PSL voices | From Polynesia to PSL

Arriving in Paris

The 2024/25 academic year was my second year studying more than 15,000 km away from home, for my degree in Sustainability Sciences. I come from French Polynesia, and so the idea of moving to Paris made me very anxious. I had already visited the city a few times on vacation with my family in the summer, but I knew that this would be a totally different experience. Living on my own, only seeing loved ones in the summer, the winter in Paris (in Tahiti the temperature never drops below 21°C), and not knowing anyone there. My father came with me to help me settle in before classes began, but as the first day of school approached, I got more and more anxious. Then that day finally arrived.

Starting in L1

Here’s what I remember from my first day: friendly smiles, meeting the course director, attending a meeting with members of the PSL team and the student union. Everyone was so reassuring, taking the time to present the academic programs, upcoming events and socials, as well as the health services available for students to use.

By the end of that first day, I felt relieved and couldn't wait to go back. I began to get a sense of what university life was like: longer classes, professors who were experts in their fields, complete independence. We also had fewer hours of classes than in high school, which also meant more work to do on our own.

Paris and Tahiti: two very different ways of life

The first few weeks flew by and then it was time for the first break. After eight weeks of classes and one final physical test, I could finally get some rest. It was an opportunity for me to take a step back and reflect on this first term. This new experience was completely different to my life in French Polynesia.

Back home, I’m used to starting my day at sunrise and going to bed at around 10 pm, but in Paris the days start and end much later. The class schedule was also very different to what I was used to. In Tahiti, classes start at 7:15 am and finish by 4:40 pm at the latest, but in Paris we start at 8 am, 9 am or 10 am depending on the day, and sometimes finish as late as 8 pm!

Finally, instead of being surrounded by beaches and mountains, in Paris it’s museums, cafés and historic monuments (having the Pantheon just a few steps away from the campus is pretty cool!). The perks of living alone.

My new life in Paris

There were many advantages to this new life on my own. I could organize my time however I wanted, I had a quiet living space (ideal for revising in) and total freedom. I gradually settled into a routine. I got to know myself better and living alone helped me develop a certain maturity.

Of course, those first few weeks far from my loved ones were sometimes challenging, but I could always call them when I needed to. Winter hadn’t arrived yet but I was already discovering some of the joys of fall such as sipping hot chocolate on a chilly day, admiring the colors of fall, and spending cloudy days at the library. And as for the myth that Parisians are always complaining, it turns out that it’s not entirely true! I spent my days surrounded by other students from all over France, who were open-minded and had interesting backgrounds. 

My advice for those coming from far away

Choosing the right path, leaving your hometown and being far away from family can all seem scary at first. I had the same worries. But from these two first years of study, I’ve learned that these worries can be overcome, and that they quickly fade as you’re swept up in the incredible experiences that come with university life. 

Here are some of my top tips to beat the blues. Every time I return to Paris after the summer vacation, I make sure to bring some food, soap or tiare flower perfume back with me to remind me of my island. With my loved ones, we have also started the tradition of calling each other every Sunday evening, which is one of the only times we’re all free, considering the 12-hour time difference between France and French Polynesia. I really look forward to this moment every week, and it helps me to always end the week on a high note!