Finding Home in Falmouth
27 February 2025
This article was written by Marine & Natural History Photography BA(Hons) student Rei.
For many students, Falmouth can feel a million miles away and that was surely the case for me. Coming from New York, I could not begin to imagine what the lifestyle was like in Cornwall and especially in Falmouth. When you look at photos and videos of Cornwall on social media, you often see the picturesque images of high cliffs and the crystal blue seas, but what is living in Falmouth actually like?
It is no secret that Falmouth is one of the biggest towns in Cornwall, making it quite different to the rest of the county. With the Penryn Campus shared between Falmouth University and University of Exeter and with the Falmouth Campus in town, Falmouth is always bustling with students. The Falmouth High Street is full of beautiful independent shops and cafes, where students often go to study and socialise. One of my favourite cafes is Planted Cafe, which is where I am writing this blog!
Having worked in New York City, I was used to the hustle and bustle of the city so it was quite the culture shock coming to Falmouth. When I walk into town here, everything feels a few minutes slower and I always bump into a few friends and see friendly faces. There is a genuine sense of community here and I feel quite safe knowing that there is always a friend around the corner.
Beyond the community in Falmouth, Cornwall is full of beautiful nature and wildlife. Just in Falmouth, there are several amazing beaches including Castle Beach and Gyllyngvase Beach. On a calm winter day, you can often spot dolphins just off Pendennis Point. As an avid scuba diver, I am always on the search for a good dive site and luckily, there is one just around the corner! When conditions aren’t right for a dive, I often go rock pooling where I get to discover the small critters that live right on Castle Beach.
If you are not a huge fan of going in the water, there are beautiful hikes all along the coasts of Cornwall. The rugged high cliffs make for a beautiful walk, rain or shine! My favourite walk so far has been at Lizard Point, which also happened to be my first field trip as a Marine and Natural History Photography student. Although the weather can be quite inconsistent, especially in winter, it makes you appreciate the beautiful sunny days even more!
For me, living in a quiet environment like Falmouth has given me space for my creativity and it has definitely taught me to slow down. With wildlife just on my doorstep, it allows me to connect with nature more than ever before. Whether I am just going for a walk from Swanpool Beach to Gyllyngvase Beach, or a cold winter swim with my friends, the accessibility to the sea has done wonders for my wellbeing.
Beyond that, as a wildlife and underwater photographer, Cornwall is the perfect place to practice and expand my skills. Because of our access to the sea and nature, there have been many opportunities where I have been able to practice my skills in a professional setting, including my role as a volunteer crew member and photographer on a local wildlife cruise.
Although I did not get the chance to visit Falmouth until after I submitted my application for my course, my very first visit was just as I expected. It can truly be hard to imagine a lifestyle of a place you’ve never been, but I hope this blog has helped you imagine what a student lifestyle can look like here in Falmouth! Despite being in a rather isolated area of the UK, the true sense of community here never fails to make me feel at home.
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