prices may be totally unfitting a campus pub, and you’re most likely to only go there a couple times for random society pub quizzes, however, it’s a good vibe inside, and if you save up, it’s always a nice place for a pint.

Viallis, the iconic post-night-out Leamington fast-food eatery. The perfect place to go after a busy night in Neon, this beloved student takeaway hotspot dominates the hearts, minds, and wallets of thousands of Warwick students. The cultural chokehold it has on thousands of student minds is frankly astounding, especially given its pricier menu. However, it’s hard to deny the late-night magic of Viallis, as anyone who’s tried it will know. Questions remain of what it’s like in the daytime or when sober, since presumably and rightfully no Warwick student has ever tried it in said conditions to confirm.

Vita, a ludicrously expensive private off-campus accommodation next to Big Tesco, it feels like you’ve been transported to a luxury hotel in Dubai catering to the ultra-rich. They have a basketball court in the centre, lots of pool tables, and a hot chocolate machine perfect for if someone has brought Bailey’s to the predrinks, since that’s the only way you’ll likely end up actually in there. Distressingly priced and surely not worth the money, it’s truly a window into a different world.

The Warwick Water, the deliberately neutral middle ground between the Tea and the Coffee, this purposefully Suisse-style Instagram page even hosted a Least Influential Person On Campus Competition, (featuring full names!), which is either a genius parody of the BNOC format or the most passive-aggressive thing anyone has ever done on Instagram.

The Warwick Week, a social calendar impossible to ignore, this weekly routine maps out the perfect succession of nights out, within the limits of a single week. From Kasbah Mondays to Smack Tuesdays to Circle, then POP! for midweek mayhem to Rosies on Thursday, Neon Fridays, a Moo Saturday, and then, if you’re feeling ambitious and are still alive, you could even round off with a night in Reflex.

West Leam, a region of Leamington characterised by its fierce opposition to East Leam, lower density of clubs, and a higher number of residential areas.

Warwick superiority complex, a generally harmless affliction brought on by being a Warwick student in Coventry. This often flares up when meeting Coventry students in Kasbah and involves a condescending approach to students of the sky blue city.

Westwood, the furthest of all Warwick’s on-campus accommodation (outside of Central Coventry, apparently), is an ongoing point of comedy in Warwick accommodation culture. Known for being more distant than Mordor, having a Moleman, and its catering to the more isolated types, it’s one of the university’s most iconic places to live.

The Westwood Moleman, the university’s most famous cryptid, this mysterious beast dwells in the darker region of Westwood. Half-man, half-mole and the supposed creation of a STEM student living in Westwood who went mad for obvious reasons, this ominous creature is said to destroy or mug anyone who dares to pass through the Westwood area.

W-WOW Warwick Person of the Year Award, an extremely prestigious and hard-fought honour, this TIME Magazine equivalent judges the most impactful person or thing at the university that year.

What the fuck, *redacted*

Where’s my inhaler?, *redacted*

Whitefields, a collection of tiny brick shoeboxes, designated as accommodation and supposedly designed to habituate a dozen full-grown humans. These iconic little structures were once the cheapest rent on campus, though they have been decommissioned since Summer 2024. They also stand as one of Warwick’s Seven Wonders and its only surviving Ancient Wonder.

Whitnash, more remote than Mordor, this suburb of Leamington is a key part of its ‘Deep South’ region. Known for being almost exclusively residential, providing its residents the first seat on the longest bus journey commute, and a lacklustre social life, this is not a region of Leamington’s suburbia you’ll want to miss.

The Witch, *redacted*

Woxbridge, the organisation of the three finest universities in the United Kingdom and, some say, beyond, this powerful triad dominates the national rankings. Though doubts have recently been raised around Cambridge’s inclusion, consensus suggests that its formidable history justifies its place, for now. The most significant triumvirate since Rome, this formidable alliance is a staple of national university culture.

WMG Rabbit, a formidable Warwick cryptid that lurks around the Warwick Manufacturing Group’s building. Half ghostly apparition, half-white hare, its translucent, white shadow exists somewhere in between the physical and the spectral. Some say it was formed by BAE somewhere in WMG and escaped; others suggest it’s the ghostly remnant of the hare that stopped a hanging atop Gibbet Hill hundreds of years ago, however, no one knows for sure.

Xanizabar, a supposed pagan ‘pond walker’, this local urban legend serves as Tocil’s famous pond god. With apparently Celtic origins, this peculiar Warwick icon has garnered something of a cult status in Tocil accommodation culture.

Zeeman, the building supposedly houses the Maths department, though what goes on inside remains something of a mystery to me, since I, as a humanities student, have no call to sneak into other subject areas' buildings, which would inevitably fall short of the beautiful FAB. Although annoyingly, the building does lay claim to propping up one half of the stunning DIMAP bridge.

Zummy Zummy, *redacted*