What not to pack for university
If you’ve got your offer from university and you’re all set, ready and raring to get going but you’re not sure where to start with packing- then this is the guide for you!
Whilst there are plenty of items that you definitely do need to pack for the whole experience, there are also plenty of things students pack every year that they simply do not need.
To save you the trouble of having to fit a lot of unnecessary stuff into your bedroom on move-in day, check out our guide here on all the pointless items you really do not need for university.
#1 A 24 piece cutlery set
Trust me, that 24 piece set is not only pointless, because there is only one of you, but also rather frustrating as you will surely lose the majority of it and probably end up hoarding one single fork in your bedroom away from the prying fingers of your other flatmates.
Just bring a few of each utensil and keep them in your university bedroom to stop them from getting lost or stolen by your fellow university pals.
#2 Your entire wardrobe
You definitely do not need to take to university every item of clothing that you own. Not only will it be a major transportation issue but it will also be a lot to store in your university bedroom, which, from my past experience, is not that big at all.
Consider the seasons and only take what you know you will wear that academic year, for example, leave bulky winter coats at your parents during the summer and leave summer dresses at home during the much colder months.
Do the same with shoes, leave wellington boots and bulky shoes at home during summer and vice versa with sandals and slip-ons during winter.
#3 A printer
Although it might sound like a super appealing and handy thing to bring, your own printer will be pretty expensive to finance- being rather demanding ink and paper wise. It will also be much less efficient than the ones printing hundreds of sheets a minute in your university library.
So, save your money and use the industrial printers at university, maybe set a reminder on your phone to print off certain pieces of work whilst you’re on campus.
#4 A kettle
If you’re moving into student halls then rest assured that you will definitely have a kettle, and if not, you could definitely do a quick whip round the accommodation rooms and go and grab one yourself.
Buying yourself staple kitchen items should not be really necessary until you move into a student house share and halls are expected to provide the majority of items anyway, you could always phone them if you’re lacking in any key items.
#5 All the kitchen supplies
Staying with the kettle theme, it’s never a good idea to bring bulky kitchen items in your packing as university hall kitchens are often incredibly tiny.
Leave your George Foreman grill, cake mixer, bread machine and espresso maker at home, you will be so busy during the first few weeks of university that you will probably forget that they exist, leading to them being left on the side to gather dust and grime.
Luxury kitchen supplies are also at the peril of drunk and clumsy students so to save them from getting damaged, leave them be- you can always have them in your flat when you’ve graduated!
#6 Fancy clothes
You might have a few formals here and there during your time in university halls that you will need to dress nice and fancy for, despite this, there will still be plenty of days when you just wear comfy clothes or even just stay in your dressing gown for the entire day!
Leave the suits and ball gowns at home, university halls are really not the ideal environment for them and you don’t want them to get damaged.
#7 Fancy door stops
Don’t fork out a lot of money on a tiny door stop to attempt to keep your university bedroom door open.
In my experience, I’ve found that university doors are incredibly heavy and rather industrial, meaning that you will need a rather substantial door stop to hold them open with!
Gauge the weight of your door and buy one when you’re already at university.
#8 Old School Books
Although some universities state that you might want your old study books to get you through the course, sort through them carefully and only bring the ones that you do need.
For example, if you’re going to be taking chemistry at university then you do not need your whole collection of English Literature books.
#9 An iron
Trust me, although you might think that you will keep your clothes in tip top condition during your studies, tumble drying and ironing everything to perfection, after around a week, you’ll find that as long as the clothes are clean, you’re happy, meaning that an iron becomes a trifle insignificant after a while.
There are loads of ways to ensure that your clothes are crease free, from using hair straighteners on collars through to leaving your clothes in the bathroom whilst you shower- so don’t worry!
#10 Your entire reading list
Please hold off from purchasing your entire reading list before you get to university.
Not only will books be incredibly bulky, awkward and heavy to pack, but they’re also super expensive and you’ll probably be able to pick up the majority of them in your university library anyway!
