University Essentials You Didn’t Know You Needed
I’m sure you think you have packed everything you need for university but I promise you when you get there and start living day-to-day, you will realize there are so many things that you are missing. Hopefully, these items in the list below will cover all the bases that you have missed so you can live an easy life while you are away.Â
Here we go.
1. Mini FridgeÂ
You could need this because you are just lazy and can’t be arsed to walk to the fridge in the kitchen, but this is also beneficial to stop your flatmates stealing your key items. Living with people is all fun and games until you start getting wound up over them stealing your milk or cheese or chocolate.
So to save yourself some agro you could invest in a mini-fridge for your room. Keep those items you love most close to you.Â
Get the product:
2. Book Stand
I wish I had had this during my studies because it would have made life so much easier rather than having to keep an elbow on a page or a rubber to keep it weighted down while I copied a quote from the page.Â
This book stand is lightweight so it makes it easy to carry to and from uni, but it will make your studies so much easier to have the pages held up in front of you. Thank me later.
Get the product:
3. Extension Leads
You can never have too many plugs and your room will definitely not have enough for your laptop, your phone, iPad/tablet, earphones or anything else that needs charging. Especially if your mates hang out in there too, be considerate and let them charge their phone with you.
Get the product:
4. Mattress Protector and 2x Bed Sheets
Uni beds are disgusting, there is no other way to put it, so for the love of god make sure you have a mattress protector. This not only protects you from the bed but also protects your deposit on the room. The landlord can’t turn round to you and say you’ve stained the bed if you haven’t been sleeping on the bed.Â
Also make sure you have at least 2 bedsheets as well, because you’re never going to wash them and dry them and put them back on the bed on the same day. Be realistic. Changing your sheets is a week’s long process, so make sure you have enough sheets to cover yourself.Â
Get the product:
5. All Of The StationaryÂ
Highlighters are your best friend while you are at uni. You can never have enough. So get investing now! Plus if you get a wide range of colours you can colour coordinate your work if you want to feel organised.
But it also helps motivate you to do the work if you have good stationery to do it with because you’ll want to use the pretty pens.Â
Get the product:
6. Calendar
You will need a calendar, no matter what you think, you will need one to make sure you know where you are in life. Working off the timetable on your phone won’t cut it when you’ve got 5 exams coming up and 4 assignments due in, and you’ve got all your lectures and seminars to go to around that.
Make sure you have a way of seeing where your due dates are in the month so you can adequately plan around that, if you can see the looming deadline in front of you, you may do it in advance. Possibly.Â
Get the product:
7. To-Do List
Like the calendar, having a to-do list on your wall will help you organise yourself and your time while at uni. List the work that needs doing, the meals that you are doing that week, when your gym sessions are or society meetings are. It’ll help you get through the week easier if you can see it all in front of you.Â
Get the product:
8. Laptop Case
This is a more precautionary measure but a laptop case could save your life. I drowned my laptop in my bag when my water bottle leaked and it broke my laptop, I lost my work and my dissertation work for weeks until the store managed to recover it.Â
A laptop case will save your laptop from any damage if you drop your bag repeatedly, or from water, or it could be just to make it look pretty. But I would recommend investing in one to be safe.Â
Get the product:
9. Dropbox/Memory Stick
This fits with my last point, make sure you have the means to back up your work. Whether with a memory stick or uploading your work on to a Dropbox account, it will be something that will prove useful if the day comes when your computer crashes.
Back your work up!Â
Get the product:
10. GrammarlyÂ
You don’t need an account with Grammarly if you don’t want to spend the money, you can just upload your work before submitting it and you get a basic overview. It will tell you any spelling mistakes that word will have overlooked and point out basic grammar mistakes.Â
It really is a useful tool to have.
Get the product:
11. Notebooks
You may think because you have a laptop that you don’t need any notebooks for your subjects, but it is really helpful to have a book for each module to work in outside of your laptop. Whether it’s to put some quick notes in or make mind maps, get yourself plenty of notebooks.Â
If you don’t use it for your modules you can always use it as a journal to help you handle the massive change in your life.Â
Get the product:
12. Grater
I know this one seems obvious but everyone seems to forget it. We resorted to grating our cheese with a peeler and that takes forever, and buying pre-grated cheese is just expensive. So make sure you have yourself a grater in your draw and you’ll be sorted for most of your meals.Â
Get the product:
13. Scissors
Make sure you have scissors in your draws somewhere, and while you’re at it some sellotape. Whether it’s for birthday presents, getting into those hard packets of food, or for chopping off your hair when you have a breakdown, you’ll need scissors.
Get the product:
14. Netflix
Make sure you have your own Netflix account because you’re going to be watching a lot of it. Or at least have regular access to someone else’s.
I shouldn’t be saying you will watch it because you should be working but we all know Netflix will be your best friend. So get your subscription and get watching.
Get the product:
15. Playing Cards
Cards are needed, especially for pre-drinks. Everyone comes to uni thinking someone will have them so I don’t need to bring any, and then no one has any. So be the good one and bring some! Plus if your flatmates have their own you can have yourself a good game of snap.
Get the product:
16. Ear Plugs
Trust me, these are a necessity. If you want to get any sleep then find yourself some good earplugs because you’ll be wanting to avoid hearing your flatmates having sex, or the ones that are banging about and playing music till 5am. Or even just the people outside that are coming back from the clubs.
Earplugs are just needed.
Get the product:
17. Grooming Set
Make sure to look after yourself while you are away at uni and get yourself a grooming set that covers you on nearly all bases. Toenails clippers, nail files, tweezers, little scissors and every tool that I have no idea a name for but are still useful. Keep yourself prim and proper.
Get the product:
18. First Aid Kit
You will definitely need a first aid kit because let’s face it, everyone is clumsy AF and we all pick up some kind of injury on a night out. So make sure you are covered for all eventualities, or at least minor ones, with your own first aid kit.Â
You’re going to need a lot of blister plasters F.Y.I.
Get the product:
19. Tea Pot
You’ll be drinking a lot of tea with your flatmates surprisingly, it’t not all alcohol. So why not make it easier for you all and more homely and get yourself a teapot. It will also save you some teabags and therefore money in the long run… smart.Â
Get the product:
20. Flip Flops
If you are going to be sharing a bathroom with other people then you are going to want flip-flops. Wear them in the shower and don’t take them off, I know it’ll feel weird to be in shoes in the shower but those shared bathrooms are a disgrace so do yourself a favour and protect yourself.
Get the product:
21. Dressing Gown
You’ll be spending about 63% of your time in your PJ’s and you’ll be wanting a dressing gown. I gave a dressing gown as a birthday present to my housemate and I’ve never seen someone so happy with a gift before. She wore it for a solid week because they are just so soft and fluffy.
You’ll not only want a dressing gown for the cosy feeling, but you’ll just need it not to get frostbite. Uni houses have a problem in that they are always cold and the heating never seems to work, so dressing gowns will be your best friend in winter. As well as blankets and big fluffy socks and slippers.Â
Get the product:
22. ContraceptionÂ
Make sure you are always prepared for any situation and keep condoms on hand. Every uni student has ‘that draw’ so make sure it’s fully stocked and full off toys.Â
Get the product:
23. Spare Charger Cable
At some point you will lose your charger cable, you won’t know how but it will have vanished into thin air for a while. Make sure you are always prepared and have a spare on hand.Â
Better than that, you could get a multi head charger so you are covered for any device so if you change phones, or if you have your friends chilling in your room you can provide for al types of devices.
Get the product:
24. Garlic Crusher
I will be honest a garlic crusher isn’t a necessity but it will make your life a hundred times easier. Rather than having to chop up garlic all the time and making your hands smell, just get a crusher…
Get the product:
25. Old School Tie
There will be so many parties that are a fancy dress so the more costume stuff you bring up the better really because you’ll save yourself some money going out and buying new stuff. And a theme that will always come up is a school disco, so make sure to bring your old school tie up with you and get your St Trinian’s vibe on.
Get the product:
