The Falmouth student lifestyle
27 February 2025
This article was written by Interior Architecture BA(Hons) student Ela.
Coming from near North London, I never imagined that I’d live somewhere like Cornwall. Although I love the busyness of London, the calmness that Falmouth offers is unmatched. To be able to say that I have access to not one, but two beaches a mere twenty-minute walk away from me all year round is amazing.
On an average day with no university sessions, I will meet with my friends to go on a long walk around Falmouth. We pass The Greenbank Hotel, taking in the beautiful view of both the boats and Flushing before we walk into town. As we walk through, we will stop for a coffee from one of the many independently owned businesses. Due to the smaller size of Falmouth, we will inevitably see multiple people we know and stop for a small chat. I love this about Falmouth, as it is a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, which can be difficult to organise with clashing university timetables. We will stroll another five minutes until we reach Gyllyngvase Beach, otherwise known as Gylly Beach. No matter how cold it gets, there will always be people swimming, surfing, or sailing. We commonly stop here, to take in the view yet again, usually followed by a squeal from me as I watch someone sprint into the water exclaiming my confusion as to how people can swim in such cold conditions.
Another short five-minute walk and we reach Swanpool Beach. Swanpool is a quieter, more secluded beach, that has a small café, which my friends and I will always stop by to get one of their delicious Belgian hot chocolates!
As I am an outdoorsy person and enjoy going on long strolls, I really appreciate how safe I feel here, especially as a young woman. I was a very anxious person coming to Falmouth, with it often restricting where I’d go and my overall health, therefore I am particularly grateful that Cornwall is a great opportunity for me to relax.
On an average university day, I will walk through town towards campus, possibly stopping for an early morning hot chocolate. Back home, and probably like many reading this blog, rush hour is one of the most hectic times of the morning, with traffic pilling up and people rushing to get their coffees before work. Yet again, this is something I greatly appreciate about Falmouth’s way of life. Town is calm, with people doing their morning dog walks, business owners opening for the day, as well as freshly baked good being put out. Starting my day like this sets me up for a great day in the studio, as it makes me feel calm and inspired.
Many may think that because Falmouth is a small seaside town, that its nightlife would be disappointing, however as mentioned before, the close proximity means you are guaranteed to bump into someone you know. Whether you are in the local Wetherspoons, having a pint in Finn’s Irish pub, playing pool in the Games Room, or doing Karaoke at Grapes, you will have a good time. Yet again, coming home in the early hours has never made me feel unsafe or uneasy in Falmouth, even when I am by myself.
As I grew up in an extremely different environment, I was very hesitant to move to Cornwall, however, after two years of being here, I can safely say that choosing to study at Falmouth is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, the great course also being a plus!
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