Living in Packsaddle Hill in my first year

This article was written by Game Development BA(Hons) student Alter.

Way back in October of 2022, I found myself walking up the steps to Packsaddle Hill for the very first time. It was an Open Day and, after having already walked through Penryn Campus, I found myself curious about what Packsaddle would be like.

Being from London, it was one of my priorities to find an accommodation that was tied to nature, while still being close enough to campus so that I wouldn’t have to panic about getting to my classes.

It was as I got to the top of those steps that I realised I had found exactly where I wanted to be for my first year at university!

The tour guides introduced us to the three blocks of Packsaddle Hill, before taking us inside to display what the flats offered. I vividly remember walking into the first flat’s communal kitchen and thinking to myself, “That’s a lot of counter space!” Each kitchen in Packsaddle offers a functional and big space, enough room for all members of the flat to cook, alongside plenty of cupboards to store all of your pots and pans. Paired with this is a cozy living space with a table, sofas and TV. This combined kitchen and living room creates a perfect environment for you to socialise with your flatmates, challenge each other to games of Mario Kart and cook meals together as a group, making it one of the biggest highlights of staying here.

Not only are the kitchens a comfortable space to enjoy your downtime in, but the bedrooms also reflect the cozy atmosphere. First of all, it’s an en-suite, meaning you never have to wait for somebody else to finish using the bathroom before you can go in to have a shower. For my personal experience as a trans student, it also meant that I was infinitely more comfortable around the flat, since I never needed to worry about that space being used by others too. It made living with initial strangers a lot easier to adjust to.

The rest of the bedroom has everything you need to move in: a comfortable bed, shelf space, an open wardrobe, a desk… it’s impressive how easy it was to find a home for all of my items when I first moved in. During the cold winter months, the radiator was also a lifesaver, quickly warming up my entire room.

Packsaddle also offers larger rooms, studio apartments, and for those who would opt for quiet living spaces, there is a specific ‘quiet block’ for anyone wishing to have a calmer space during their stay. There is a communal lounge area that provides a comfortable space to socialise in for any large groups.

One of my biggest priorities was finding an accommodation with a good location. Packsaddle Hill managed to fit this requirement in more ways than I initially expected.

Most importantly, it is an incredibly short walk away from the Penryn Campus with easy access to bus stops. As a GameDev Writer, my course is split between both campuses and Packsaddle provides easy access to ways to get to each campus.