So you’ve got your place. The days of constantly checking UCAS are over. You’ve now found yourself in that month between Results Day and starting university not sure what to do with yourself. The next step is to start boxing up your life into a series of compartments ready to live for 9 months in one room. You can probably think of the basics – all of your electronics and clothing. Yet where do you start with the things you probably never gave a second thought to when living at home? I’ve compiled a short(ish) list of the most basic essentials I think you’ll need to pack for new life at university, but that you might be forgetting. So keep reading for what to take to university! …And don’t worry, these items will arrive just in time for uni if you have, in fact, forgotten them!
University might be the first time you’ve ever had to do your own washing. If so, you’ll just have to deal with the inevitable mistakes everyone makes. It’s highly likely clothes may come out a different shade to how they went in! The best story I heard was my friend ringing his mum to say the machine hadn’t washed his clothes, just made them warm. Check which machine is the washer and which is the tumble dryer first!
Oops. You forgot that you can’t send all your clothing items through the dryer. Instead of hanging clothes all over your flat, make sure you have a drying rack handy. A drying rack or clothes horse can also be useful if you want to save on extortionate tumble drying prices. Once again, I would recommend the smaller products as you will be limited on room space.
Yes, a magic potion DOES exist! Don’t have time to iron your blouse before your presentation? A few squirts of this and you’re good to go!
This is so important for your important documents. You may need to take a few official documents when you enroll or in your first few days at university, and you will want to keep these locked up and safe.
These can also be useful for IDs such as your passport and driving or provisional license. Other important documents include your National Insurance Number, NHS Medical Card (I got this after registering with my university medical centre), details of your vaccination history and insurance documents. I’d would also advise taking your letter of acceptance, accommodation documents, and student finance information. This is alongside bank details, your debit card and any student cards such as NUS or Railcard.
This does exactly what it says on the tin. (Also protects you from allergens and irritants that may be on the mattress such as bed bugs, mould and dead skin.) You don’t know how old your mattress will be or anything about its previous occupants. It’s best not to think too much about this…just get this.
Of course you remembered bed sheets. But what do you sleep in when you are washing that set of sheets you brought? I’d recommend taking two of everything, purely because there will always be a clean available option when you wash your bedding (I would hope!) This includes two bottom sheets, two pillows (if not provided) or however many you choose for comfort to sleep plus two pillowcases for each pillow and two quilt covers.
Pro Tip: I’d recommend checking a few facts with your university or Accommodation Centre before looking for bedding. They will give you a number of important details such as the size of your bed and whether or not pillows will be provided.
This is ideal for cleaning up quick spills in small flats. No large vaccuum necessary, a handheld vacuum- very necessary.
It is important to consider that you want to take your laptop with you to lectures. But the bag needs to be suitable and provide enough protection for it in case of the traditional British downpour on the way!
One piece of ESSENTIAL equipment is a hard drive or memory stick. Just in case of the worst happening: lecturers will fail you even if there’s been a computer error and you’ve lost work that you’ve not backed up!
The likelihood is you’ll have one plug socket in your bedroom, common area, or class. An extension lead will allow you more places to charge your electrical appliances and also give you more flexibility where you can plug things in around your room.
A Door stop is ideal for propping your door open in those first few weeks. This will encourage conversation between you and your flatmates and make yourself seem open to making friends.
If you’re in a communal bathroom I’d recommend bringing a bathrobe with you so you don’t need to walk down the hall in just a towel.
Again, if you’re in a communal bathroom (or even a flat with a lot of flatmates) it’s not a bad idea to make sure you wear shower shoes. Make sure you use shower shoes with holes in it so that it is easier to keep them from slipping off in the shower.
Another tip would be to take a small first aid kit. At home, my mum keeps a medicine box crammed full of anything you would ever need for most illnesses or ailments. Being the accident magnet and all around liability that I am, I had to make my own at university filled with painkillers, antiseptic cream, plasters, tweezers, cold/flu remedy and throat lozenges.
This section will apply to you if you are in self-catered accommodation or part-time self-catered. Most students will survive off the minimum and basic beans on toast so I wouldn’t suggest buying extravagant equipment or utensils: you won’t use them! Basic kitchen appliances such as a kettle and a toaster are usually provided within your accommodation. It’s always better to be safe than sorry by checking though.
Because a knife just doesn’t work as well.
I’d also suggest that you buy a few Tupperware containers which will ultimately help you save money on food. If cook a large batch of food you can freeze the leftovers and re heat them for another meal in the week. Containers are also useful to carry your lunch around in the day so you don’t have to keep heading back to your room.
The counter won’t work as well.
Nothing worse than a dull knife.
A knife doesn’t work the same way, trust me. And if you think about how much pizza you’ll probably be eating, one of these should definitely be on the list for what to take to university.
*This is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.
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