5 Essentials You Must Pack If You’re Starting Uni

If you're starting uni, you might not have a clue where to begin when it comes to packing. Don't panic - here are five unexpected essentials you should have

If you’re starting uni in the upcoming academic year, you might be wondering where you should begin when it comes to packing – an entire year seems like a heck of a long time to prepare for. There are, of course, the obvious essentials, such as clothes, toiletries and bed linen, but there are also some fairly unexpected things you may want to take with you. At the end of the day, there’s only so much you can fit in the car (trust me, I learnt that the hard way), but here are some things you might consider adding to your list!

1. A Bottle Opener

If you take a bottle opener with you when starting uni, you’re sure to make friends quickly. It’s extremely disappointing when you go to another flat’s pres armed with your bottles of beer or WKD just to find out that there’s no way you can open them (unless you’re willing to break a tooth or two). So if you by any chance have a spare one lying round, or just happen to misplace your parents’, you’ll certainly be reaping the brownie points in no time. Not only will people be grateful for your bottle opener, but you might even meet some of your future best friends too.

2. Coat Hangers

You might think when you’re starting uni that coat hangers will be hanging in your wardrobe just waiting for your arrival, but this really isn’t the case. You do need to bring your own, and I would recommend bringing many, because if you’re anything like me you’ll bring your entire wardrobe with you rather than just a few of your favourite outfits. You can buy plastic ones in bulk for a pretty reasonable price, and these are probably a lot more student-friendly than the fancy wooden ones – there’s really no need to spend a lot on things that won’t be seen by anyone other than yourself anyway.

3. Storage Boxes

These are an essential! Most uni accommodation rooms don’t have too much floor space, and the last thing you want to have to be doing is stacking your books and files as if you’re playing a game of Jenga. That’s why investing in storage boxes is such a good idea, as they come in all shapes and sizes and will, hopefully, slide under your bed easily. It will also help you stay a lot more organised and save you from constantly forgetting where you’ve put everything.

4. Speakers

This is a must bring for those of you who are music lovers and just wouldn’t be able to live without blasting your favourite tunes every now and then. I’d perhaps avoid using them on full volume when your housemates are trying to study, but if you all decide to have a party one day they are certainly going to come in handy! The louder they are, the better the vibe, and people are bound to be talking about your party for months to come.

5. Drugs

And no, I don’t mean the illegal kind. I’m just saying that most people get fresher’s flu either during fresher’s week or in the following weeks, so some paracetamol should definitely be on your list for when you’re starting uni. Make sure you have plenty of soothers and Lemsip, and you’ll be set for when your immune system is at its weakest (don’t be surprised if colds are a common occurrence throughout your uni experience).