Leaving home and going to uni is a tough time for every new student. It’s even harder trying to pack up a portion of your life and move it on with you. Trying to figure out what you’ll need to take with you, what you’ll need to buy more of and what you’ll need to buy new; because the ones you have at home aren’t really yours to take to a new city, (for example, I don’t think you mum will be very happy if she suddenly sees all her knives and forks are missing). This is where we’re here to help you out a bit. Here is a list of things you think you’ll need to take to uni, but probably won’t.
For a lot of people, deciding what to wear everyday is a daunting task. Staring into the abyss that is your wardrobe and deciding that despite all of the clothes hanging in front of you, you in fact, have nothing to wear. That right there is one thing that you’ll think you need to take to uni, but probably won’t. Keep it simple. Take the things you know you like, enough to get by when you don’t have time to do laundry; casual clothes, party clothes and that’s all you need. Chances are you’ll be visiting home again fairly soon, so you can pick up anything you’ve missed and you really wont have the space for your entire wardrobe anyway.
Lets be honest. Stationary is definitely something you think you’ll need to take to uni, but probably won’t. It’s a mistake that every eager fresher makes. Most of what you write in lectures will be on your laptop or tablet, and when it comes to revision a pen; some highlighters; coloured pens if you’re feeling fancy; and maybe a couple of post it notes will just about do the job. So unless you’re an art student, leave the 200 pack of coloured pencils and the jumbo collection of novelty erasers at home.
You might be one of those people who can’t go without a cup of tea in the morning, so for you a kettle is an essential. But, kitchen appliances such as a kettle; or a toaster; or a microwave are all things you think you’ll need to take to uni, but probably won’t. Most university halls and even some houses come equipped with most of, if not all of these things. Even if you get there and the kettle is missing (God forbid), one of your flat mates might have brought one with them, or you can all chip in to buy one together. It’ll put less of a strain on your bank account to say the least.
As with kitchen appliances, an iron and ironing board are usually things that university halls come ready equipped with. But, you’d still be surprised by the amount of uni freshers I know who took an iron with them in their first year. All of their parents convinced that an iron was something their precious darlings couldn’t live without, but I’m pretty sure i didn’t pick up that iron my entire 3 years at uni.
A big thing you think you’ll need to take to uni, but probably won’t is pots and pans. Of course you’ll need to take some if you plan on doing any cooking at all whilst your there, but every student seems to bring a full set of them in every size. The accumulation of disgusting amounts of washing up gathering in the sink is definitely a big problem in student accommodations, mainly due to parents not telling you to get up and do the washing up. But if you have less in the first place, that’s less washing up for you to do!
Luxury items such as a coffee maker for example, are some of the things you think you’ll need to take to uni, but probably won’t. It might be something you think you can’t live without when you’re at home, but you might want to try living without them, especially if you’re living in halls. You never know who you’re going to end up living with, and people steal. It sounds horrible, but keeping luxury items in your communal kitchen is definitely a bad idea.
Every fresher is given a reading list of all the books and textbooks they need to read and buy before they start uni, and every fresher spends an absolute fortune on them. But it really isn’t necessary. They are one of the biggest things you think you’ll need to take to uni, but probably won’t. Unless you know that particular book is absolutely essential, don’t both wasting your money. Wait until your classes start and see which books you actually do and don’t need.
It sounds stupid. But every fresher has that huge glass casserole dish lurking at the back of their tiny kitchen cupboard they’ve been given, taking up space. It’s something your mum assured you you were going to need whilst you were shopping, but you’ve completely forgotten you even had it. Unless your a food enthusiast who loves cooking for huge groups of people, leave it behind.
For some reason when I was a fresher going off to uni, my mum was absolutely convinced that clothes pegs were something I was going to need, but definitely didn’t. Not only are there tumble dryers in all of the laundry rooms in uni halls, but where on earth was I expected to peg these clothes to?
The last things you think you’ll need to take to uni but probably won’t is a full dinner set. Sure bring more than one bowl and plate. Your bound to get lazy and not want to wash up one day, one will get broken and one will probably go mysteriously missing. But no flat needs 5 lots of full dinner sets. That’s like 50 plates, bowls and side plates. It’ll take up a lot of space you just don’t have and will never be used.
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