Son/daughter going to uni in September 2012. What do we need to buy?

teachergirl · 6 April 2012 at 10:39AM

Hello not sure if this is in the right place so if necessary could someone put it right:o
I am the mother of a child going to Uni in September 2012 and aside from all the issues with finance I know that I am going to have to get him a lot of other things like pots and pans etc. I thought we could start a thread advising each other of any bargains. Also any parents of currents students could advise of things they bought that either turned out to be really useful or a waste of time.
To get the ball rolling. I went into B*S yesterday and they had an 80% off sale in the home section. I bought a two seasons duvet reduced from £55 to £16. Then I asked about a discount card I had which they didn't know how to work, so they asked if I was a student to which I said no but I am buying this for a student so they knocked another 20% off making it £13.20:D The quality looked O.K. and I thought this would be doubly useful as it covers all eventualities..hot/cold room and a spare duvet if friends come to visit. The uni he is hoping to go to has a shared kitchen and they advised not to buy lots of pots and pans as everyone brings them and for awhile they have 8 of everything, so my MIL is giving us a set of spare pans, so we won't have to fork out for them initially and we can suppliment them at a later date if need be.
I am hoping by starting early on my purchases to get some bargains in the sales. Anyone else got any thoughts:money:

Ezek · 6 April 2012 at 10:59AM

Having gone through student halls, I'd advise the following things:

- brightly coloured and distinctive crockery set - a bowl, plate, mug, preferably matching. This sounds a bit silly but something distinctive will help mark that crockery as 'his' and people will be less inclined to use it.

- don't bother with super decent pots and pans. I'd get stuff from charity shops and boil and clean them before he goes. Unless he is a kitchen maestro, he won't need expensive pots and pans - just the basics. They will be used and battered around by other people, too. Invest in the good stuff when he has his own place. If you do want to get him new stuff, I'd suggest a Pyrex dish that you could bung anything in - pies, pasta bakes, etc - , a pan with one of those straining lids, and a good, durable, sterile chopping board.

- tea towels - if he's smart he will use and wash his own tea towel...

- a mini fridge - by my third term our kitchen had descended into something Kim and Aggie would have recoiled at. I'm not trying to scare you - anyway, my kitchen had twenty (!) people in it - but when people are living away from home for the first time, sometimes stuff gets grotty. A mini fridge which I kept in my bedroom was a lifesaver - I could keep a little bit of food in there, milk, etc. Since it is halls I'm assuming the leccy bills will be all inclusive, so the cost of running it shouldn't be a problem.

On a non kitchen note, he'll have a reading list of some sort. I would not bother buying the books new - there is probably a second hand bookshop on campus with the same stuff, and Amazon will probably have a good selection for his course list. I wasted so much money in my first year studiously buying brand new copies of all the course books!

sheilavw · 6 April 2012 at 11:00AM

hi my youngest went last year and was living in a house (couldnt get hall) , there were 5 others in, 2 going in last year, 3 going into second, kitchen was fairly well stocked. I kept things to a minimum , 2 of each on plates, bowls etc, small cutlery set , a microwave pan, normal pan , 3 tea towels. I also started stocking up on tins that were on offer, kitchen wipes, washing up liquids, toiletries on offer, loo roll etc

teachergirl · 6 April 2012 at 11:34AM

Thank you for your advice so far. I have already sorted plates as when Mr T started doing denby vouchers we added to some stuff we already had and I have wrapped up our "old" but perfectly useable stuff for him. Will definitely started stocking up on cans...had not thought of that one. I can't do the mini fridge thing where he is going until he moves out of halls as I know they are banned in the halls. Pyrex dish is alos a good one.

devildog · 6 April 2012 at 11:44AM

Basics to start with-cutlery/crockery/pans/bedding/towels/tea towels. Not all Halls have ovens in kitchen(seriously) some have hobs/grills/microwave so check and get the appropriate bakeware/cooking utensils. Sealable plastic containers.
Basics start up box containing foods such as rice/pasta/sauces/jarred foods that they like. Toiletries(shower gel/shampoo/toilet roll) Air freshners/toilet roll/washing up liquid/sponges etc(you never know they may use it!!)
Just about everyone will go with basic pots/pans etc, depending on likes/dislikes you may wish to consider toastie maker, wok etc.

If allowed a mini fridge is useful(not halls allow them though, so check)
One of mine took a fan(which was a godsend last October when there was that really hot spell)
Depending on how far you want to go you could consider glasses/bottle openers/bin bags/shower mats(if ensuite)pizza cutters/colanders/sieves/scales etc.

It really depends on the student some will eat on the go or very basics like packet noodles, others will quickly adapt to cooking from scratch and require things such as whisks/steamers etc.
Although they get a lot of freebies during freshers week, maybe some pens/paper/files to get them going.
If they aren't really into cooking and shopping(and even ironing) get them into it now. Once a week make them cook the family meal(with guidance) give them some basic recipes.Give them an idiots guide re when you can refreeze food etc. Explain about discounted foods in the supermarket and that they are perfectly ok to freeze. Get them to use the washing machine and explain the basic rules. All that really simple stuff that we take for granted that many(but not all students-I hasten to add)don't have a clue about.
May also be worth considering paracetemol/cough cold remedies(they all go down in the first few weeks

)

devildog · 6 April 2012 at 12:34PM

Washing powder, change for washing machine, mattress protector.
Another thing that was really useful was a door wedge(could improvise though) Mine kept an open door policy and their room became the social hub of their flat which they liked(if not applicable ignore!)
Printer was also useful(although must stress this was bought for b'day some months later)

What my first away did for my second was make them up a little box containing paracetemol, durex, book of drinking games, facepaints and other items suitable for fancy dress parties.

oh- Surge protectors for computers too

teachergirl · 6 April 2012 at 1:09PM

Thank you devildog had not thought about a matress protector Nor a door wedge

Browntoa · 6 April 2012 at 1:13PM

4 way mains extension leads , some uni rooms have only 1 or 2 sockets and normally on the wrong side of the room

Dunroamin · 6 April 2012 at 1:18PM

devildog wrote: »

Washing powder, change for washing machine,

Take him to the launderette and show him how to use it - you'd be surprised how many new student are puzzled by this!

New_York_No1_fan · 6 April 2012 at 1:24PM

teachergirl wrote: »

Hello not sure if this is in the right place so if necessary could someone put it right:o
I am the mother of a child going to Uni in September 2012 and aside from all the issues with finance I know that I am going to have to get him a lot of other things like pots and pans etc. I thought we could start a thread advising each other of any bargains. Also any parents of currents students could advise of things they bought that either turned out to be really useful or a waste of time.
To get the ball rolling. I went into B*S yesterday and they had an 80% off sale in the home section. I bought a two seasons duvet reduced from £55 to £16. Then I asked about a discount card I had which they didn't know how to work, so they asked if I was a student to which I said no but I am buying this for a student so they knocked another 20% off making it £13.20:D The quality looked O.K. and I thought this would be doubly useful as it covers all eventualities..hot/cold room and a spare duvet if friends come to visit. The uni he is hoping to go to has a shared kitchen and they advised not to buy lots of pots and pans as everyone brings them and for awhile they have 8 of everything, so my MIL is giving us a set of spare pans, so we won't have to fork out for them initially and we can suppliment them at a later date if need be.
I am hoping by starting early on my purchases to get some bargains in the sales. Anyone else got any thoughts:money:

A good starting place for a comprehensive list is on the Student Room website. Just add 'what to take to uni' in your google search.

I used this as a basis for both my daughter and son and then wittled it down according to whether they'd be living in halls or private accommodation and what would already be provided.

Various sizes of lok n seal tubs are useful for storing food in the fridge, especially as space can be at a premium if you can't have a fridge in your room. A largeish one to store all fruit/veg in saves everything rolling around. (yes students do occasionally eat this!)

In addition to the above, a great ice breaker on the first day is a tin of sweets and a few cans to share with their new housemates.

devildog · 6 April 2012 at 1:26PM

Dunroamin wrote: »

Take him to the launderette and show him how to use it - you'd be surprised how many new student are puzzled by this!

LOL I did cover this in my first post

Also think the bit about when you can safely re-freeze is useful(got more than one phone call about that one!)

Son/daughter going to uni in September 2012. What do we need to buy?

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