Hey! I’m Evie, a third year History & Politics student here at the Penryn Campus, and today I’m going to cast my mind back to 2022 when I chose to study here to tell you about why I decided to spend the last few years at the University of Exeter’s Cornwall campus.
Considering My Options
In my final year of sixth form, I remember feeling very daunted by the prospect of university in general. Moving away from home, being surrounded by an entirely new set of people, and committing three years of my life to a specific subject, all seemed like huge steps to take. These feelings are of course completely natural, and most people are worrying about exactly the same things – but that doesn’t necessarily make it feel much easier at the time. I had applied to universities and followed all the typical steps you’re supposed to take, mainly choosing options that were reasonably close to home to help ease my worries. However, by the time exam season came along, I realised I wasn’t motivated by the universities or courses I’d picked at all.
When I was first looking into my options, I had noticed that the University of Exeter had a campus in Cornwall, and thought wow, imagine living in Cornwall for my whole degree. I then looked further into the courses and realised that the History and Politics course, as well as many others, had an emphasis on the environment and sustainability – something that was (and still is) extremely important to me. Despite this, in my slightly panicked state, I ruled it out on account of it being so far away from home in London. But the idea of spending three years of my life by the beach, studying topics genuinely inspiring to me, stayed with me.
On results day, I declined my place at what had been my firm choice university, as I’d decided to take a gap year. I remember sitting with a teacher trying to work out how I would go about applying again for the year after, excitedly looking through the University of Exeter History and Politics course again, as there was now a possibility that I would get to live in Cornwall after all!
I knew that if I was making my choices again, I had to pick the one that had stayed in the back of my mind the whole time I was questioning what to do.
After a wonderful year of working in a coffee shop, solo travelling half-way across the world, and visiting my friends at their universities, I felt much more comfortable with the prospect of being six hours away from home. I was grateful to be in a position where, because I already had my A Level grades, I was given an unconditional offer, so I knew that in September I could be at the Penryn Campus in Falmouth if that’s what I decided.
My Offer Holder Open Day
In March 2023, I went to an offer holder open day with my mum. We enjoyed the train journey down, which was bringing back memories of a few family holidays in St Ives we had when I was younger. Arriving at Penmere station, we were greeted by palm trees, and I immediately felt a shift in the atmosphere from London and all the city-based universities I had previously visited. Cornwall feels completely distinct from anywhere else in the UK: the nature is beautiful, the towns are so cosy, and the beaches are absolutely incredible. After the weekend visit, including a trip to Pendennis Point, Gyllyngvase Beach and a walk along the coast path, I was completely sold on the location. I definitely wanted to live in Cornwall.
However, as much as the location alone is almost enough reason to decide to study here, what I thought of the open day was also an important factor. I knew I liked the look of the course, but I wasn’t expecting the rest of the University to convince me quite as much as it did. One thing I was particularly drawn to was the size of the campus: spacious and full of natural, peaceful spots to study, but also manageable, unlike big city universities. In one of the talks I attended, the lecturer emphasised how there is a relatively small cohort of students, allowing for more interaction between staff and students, and a cosy environment where you feel valued, rather than just being a number in a sea of unknown students. The taster lecture I went to demonstrated this and felt like a safe and comfortable learning environment. The content of the lecture was also engaging, focusing on local Falmouth history, which made it clear how much the University connects with and cares about the area.
Overall, visiting for the open day allowed me to tick all the boxes of what I was looking for when it came to a University’s academic approach, and made me excited to get back to studying again.
Speaking to students and going on a campus tour also enabled me to get a sense of what life would be like, and demonstrated once again how different the Penryn Campus is from other universities I’d looked at. It became clear to me that student life in Falmouth allows you to be more relaxed and outdoorsy, and that although there are an array of very cosy local pubs and decent nightlife options available, this nightlife does not come with the pressure and intensity it seems to for students in some places. For me, this struck the absolutely perfect balance of how I wanted the next few years of my life to look. I liked that most students lived together on campus for first year, creating a sense of community very quickly, and being convenient for walking to lectures and seminars whilst you’re still getting to know your way around. I also looked forward to getting to live in a seaside town for the later years of my degree, dreaming of a harbour view.
Something else that stood out to me was that the campus is shared with Falmouth University. Unlike anywhere else I’d seen, the idea of having a huge range of students from different subjects, particularly more arts-based degrees, seemed like a lovely idea. Being able to access some of the shared resources and connect with people who are creating projects entirely different from anything you’d do on your course is extremely eye-opening. I could sense that this had potential to impact the ways I would look at my course, which, despite being traditionally reading and essay-based, does feature a lot of creative outlets.
On a more practical note, it was also reassuring to learn about the University’s health and wellbeing services, which was something I was looking into at every open day I attended. Having a campus student health centre linked to the local GP practice, as well as a range of support services for mental health, was amongst the best setups I have seen. This gave me a sense of safety and security, knowing help was there and that I’d be widely encouraged to use it if needed.
Making My Final Choice
Overall, the open day and weekend surrounding it was instrumental in giving me the confidence that the University of Exeter Penryn Campus was the right choice for me. Everything I had hoped for was confirmed, and anything I was unsure about was clarified. After this, I was certain that choosing Penryn was the best decision for me, and put it down as my firm choice.
Although I had some nerves and apprehension leading up to my first term, the excitement was much more significant. I knew, particularly in contrast to the previous year’s experience, that I had made the right choice.
Looking Back
Two and a half years later, I’m so glad that I took the extra time to choose a course and location that I have genuinely loved. There are various options if you’re struggling to make a decision, whether it be taking longer to think, changing your chosen course, or even applying to somewhere through Clearing.
My journey to the University of Exeter may have been slightly complicated, but I’ve had so many experiences that have made it worthwhile. Throughout my degree I’ve been able to do modules I’m fascinated by, many focused around sustainability. At the end of first year, I had the opportunity to take a History field trip module to Penzance to spend a few days thinking creatively about the environment from a humanities perspective, and made a short film as part of the assessment. This was a beautiful trip where I solidified some friendships that have lasted throughout my degree, and got to see a new part of Cornwall. Having the freedom to be creative in a few different assessments has also been lovely, and not something that is always available in a History and Politics degree. I’ve also started to work on my dissertation now, and the close-knit community here has become very apparent – I feel very supported in undertaking my research and I’m excited to delve further into a topic I’m truly passionate about.
What you’re looking for in a university will be entirely personal to you, but in general I would say it’s important to consider where you will be based, what you will actually be spending your time doing and learning, and what support there is in place in case you need it. Feeling happy and secure about these elements will make the experience of choosing and moving to university much less daunting.
What I’ve learnt from this process is that although university is a big deal, it’s not nearly as scary as you may think, and being a few hours further away from home doesn’t actually make very much difference when you still have to get on a train either way. Messages and phone calls make the distance a lot more manageable, and although it’s common to feel a bit homesick from time to time, this just makes it even more special when you are back for the holidays. Over time, you’ll find people that care for you so much that university genuinely becomes a second home, and if anything, you end up having two places to miss when you’re not there.
Clearly I’m getting a bit sentimental now that I only have a few months left…
… and Looking Forward
Although I will be sad to say goodbye to the University of Exeter Penryn Campus next summer, I feel much more prepared for the future now and I’m less daunted by uncertainty than I used to be.
I’m not completely set on a career path yet, as having had career workshops and talks throughout my degree I’ve realised how many opportunities are out there. However, I recently completed a University of Exeter programme called ‘Your Options, Your Future’, to help me refine what I’m looking for after I graduate and equip me with skills and ideas to decide. This made me realise that sustainability is also important to me in the context of a career, so I have been able to narrow down my search criteria quite a lot.
For now, I plan to try out a few areas I’m interested in through internships and volunteering programmes over the next year or so, hopefully combined with some travelling. I will then be in a nice position to apply for graduate schemes for the following year after gaining more insights, using the knowledge the University has provided me with, and still having Career Zone support there if I need it.