Daughter Going Into Halls - What to Bring/Buy?

dogstarheaven

megancara wrote: »

My essentials for uni -
Stackable storage boxes. I never had enough storage (and I don't have a ton of clothes or anything!)
A massive tea mug
A big fleecy throw for when its cold and covering the manky chair
Thermos for taking tea to lectures
BIG dressing gown (there will be random people on the way to bathroom)
Extension cables cos there are rarely more than 2 or 3 sockets a room
Blue tack for all the posters
Bottle of some sort of spirit to help break the ice
Playing cards
Camera
Lots of nice food, mini chocolate bars
Paracetamol, cold remedies etc...she will get freshers flu

I don't think she will be sticking to the going out twice a month but on the plus side her fondness for 39p noodles should stand her in good stead.

i hear that her accom isn't allowed BluTack as she's read that somewhere, is that true? so the alternative to this is a big notice board... that she'll have to tack her timetable to and other essential must-see things..

playing cards is a great idea as she loves to play bridge and poker and stuff..

is fresher's flu that common? oh well, pack all essential medicines then..:o

i'm not sure whether a Thermos is a 'cool' thing to carry for her needs. i just hope she won't be spending her money on wasteful drinks at cafes...she's v much into her appearance and wearing things in coordination (not too fashion victim-y, but unneccessarily so IMO).

unluckylassie

Maybe for a bit down the line, but my mum used to send me gift cards for my local supermarket - that way I could get anything I needed, be it groceries or ink for my printer, or well - the list is endless - we all know what supermarkets sell nowadays! That way, she can get anything essential but missed just now later on. Especially for things like cleaning products - I used to hate spending my money on those!! All the best to you!

dogstarheaven

does anyone else have any thoughts/suggestions to my replies?

many thanks ppl - you've all been so helpful!
xx:beer:

Rikki

Instead of a flask my son has one of those thermos cups to pour his hot drink into.

Freashers flu is very common, its more an alcohol related stomach problem sorted by avisit to the doctors at uni and a course of tablets.

Most hall rooms have a hessian board on the wall.

Priority is a bottle opener! oh and a can opener. (Who care if you have six of these, better than having none.:eek:)

Plastic storage containers for food and plastic food bags with ties come in handy. Paper towels.

Blue tack can mark the walls, white tack is available and might be acceptable, it was at my sons uni.

msn is a good way of keeping in touch with your daughter at uni. If their lights on you know there safely in their room or in the university's library. :rolleyes:. My sons uses this for all sorts; recipes and on the spot cooking advice, send me this, my train arrives at .... and just general chat. I don't intrude on it but it is and unobtrusive way of being there for them.

Going out every night in Freshers week is normal. Its a chance to meet fellow students, see the town, choose the societies and groups they would like to join. Oh and drink a lot. It's a very social time.

TV licence, check with the halls some university's have a licence to cover all rooms. (NOT ALL university's do this.)

Toilet paper so she never gets caught out.

A big cushion and fleecy throw for lounging on the bed.

As I said before a door wedge so you can be apart of what's going on outside without being in a room with the door closed.

I can't think of anything else just now.

She will be fine it's us parents that worry. It's our job. :rotfl:

elfen

You can get the thermos cups from Wilko's for about £1.50, they have an offer on ATM, as well as like cushions and things to make it homey. I've also got three storage boxes (not in halls, but at OH's where's there's not a lot of room) and they slot easily under the bed for books and DVDs and Cd's and suchlike. (got them from wilko's too, think it's six quid qith a lid and 4 without)

atypical

Rikki wrote: »

Freashers flu is very common, its more an alcohol related stomach problem sorted by avisit to the doctors at uni and a course of tablets.

An alcohol related stomach problem solved with tablets? Do you have a source for that?

I can understand alcohol being a contributory factor but I've never heard of stomach problems and tablets being involved.

Rikki

atypical wrote: »

An alcohol related stomach problem solved with tablets? Do you have a source for that?

I can understand alcohol being a contributory factor but I've never heard of stomach problems and tablets being involved.

Yep, my son.

After many nights out drinking during freshers week he ended up with stomach problems and was given a course of tablets from the uni doctors and told to avoid alcohol for a month.
( I think he said he had affected the lining of his stomach; something to do with acid in alcohol and stomach mucous, by too much alcohol and lack of food.)

Horace

You can pick up cheap fleecy throws in Primark - they're fab and they are easy to wash and dry.

Don't be surprised if your child (this relates not just to the OP's daughter but any parent with a child going to University) suddenly dyes her hair purple or bright pink - they all seem to do it when they first leave home and then when no-one seems to notice they go back to normal. (I had 12 years working at a University and it was the same every year - decent looking kids would arrive then you would next see them all grunged out with wierd hair colours and then they would go back to normal). Show your kids how to use the washing machines in the laundrette too as that will save them bringing home piles of dirty washing.

atypical

Rikki wrote: »

Yep, my son.

After many nights out drinking during freshers week he ended up with stomach problems and was given a course of tablets from the uni doctors and told to avoid alcohol for a month.
( I think he said he had affected the lining of his stomach; something to do with acid in alcohol and stomach mucous, by too much alcohol and lack of food.)

Ah I see. I thought you were saying that what you describe was found to be the cause of "freshers' flu".

Talonaer

dogstarheaven wrote: »

for talconaer:

she'll be studying maths at UCL and is going into a student house called Ann Stephenson which is on Camden St (i didn't know HOR means only those who are into 'catered rooms' whereas she's in self-catered which she'll prefer as she's into eating proper, nutritious, tasty food that she'd rather prepare herself than eating exhorbitantly, mass-produced bland packet/frozen stuff that she would get from the canteen).

the idea about getting a slow-cooker is a good one as i'd remember using one of these when i first went to full-time work years ago, but after a while, i must of got v tired of eating the same style of food everyday, that i must have chucked it out.. i know there's a revival in these cookers/pressure cookers as a way of eco-saving but i'm not too certain whether my daughter will be into it or not...:rolleyes:

the steamer that she'll be getting is a stove one as the one i use for family meals ( i can't understand the need for lots of useless gadgets) as previously mentioned the pan can be used as a normal pan for other things as well as making the pasta, and one of the steamers can be used like a colander..

re. mini fridges - all things electrical aren't allowed in the rooms inc. kettles, heaters etc... that's a real shame as i can well imagine there'll be lots of food stuffs will go astray v easily (i've got mini padlocks already!)

i thought the laundry at UCL was 50p a load which i thought was too cheap to be true.. can any confirm this pls?

has ever walked to campus from Camden St before as my daughter is planning to walk everyday, and then get the bus/tube in the winter months when it's darker at nights...? she reckons it'll take 30mins approx. but i can't imagine her doing the walk every day when she's so used to taking the bus here for school!

what's the best way of saving travel costs? is the Oyster Card the only method and do students get it any cheaper by any chance?

I thought that Fresher's Week would be lots of places to go to for reduced rates, but it seems there aren't any with the Fresher's Pack she's rec'd today... what else can she do other than clubbing/drinking.. are there no alternatives? i don't want her spending her first loan on alcohol...!!:eek:

a clothes airer is a really good idea. i'll have to look around for one.

i do have a problem with transport as i don't own a car so we'll be going down on the train and the majority of her stuff is taken down by her BF's mum (BF studying there too - how lucky) but i'm not sure if both their stuff will fit into a 7-seater Mercedes with all the seats folded down. apparently BF's mum has bought a lot for him tho' he's staying in intercollegiate catered halls.

guys and gals - how much of a car's capacity did your stuff fit? i've been told by daughter i can't load the car with too much weight as BF will have a lot too (i was thinking of all the heavy stuff like food stuffs, her toiletries and bulky items). what do you reckon?

Ann stephenson I believe is a new house on the site of max rayne and ifor evans.
It is based at the far end of camden to univsersity to be honest. Most people travel to University using the number 29 bus which stops outside the halls and outside university approximately 15minutes later.

Cost : £1 a journey using a standard oyster card. Or get a Student Oyster Card and put a student Bus travel card on it for £8 (approx changes al lthe time) a week or £18 a week for bus and tube, unlimited zone one and two travel on both. The student oyster card only gives discount of approx 30% on WEEKLY/montly etc travel cards. I use it and get a weekly student zones 1-2 tube and bus card. I live further out for the last few years. Up at Archway. which is about 20minutes on the tube to uni. Camden, just bus it on Bus 29 from halls. 29,134, ++ about 7 others from camden high street!

I suggest she gets a student oyster card, via transport for londons website, applications open about a week after university starts so get a normal oyster from a shop or tube station first and just put some pay as you go money on it. £10 a week will give her a trip to uni and back a day.

Walking from that campus site is frankly a pretty long way. its about...45mins-1hour via camden and mornington crescent. or 40mins if you go directly down hte back streets. Frankly I suggest she just uses the bus. In terms of time lost walking vs cost from that site. I was in halls approximately 30mins walk away over on Grays Inn road and no bus access and for myself on 8-9 hours of lectures a day plus carrying shopping half the distance on way home etc its a !!!!!!.

She will have a HUGE sainsburys jsut down the road nearish camden town tube station, 5mins walk from halls. And access to the multitude of shops in camden to get anything shes missing so I wouldnt worry if you miss something! Shes in the best halls site tbh.

During freshers week there is a HUGE Amount to do non alcohol induced. GIAG (give it ago) run activites nearly weekly all year for a stupidly low cost to do a masive amount of things. Freshers fair will have the gigantic amount of scoietys looking for members. Definately worht frequenting once, if not twice to see if you missed anything that takes you fancy! Tell her just to keep her eyes open.

Most of the evening events are arranged around a bar, club, ball etc, but alot of people these days dont drink so dont worry about it! I budget around £100 a week for food £30-40, travel £20, bills (not required in halls) £10, and £30 on other activitys. SOme people get by on £60 some spend £200. All depends on your circumstances tbh.