Settling in at Falmouth as an International Student
12 December 2024
This article was written by Fine Art BA(Hons) student, Jessie.
After a flight, a train and quite a few naps sitting upright, I had made it from Atlanta, Georgia to Falmouth, Cornwall.
I was equal parts thrilled and nervous, holding so much anticipation and excitement for the next three years at Falmouth, but also knowing that I had just jumped into the metaphorical deep-end of moving (4,000 miles!) out of my parents house, which meant a lot of my life was about to change.
I can confidently say now, as I near the end of my degree here, that making the decision to become an international student at Falmouth Uni is something I absolutely do not regret and that has changed my life in more amazing ways than I could have predicted. However, I still remember what it felt like at the beginning of first year like it was yesterday, so here is my advice to all of the other brave and adventurous people out there, who want to be international students at Falmouth as well.
Because I am so far away from my family and friends back home, I knew it would be super important to make friends here to have a support system, which is certainly a big task! Luckily, Falmouth is a wonderful place to make friends because there is such a close community feel to both universities (the Penryn Campus is shared by Falmouth University and University of Exeter), as well as the town. I also found that joining our uni cheerleading team was absolutely wonderful, as I made my best friends in the club, but there are tons of different clubs and societies for whatever you’re interested in.
Whether you get along well with your housemates, coursemates, club members, or all three, there is no lack of places to find connection and community in Falmouth. During the first few weeks when everyone moves in, there are tons of welcome events of a huge variety and they’re super fun and a great way to start socialising with people from different courses. This is a great time to put yourself out there, but it’s also important to be mindful of taking time to rest and replenish. It’s up to you what balance of socialising you prefer in your life, so take it at your own pace, but definitely don’t be scared to take advantage of everything going on at the beginning of the year before you’re full on with your coursework.
As I had never lived away from my parents, I was nervous about being a proper grown-up, as well as not knowing if I would be homesick. I have found that moving abroad has been the most incredibly transforming experience for my growth as a person and all of the experiences, both fun and challenging, that have come with moving here have made me so much more confident and competent. Yes, it is more difficult than staying close to home, but that is the best part about it. Being an independent adult isn’t so hard once you get used to it and everyone is learning as they go. Sometimes I do get homesick, but it isn’t as bad as I thought it would be at all. After the first few months, you really get used to it & settle into your new life and you can find ways to bring your home to Falmouth - I particularly love the Thanksgiving dinner I have with my friends every year (and my friends love it too)!
If you’ve chosen to take the big step of leaving your home country to come all the way down to little Falmouth, you’ve chosen Falmouth Uni for a reason - trust yourself. If Falmouth appeals to you, it has a place for you and it will quickly become your home. With patience, you will settle into your course, your home & your life here and you will start to wonder how you ever went so long without the beautiful Cornish scenery and sea surrounding you. Also, it goes faster than you can imagine, so enjoy it!
As I had never lived away from my parents, I was nervous about being a proper grown-up, as well as not knowing if I would be homesick. I have found that moving abroad has been the most incredibly transforming experience for my growth as a person and all of the experiences, both fun and challenging, that have come with moving here have made me so much more confident and competent. Yes, it is more difficult than staying close to home, but that is the best part about it.
Being an independent adult isn’t so hard once you get used to it and everyone is learning as they go. Sometimes I do get homesick, but it isn’t as bad as I thought it would be at all. After the first few months, you really get used to it & settle into your new life and you can find ways to bring your home to Falmouth - I particularly love the Thanksgiving dinner I have with my friends every year (and my friends love it too)!
If you’ve chosen to take the big step of leaving your home country to come all the way down to little Falmouth, you’ve chosen Falmouth Uni for a reason - trust yourself. If Falmouth appeals to you, it has a place for you and it will quickly become your home. With patience, you will settle into your course, your home & your life here and you will start to wonder how you ever went so long without the beautiful Cornish scenery and sea surrounding you. Also, it goes faster than you can imagine, so enjoy it!