I am now going into my second year of University, and, so although that doesn't make me an expert (I mean who is?!), I now have a strong grounding as to what to do. My little brother is off to University this year, so I have been racking my brain recently for things I learnt from my first year at University. Here are a few tips and tricks I picked up in terms of packing for your first year of University.
- Check the size of your bed at University before you go, most rooms have a standard single bed, but some of the accommodation I looked at while choosing my University had a Queen sized single...
- Bring some sort of cleaning stuff, even if it's just some multipurpose wipes. Most accommodation has cleaners, but if you spill a sticky drink all over your desk (it's been done...), it's handy to be able to clean it up.
- Bring a laundry basket, I think these are nicer if they're not see through, so that while you're taking your washing to the machine, people can't see your dirty underwear... or maybe that's just me...
- Bathroom bin/Shower shoes. Although these are completely different, it depends on what time of room you have. I had an en suite, and I wasn't supplied with a bin for my bathroom, and so this was a must for me, being a girl, and having girly toiletries.. if you get what I mean. And if you have shared showers, it helps to have shoes so you don't pick up infections or anything.
- Iron...? This depends, I bought one, and my flatmates used it more than I did, so it may be something you want to pick up as a flat after you get there (Note: do this with toasters, microwaves and kettles, and you only need one, and some kitchens come with them)
- Pictures, these are a great way to make your University room more homely.
- Skinny hangers (like the ones you get at Primark). Most your storage place for clothes (at least it was this way at my halls) is hanging space, and so space saving hangers mean you can hang more. Plus the Primark ones are non-slippy
- First Aid Kit. Just like plasters, pain killers, bite cream, bonjela.. you know, things that you don't need to go to hospital for...
- Screw driver, I mean I bought a mini tool box from Argos, it was about £6, and you don't realise how much you use a screw driver, until you don't have one...
- Pins for a cork board, most University rooms come with a cork board, but don't come with pins, and I used this to put stuff on that I didn't want to forget, my boyfriend used his to decorate with posters and stuff, up to you.
- Find a local (student friendly) taxi service. You may not ever need it, but it's one of those things that's so handy to use, and when it's late, and it's dark, and you don't have 3G to search for it, it's nice to just have the number saved in your phone.
