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

hamsterfan1

the first year my son went he was sent with cans of food - beans, tomatoes etc, pasta but it was so heavy so instead I woild recommend a charged card for one of the supermarkets (asda do them ) to ensure they eat properly & a good basic cookery book & herbs & spices (my son has a reputation for being a great cook although he never cooked at home). son no 2 is in Manchester & everything there seems a lot cheaper than here so it's easier to get stuff up there so cash for essentials (bedding etc)

BACKFRMTHEEDGE

Just been on a virtual tour of the sort of room allocated to our son in halls and it looks like the wardrobe would easily take a bicycle lock - we'd get the best kryptonite type - wouldn't stop the really really determined thief but we're guessing that most theft in uni is oppotunistic.

Any thoughts? Any obvious flaws in using a bicycle lock?

bouncydog1

Obvious flaw is the user - and bet your life he won't! The children inhabit each other's rooms like no one's business - drifting in and out to borrow stuff. Odds are if he gets anything taken it won't be from within his own group - much more likely from others visiting.

BACKFRMTHEEDGE

bouncydog1 wrote: »

Obvious flaw is the user - and bet your life he won't! The children inhabit each other's rooms like no one's business - drifting in and out to borrow stuff. Odds are if he gets anything taken it won't be from within his own group - much more likely from others visiting.

I know what you mean. However, son's laptop is an Apple that he got as an 18th birthday gift and he loves it. He knows he won't get another if it gets nicked - so I think he'll be motivated.

Looked at the Kensington style locks but you can't use them with Apple macbook air. (By the way, for anyone who's interested you can get them a Kensington lock a lot cheaper than £50 on amazon :-) )

So we settled on a Kryptonite Bike Lock - the evolution mini....and fingers crossed...

olympus_star

I would recommend a padlock so you can lock your cupboards with food in. And although the majority of halls don't actually allow mini fridges I found mine to be a life saver so simple things which get stolen especially meat and milk!

Braveheart100

Me and DD went shopping today. Bought from Argos

Value Steam Iron £4
Value Kettle £5
Value Toaster £5

:money:

baldrick59

The student situation really depends on where they go and the rules within that Uni. Up where I am, communal fridges were just packed with everyones food; my brother in London had a locked compartment in the fridge.One of the first things I really have to say is that cheap is not always cheerful - any "technical" end up getting don't work any more and you end up forking out just as much for a new set

• A cheap set of crockery, pint glasses, cutlery etc- perfect

• A couple of decent knives - nothing expensive in case they get misplaced but not so cheap it blunts straight away!

• A decent tin opener - the number of these I saw thrown away was rediculous!
• A decent bottle opener- ditto
• A decent potato peeler - despite what the public thinks...some of us do cook properly
• In term of pots and pans, I always kept mine in my room and so used a decent (but nothing fancy) Frying pan, Milk Pan, Medium sized pot/pan and a cheap-ish Wok! - again this all depends on the person and where they are going - for example some of the halls up at Keele required heat-induction pans etc.
• Wooden chopping board (not plastic...they just blunt the knife)
• Tupperware - as much as will fit in a suitcase still wouldn't be enough for me!!

As for supplies...a crate of beer for their first day goes down a treat, supernoodles, potnoodles and generally a load of rubbish for them to do quickly. During their first week they are most likely going to be out and about doing lots of stuff (partying) during freshers week and so don't worry that they aren't eating "proper" food .


In the bedroom a mattress topper is a must...along with your typical bedsheets/quilt etc - again not cheap because they are so itchy and annoying otherwise! A desk lamp if not provided by the Uni, a fan can be a must, check with the uni about mini-fridges/electric heaters because the cleaners used to dob us in...!



What may be useful is a little portable key locked safe - like a float tin just to keep passport etc in. Printer is a must as uni printing can become v. expensive!


If the room is a bit bigger, a beanbag can be a nice cheap way for them to kick back and relax, and can be taken out into corridors for socialising!



Hope this helps a bit and all the best to students and parents a like...I know mine still worry!!

AnnBar

baldrick59 wrote: »

The student situation really depends on where they go and the rules within that Uni. Up where I am, communal fridges were just packed with everyones food; my brother in London had a locked compartment in the fridge.One of the first things I really have to say is that cheap is not always cheerful - any "technical" end up getting don't work any more and you end up forking out just as much for a new set

• A cheap set of crockery, pint glasses, cutlery etc- perfect

• A couple of decent knives - nothing expensive in case they get misplaced but not so cheap it blunts straight away!

• A decent tin opener - the number of these I saw thrown away was rediculous!
• A decent bottle opener- ditto
• A decent potato peeler - despite what the public thinks...some of us do cook properly
• In term of pots and pans, I always kept mine in my room and so used a decent (but nothing fancy) Frying pan, Milk Pan, Medium sized pot/pan and a cheap-ish Wok! - again this all depends on the person and where they are going - for example some of the halls up at Keele required heat-induction pans etc.
• Wooden chopping board (not plastic...they just blunt the knife)
• Tupperware - as much as will fit in a suitcase still wouldn't be enough for me!!

As for supplies...a crate of beer for their first day goes down a treat, supernoodles, potnoodles and generally a load of rubbish for them to do quickly. During their first week they are most likely going to be out and about doing lots of stuff (partying) during freshers week and so don't worry that they aren't eating "proper" food .


In the bedroom a mattress topper is a must...along with your typical bedsheets/quilt etc - again not cheap because they are so itchy and annoying otherwise! A desk lamp if not provided by the Uni, a fan can be a must, check with the uni about mini-fridges/electric heaters because the cleaners used to dob us in...!



What may be useful is a little portable key locked safe - like a float tin just to keep passport etc in. Printer is a must as uni printing can become v. expensive!


If the room is a bit bigger, a beanbag can be a nice cheap way for them to kick back and relax, and can be taken out into corridors for socialising!



Hope this helps a bit and all the best to students and parents a like...I know mine still worry!!

Thank you for taking the time to write this - it is great to get a students perspective on what to buy and take :T

joylikes2shop

My eldest daughter has completed 1st year in student (uncatered) accommodation - 6 'randomers' together in a 6 bedroomed flat in 'Tallyont' in Cardiff. We live in Northern Ireland and brought as much as we could by car when she started last September.

The best thing we brought for her (and it was a last minute descision) was a bicycle..this may not suit everyone but might be worth considering. Not being a regular bike user before uni she needed to buy various locks and bicycle friendly coats etc throughout the year ( as the seasons and weather conditions changed) but she seemed to use it a lot.With hindsight a crash course on regular bicycle maintainance might have been a good idea too.

In addition to the things already mentioned in this thread we bought her an 'over the door mirror' from Matalan ( a much coveted item by anyone who visited her flat)
I also packed a box with the following things...

sellotape
bluetack
elastic bands,paper clips,drawing pins,safety pins and a sewing kit
scissors
matches & candles (although I dont think these could be used in the flat)
a supply of 'Thank You' & birthday cards and 'Happy Birthday' bunting
battery operated tea lights
batteries
a torch
a sellection of various sized envelopes & stamps & blank stickers
a pre paid Tesco gift card-for emergencies
a bag of £1 coins - for the laundry
pegs and a camping washing line ( yes she did use this in her flat when he couldnt wait for clothes to dry in the laundry room)
printing paper - she also bought a printer in the local Tesco

electric socket extension block & clothes airer have been mentioned before, but are probably the only things DD thought were any use ( typical -ungratefull- kids !!:mad:)
We took quite a bit of store cupboard food with us in the car, but when we take her back in September I'll just take her to the local supermarket to stock up with these items because they took up quite a it of space in the car.
Thats all I can think of for now...BTW I think this is a great thread for any concerned and thoughtfull parents of any newbie 1st year students....even if the students dont appreciate our concerns

chocolatepennyfarthing

Have just bought son a laptop, was wondering what its best to do re virus proection, was thinking of AVG and the best place to get Student Office, is it a standard price everywhere?