Home at last? Ed Talling, left, pictured with housemates Munro Black and Eleri Blayney
Student living is known for its unglamorous side but down here in Cornwall, things can be a little more intense than the usual experience. As part of our My Pad series, CHARLI LI talked to Ed Talling about how he and two classmates from Falmouth University have transformed a lifeless student house into a home…
How did you find the process of getting your house?
Stressful! As a group we were quite silly in the way of how late we left finding a house but even prior to landing on the house we live in, it felt like such a toxic process with landlords and even rent prices.
Would you call this place your home, particularly given the stress of finding it?
Home means a place that’s yours, a place of privacy and comfort, it’s warm. I do think as a collective, in this house we have made the most out of it and that it is as homely as we could possibly make it. Especially after all the stress from bills and rent, the main thing you want to do is have a safe haven to come back to, to really make the stress of even just getting the house worth it.
What do you think contributes to making a home?
Living with ones that you love and care for. It also just feels right, like you walk into a place and it just feels right. I know that is such a generic answer but I really don’t think there is one specific thing that can completely contribute towards that feeling! It’s why everyone’s home and house has such a different feeling.
How does your student home compare with your family home?
I consider Falmouth my home but as a student I also have another home which is Fowey. Because a home is not just the house you live in, it’s also the area you live in with your friends, family and even neighbours. I believe home is a feeling rather than a specific place.