Daughter Going Into Halls - What to Bring/Buy?

Reverbe

Paperchase is very dear but what I did find more useful in my time at Uni was instead of little files, great big lever arch files as they tend to hold more and maybe just a little one to carry day to day. Plastic wallets for handouts until oyu can take em home and hole punch em and maybe a clipboard thingy to lean on for not taking - tho I hear everyone records lectures these days.:eek:

Have seen a few articles in press n mags about kitting out students but have to say I still find their suggestions dear. Sets of mugs for £5 etc... Wilkos does a basic mug in various colours for 40p or so and might be a good idea to grab a few of those.. I know we all like nice fancy mugs but lets face it replacing a £5 mug when some clumsy student has broken it will take its toll..

Reverbe

megancara wrote: »

My essentials for uni -
Stackable storage boxes. I never had enough storage (and I don't have a

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.

Great list there.. I would suggest some nice packs of noodles too cos no doubt she will live on the value ones but it is nice to have a nice selection of the better quality ones..they do a lot more flavours too..

johnswife

My daughters are not great cooks but they can do a stir fry, and you can get a wok from Ikea for a couple of quid.
my daughter has an en-suite but there are no shelves in there, very basic, so a couple of waterproof boxes to put in there were useful.
she is sharing with four others and there isn't a lot of room in the freezer if they all try and freeze loaves of bread and she had to throw most of hers away last week as it was going mouldy. so trying to get her a tupperware kind of container to keep half a loaf at a time.

to be honest it's easier to see what you want when you get there, in case like other posters have said you end up with items you will never use.

bestpud

Reverbe wrote: »

Paperchase is very dear but what I did find more useful in my time at Uni was instead of little files, great big lever arch files as they tend to hold more and maybe just a little one to carry day to day. Plastic wallets for handouts until oyu can take em home and hole punch em and maybe a clipboard thingy to lean on for not taking - tho I hear everyone records lectures these days.:eek:

Only people with a disability are allowed to record lectures at my uni, although a few of the lecturers do and place them online.

I like those plastic wallets too!

I have a spiral bound exercise book and carry a plastic wallet to put any handouts in (one for each module).

That way it all stays together, and I put it all into a bigger file at the end of the semester, and weed out stuff I probably won't ever look at again while I am at it.

If I try and file as I go, or use any other type of note book, I end up with bits of paper everywhere and have to have a major sort out before I can start writing assignments. Buut, that could just be me... :rolleyes:

OP - is your dd in her halls now, and if so, has she needed anything yet...?

themole_2

You usually find that everyone takes the same things.. so its sometimes an idea to just take the essentials for her room and some crockery, etc. (check the bed size... we were surprised to find a 3/4 bed and we had bought all single bedding!!). Also she will appreciate all the boring cleaning supplies! I gave my daughter money to sign up for her NUS Extra card and it has been a godsend with all the discounts she can get for insurance, laptop, insurance and general shopping and food discounts - well worth the money.

You can also tup up a cash card for Sainsburys if she would buy her groceries there

Good luck to her and I hope she enjoys Fresher's week.....

dogstarheaven

thanks for all your replies everyone!

she's settled into her halls v easily making friends with her flatmates (one already on her course) so i'm quite reassured that she's been doing well now. going out every night on this week's fresher's week has given her a taste of the 'high life' but hopefully, she'll get her priorities in order once she starts her course next Mon. of all the things i bought for her has been mostly used esp. the kitchenware. in her bigger-than-expected room, she has fitted sink unit and a small wardrobe which has given her enough space for all her clothes which is v pleasing for her. tho' her single bed is less than acceptable as it is v uncomfortable and it sinks in the middle. thankfully, someone from the previous yr left out some bed slats which has helped a lot, tho' i think a mattress topper would make the bed more comfy (tho' she isn't that keen to buy it herself and is awaiting for my next visit to cart it from the nearby argos down the road in camden!)

i'm going to organise a Sainsbury's double card for the Parent & Student where i would top up and she'd get the credit on her card from her end. this is an incentive for me to get her to call me regularly and she gets a contribution to her food expenses.. i know, it's a form of bribery, but i can't help but worry about her if she's not being in touch so often esp. if i hear her coming back to her halls so late from the night bus....

all in all, i have had two 5 minute calls and a 1hr and 10min call last night off her (she says she'll doubt going out at the weekends as students wouldn't get discounted entry/drinks as it'll only be on during the weekdays). i was so pleased to have given all the info that she wanted me to hear from enrolment, to the societies she's joined, to the friends she's made, the bus v. walking routes, to the bars/clubs she's been to etc.,

how have all your children (or yourself as a new student) been? as a single parent, it has been a strange week on my own but the whole experience of my daughter leaving home hasn't quite sunk in yet for me. i've already sent her a new clothes parcel for her (sent 1st class at the cost of £8+) with some extra bits like plasters and flu tablets!

xxx thanks to everyone who's been so helpful. i couldn't have managed without all you guys giving me such invaluable advice and support:p

lotties_mum

My DS also went off to uni last week. He has settled in well, he is 200 miles away so won't be home before christmas although we are driving down to see him in a couple of weeks time with the rest of his stuff. I'm glad your daughter is settling in, and well done to her for getting into UCL you must be very proud.

ultimatedingbat

My first time at uni here is a kinda list of stuff I needed:

1) HC2 Form = Get free health care
2) TV Licence = If you have a television and are recieving TV signals
3) DVD Player = With a TV that DOESN'T recieve channels, it saves alot of moeny
4) Obvious kitchen stuff = e.g. Plates, knivers forks toaster (if you dont have one) microwave (if you dont have one) kitchen accessories etc etc etc
5) Bedroom items = Bedding, extra storage space (underbed is excellent!)


Posters are fantastic for brightening a room.

My wardrobe was half the size when I arrived so I bought one of those multi hanging tools for the wardrobe to save space.

If you have a bathroom, obvious bathroom items required. Get some handwashing powder and an airer to handwash clothes, saves alot of money.

themole_2

I wouldn't buy too much - just the essentials and then give her £10 to get her NUS EXTRA card either through her Student's Union or buy it direct online
http://www.nus.org.uk/en/NUS-Extra/
Then you can really start to save on practically anything she or you need to provide for her set up in halls, including insurance, food, laptops, etc., etc.

lou49

So so useful! DS off to Leeds Uni in September (subject to getting grades of course, insurance offer is Birmingham BTW) and just came across this. Went to Leeds last weekend for accommodation day open tour. He wants self-catering. (Leodis if anyone knows this one).

Not without experience in this area as DD was in hall at B'ham for one year but not happy and came home every weekend then transferred to uni in London (where we are) to slightly different course and finished her degree here. Everyone's lists and comments here are really great and am bookmarking this thread!

Now the daft question! When I do laundry at home I hang up clothes that can't dry outside or go in the tumble drier -I put them in the bathroom till they're dry and then iron them. DD brought her laundry home every weekend! Now I know that students say they never iron, and the ones I've seen do look clean and respectable - lol - so what does everyone do with their Primark type T shirts which IMO would look like dusters without careful washing and a quick iron?!

TIA for any advice.
Louise