Studying at my second choice university

This article was written by Dance & Choreography BA(Hons) student Dorka, who shares her experience of studying at her second choice university.

When it comes to applying to higher education, it is normal to feel like everything has to go according to plan, but I would like to share my personal experience about Falmouth, which wasn’t my first choice initially, but ended up being the best experience ever!

I am international - originally from Budapest - so moving to Falmouth seemed a bit scary with the long journey and transportation, so I would have preferred to move to a bigger city with many international airport connections, so that going home could be easier. Turns out, Falmouth has easy connections to London via a direct train line from Truro and there is also Newquay Airport nearby and I have been managing commuting home very easily.

I initially wanted to join a dance conservatoire and I got into one of them, but I was just put on the waitlist for the other one. Falmouth sent me an unconditional offer, which I was happy about, because I loved the audition for it, but deep down I was still hoping to get into that other place too. I even gave up the offer I got from the conservatoire, as that had an early deadline to accept or decline. Sometimes even just a deadline can flip things around so much that it changes everything. In this case, I eventually didn’t get an offer from the place I kept hoping to get into, so Falmouth remained my only option and there was no more question then, that was where I could go if I wanted to start my undergraduate studies.

Now I know that studying here is just such a unique experience, very different from what I would have got in any other cities

What helped me throughout the process was the constant research. Even though I did keep in mind how much I enjoyed the audition to Falmouth, I carried on looking up information about the local area, opportunities and just anything more I could possibly find out about it. The more I found out the safer and more reassured I felt about my decision.

Now I know that studying here is just such a unique experience, very different from what I would have got in any other cities. If you are interested in arts, Falmouth University is not only rated on top of the UK arts universities, but where it is located is also the main creative hub of the Southwest.

There is always something going on, for example live music events, vintage markets, quiz nights and various Cornish festivals in town, all filled with creative people wanting to connect, it is super easy to find people to collaborate with. But you also get that very relaxed side of life here, provided by the coastal landscape and the sea being right by your doorstep. This is something that can be very easily forgotten whilst making a choice of where to study. Apart from the prestigious learning facilities and profitable opportunities, you also need to think about picking an environment that is best for you. I made very precious friendships and connections here. I also discovered how easily I can recharge by just being outside by the sea and that has been such an integral part of my university life.

Now, as I am coming to the end of my studies at Falmouth, I can confidently say that I would not change anything at all about how things have turned out, but I could only get here by giving it a chance and going for it. 

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