Falmouth's unique student lifestyle

This article was written by Sustainable Festival Management BA(Hons) student Sam.

Falmouth isn’t your typical university destination – in fact, the differences that set Cornish student lifestyle apart from the typical big-city experience are also big reasons many people choose to come here. It was definitely a major motivation for me when I was choosing university.

In this blog, I’ll share some of my favourite things about the student lifestyle in Falmouth and hopefully answer some questions you may have about what it’s like to live and study here. 

In general, things are more relaxed here in Falmouth than in big cities. We’re surrounded by some of the country’s most beautiful & sought-after beaches & coastline and that means we have plenty of space to relax and explore. If you’re studying a creative subject, Cornwall is absolutely brimming with creative inspiration wherever you look. There’s an extremely vibrant and close-knit creative community here, which means the Falmouth calendar is stacked with all kinds of events, festivals, live music, art shows, meetups, raves and beach trips to keep you entertained. Cornwall and Falmouth have a really unique energy that you’ll notice when you visit and you’ll see it come through best in events like Wanderfal festival, or on Gylly Beach on a Friday evening. 

One of my favourite things about life here is proximity to the beach and that comes with a lot of possibilities. From April to October (or over winter if you’re brave), you’ll be able to have BBQs on the beach, swim in the sea, go surfing & kayaking, camping and pretty much any outdoor activity you can think of. Being close to the sea is good for both health & overall wellbeing and being able to hike onto the coast path definitely makes the dark winter months easier. Falmouth is quite a wellbeing-focused place and there are lots of options for keeping healthy and happy - my friends and I recently discovered the sauna that comes to Maenporth Beach for several months of the year and now we go every week or two. 

One question I often get asked as a Student Ambassador is: what’s the nightlife like around here? And for somebody used to living in a big city, the nightlife here looks quite different to what you might be used to. Falmouth has a big community of creative people and this means there’s tons of really interesting events and live music going on all the time. Local institutions such as Chintz and the Cornish Bank host a steady stream of some of the best underground bands and DJs in the country. There are also lots of cosy pubs & bars and a few night clubs. Obviously there isn’t as much choice as in a big city, but this is made up for by friendly faces and a very quirky, creative scene. 

As students, we often have coursework and studying to do during the day and Falmouth & Penryn boast a lot of good places to do that. Both the Penryn and Falmouth campuses are really nice places to hang out, with plenty of spots to study with friends or in a more focused environment. Town is also full of cafes with views of the sea and delicious food. A popular student haunt is Beerwolf – a cafe, bookshop & study space by day and a pub by night! As somebody that likes variety, I can pretty much always find somewhere new to go to get a fresh perspective on my coursework and creative projects.