Ideas for useful present for fresher

dumpy

How about giving something towards the end of the first term? I'm sure they will get lots of "well done, off to University pressies" in September but you are always REALLY grateful for supermarket vouchers just before Christmas when you have run out of money and it's cold and you are hungry!

If they are supermarket vouchers there is some chance that it will be spent on food, especially if the loan came through a long time ago and the next payment seems a long way in the future.

lellie

In my halls we didn't have cleaners - so fridges and stuff were fine - we weren't meant to have them but no one was around to see.. We were allowed toasters and kettles anyway.. Our halls didn't provide them either for the kitchen so we needed it to share..

BigBouncyBall

Yey!! Here we go again! Another year of "student essentials to be sent off with" threads!

I'm sure this list will be added to again and again, but in the mean time do a search on the forum for this sort of thing, we've had this thread going every august for a few years.

wigginsmum

And how would you know, with a month's posting and only 13 posts to your name?

DrFluffy

Book vouchers. Can't be spent on alcohol and will definietely come in useful.

BigBouncyBall

wigginsmum wrote:

And how would you know, with a month's posting and only 13 posts to your name?

I use a new user name every so often. My last one had over 1000 posts and 10 months on the card.

edda

BigBouncyBall wrote:

Yey!! Here we go again! Another year of "student essentials to be sent off with" threads!

I'm sure this list will be added to again and again, but in the mean time do a search on the forum for this sort of thing, we've had this thread going every august for a few years.

I started a new thread because:

1. I couldn't find anything useful with a search (it all depends on the words you use and isn't always accurate anyway)

2. I know student priortities change every year

3. New threads attract new ideas

Thanks to everyone once again :T - will let you know what we decide as I hope to find out this week what my goddaughter is lacking in her 'got so far' corner!

BlueDog333

well, I found this thread useful as our daughter is about to go off to Uni - so thanks for starting it edda , agree with your reasons for doing so
:-)

BigBouncyBall

don't forget plenty of cotton wool to wrap them up in

nige

As for electricals in rooms, we were told (and I believe this is similar everywhere) that kettles and toasters are fine, however constant high-drain items such as a fridge are not allowed unless needed for medical reasons and sorted out in advance with accomodations office. We even got told the reason which is that some of the older buildings do not have the wall wiring required for several high-drain items to be connected between rooms at once, all it takes is one such item in three or four rooms to start a fire. Mini-fridges (6 litre or 12 litre ones, up to 12 cans) although not exempt from the rules were in quite a few of our rooms as we all know these are low drain items as they are only a fan anyway and it is great for keeping drinks in.

As for suggestions, I was happy to take almost anything when I started last year, if you give food/drinks, I would include tinned foods like beans and maybe potatoes and maybe frozen foods for longer life, but not too much frozen stuff as everyone will need to share the freezer, avoid tinned meat and powdered milk though (unless you are sure they like the stuff), not very nice for most people and most of the time students aren't so poor they can't afford proper milk anyway, mince is always good for cheap meat and frozen can last for ages.