What to bring to university?

The question of what to bring to university can often be a tricky one. Whether you’re heading off for the first time, or whether you’re a returning student, it can be hard to be sure which things you’ll definitely need, and which things you can do without. Often, it’s about balance, think about the things that you use at home on a daily basis - you’ll probably need those. However, consider the things that you use once in a blue moon, could they just be taking up space if you bring them to university with you? At accommodation for students, we’ve outlined some of the things we think you might need once you head off to university to help make things easier for you when you begin packing up.

Let’s start with the bedroom...

You’ll likely be provided with a bed, a chair, a desk and a mattress but it’s usually your job to get the rest.

You’ll need:

- Bedding (a fitted sheet, a duvet, duvet covers, pillows, pillow cases and a mattress protector)

- An extension lead.

- A laundry basket.

- A bedside or desk lamp.

- A rug (in case you want to make your room feel more like home).

- Decorations (such as photos, wall hangings, fairy lights, or a plant).

- A clothes horse.

- Ear plugs (student accommodation might be loud sometimes).

- A small mirror.

The Kitchen…

You’re likely going to be provided with a table and chairs, as well as a toaster, a kettle and a microwave, but it’s definitely best to check that you’ll have these things before you arrive. However, it’s usually up to you to provide all the crockery.

You’ll need:

- Mugs.

- Glasses (definitely worth bringing a few in case of breakages).

- Plates.

- Cutlery.

- Pans.

- Chopping boards.

- Fish slice and wooden spoon.

- Cheese grater.

- Baking trays.

- Tupperware.

- Cling film, tin toil and bags for your sandwiches.

- Bottle opener.

When it comes to the kitchen, you’re going to need a few of everything, but be careful not to overdo it. While you definitely need more than one plate, you also don’t need to bring 10 of them – just a few will probably do the job.

The bathroom...

If you’re moving into accommodation with a shared bathroom, then you might not need to bring too much, however if you’ve got an en-suite, then there’s definitely a few things that you might want to consider.

You’ll need:

- A bathmat.

- A stand for all your products (depending on how many products you use).

- A toilet-brush

- Cleaning products.

- Toothbrush and toothbrush holder.

- Towels, including a hand towel.

- Toilet roll.

- Dressing gown.

Your wardrobe…

While you might feel like you want to take your whole wardrobe, you’re likely not going to have too much space for storing all your clothes - so be selective. Think about the items that you’ll actually wear and the ones that you really can do without. It’s important to remember that most of the time, student fashion is quite casual, so you’ll likely just be wearing your jeans to university, or even a pair of joggers. While you’ll probably be going out a lot, especially in freshers week, consider how many outfits you really need for a night out.

Although most of the time students dress casually, you might want to consider the likelihood of you attending a job interview or another smart event during your time at university. It might be helpful just to bring one or two smart outfits so that you’re covered just in case – you might even get a university ball that you can wear a smart outfit for.

It’s also worth considering how often you usually buy clothes. If you’re someone who gets a new outfit for each night out, then you probably don’t need to bring too many clothes as you’ll be purchasing new ones as soon as you arrive – especially now that you’ve got student discount.

A couple of extra bits:

- Your passport or any other important documents.

- Medicine (especially basics such as paracetamol).

- A speaker (for all those freshers parties).

- Board games (for nights in with your house mates).

- Keys for home.

- A flask and water bottle.

- Umbrella.

Once you arrive, you also might want to do a big food shop. If this is your first time going to university then definitely sit down before you arrive and work out how much your weekly budget for food is going to be. Stocking the cupboards once you arrive is also a great way to help you settle in as you’ll have all your favourite comfort foods ready to go.

Packing to go off to university can often be daunting but planning out the things that you’ll need can often take some of the pressure off. Really think about the things that you’re going to need and begin packing early so that you’ve got time to add more things as you go.

If you’re a new student, then you might want to check out our student guide where you’ll find more information about starting university: https://issuu.com/accommodationforstudents/docs/clearing_2021_-_student_guide_3_