My Favorite Reading Spots in Melbourne

For some of you who might not aware, I started my study this year May, just 5 months ago. It was a struggle at first to decide which course to choose from. I know I initially wanted to study child care at first but in the end, I am back to accounting. The decision is largely influenced by my current job because I am doing accounting-related work in my workplace. I believe the knowledge that I learn from the course will be useful to my work as well.

When I think about it, it is interesting how life works out so miraculously in ways I could not have planned for. I used to have SO MANY friends who studied accounting throughout my university life. And accounting was one of my study choices when I applied for scholarship back then. Now, I am really doing accounting.

The difference is that my course is actually a combined course with Bookkeeping, which is not the same as keeping the book like a librarian, as the name suggests. Funny how my friends make such a remark when I told them I am studying bookkeeping haha. (Obviously they are not accountant lol) It might sound foreign to some but still within the scope of accounting because prior to accounting, you are required to enter the business transaction into an accounting system which falls into the scope of bookkeeping.

Hence, this is a study post that allows me to digress and share some of my favorite reading spots in Melbourne! So, if you want to come to Melbourne to read, here are a few nice and FREE places to relax, and to read books and to study - if you really want to study of course, rather than zoning out like me most of the times lol.

1. State Library of Victoria

There is no better place to study in Melbourne than State Library of Victoria. This is one of my favorites among all the choices too! It is hard not to fall in love with plenty of sunlight coming through the dome. The bird-eye view from a level up is a must-go for tourists where tourists just go there to take pictures of you studying haha. This reading space is strictly for reading only so you can expect quiet surrounding here. With everyone so immersed in the book, you ought to feel like you need to be hardworking too.

Bird-eye view of the dome is really pretty!

This is me at one of the tables. Everyone is studying so of course I have to as well haha.

2. Bridge between Melbourne Central and Emporium

If one day you are lost in Melbourne and realize your phone battery drops to 1% and you have no power bank, fret not, this bridge comes to rescue! All my suggestion come with power plug to supply the need of laptop to play games study. I found this little gem one day walking past and realize it is quite a nice place to study too, with views, power plug and amazingly, separate USB port too! (Remember the days when we only bring cables without plug or power bank? It happens to me ALL THE TIME!) 

With views

Big large table too. But it does come with crowd so be prepared - either come early or not getting a place sometimes.

Sometimes, a surprise rainbow view. Taking them all in while reading my books.

3. City Library, Flinders Lane

I really like City Library too. It is small compared to State Library (Of course, how you want to compare state with city right!) but it comes with its perks for easier browsing and convenience of borrowing books home.

Fun Fact: State Library is Victoria's largest research library – but it is not a lending library, so you can't borrow books to take home.

Honestly I just researched and found out this fact! However, you can easily borrow books from City Library for at least three weeks. I usually renew upon expiry so in the end I can borrow a book for two months haha. The library card is free and allows you to borrow from many library branches across Melbourne as well. You can also reserve books and return books after office hours too.  

Spot the library! IT IS SO NOT OBVIOUS RIGHT. I remember myself getting lost the first time trying to find this library.

Walk-in to the library and you have this sight. There is cafe along the street, and you can easily get your coffee fixed or visit dessert shop just opposite the library to have some well-deserved sweets! (Which I always do after visiting this library since its convenient location offers so many eateries around - right in the city!) 

  4. Winter Garden, Home Sweet Home

Ok, this is cheating because you probably cannot find this place elsewhere. Sometimes, if weather gets rough or I am just lazy to get out from home, I will retreat to my little space at the balcony which the developer has a name for it - winter garden. However, it is nothing like a garden, so I still have no idea how this name comes about and why the developer names it this way. You thought is a garden? No it is a balcony, got-cha! It is an enclosed balcony and my husband and I have a hard time to decide what we ought to use this space for. In the end, we decided to use half of the balcony to hang clothes and the other half is modified to my own reading space.

With a juice bottle and book and laptop, give chance okay, it does look like I am studying hard right! 

Anyway, I am aiming to finish Module 2 within this month so wish me luck! My course is a certificate course which is a prerequisite for a diploma course, should I consider to further study in the future. I don't see myself obtaining a professional accounting qualification (say CPA or ACCA) just yet, but am aiming to at least complete my study within the timeline that I have set for myself.

AND I WANT TO FINISH IT BY DEC 2020. It is not a far-stretched goal, but work and life have brought me down in several occasion that I find it hard to keep track with my goals. Bad, very bad. So, please give me encouragement whenever you see me! Please pray for my success and discipline in keeping the study schedules. Haha.

Till then, if you want to come reading or study in Melbourne, let me know! Perhaps we can go study together. Maybe we can really study rather than zoning out?

~ Loves, Susan