'Bottom Drawer' for Uni

e13

Things I used all the time at uni were: string, pins (safety, sewing, pinboard), sellotape, various types of glue (superglue, uhu and pritt for me). I also used to find things like a few clothes pegs useful for shutting packets, and gluing shoes back together when they'd come apart. I liked having a permanent marker for labelling things. I used to take a multitool with screwdrivers etc - my university had a tendancy to screw down furniture and it was useful for meaning I could rearrange the room, put cupboard door hinges back on without issue. A really decent sharp knife that he never leaves in the kitchen because other people blunt and ruin decent knives.

I think I'd also explain what a stop-!!!! is and where they're usually found if they don't already know. I once found some friends sitting in a flooded kitchen just waiting for me to arrive because they didn't know how to switch the stop-!!!! off.

(Also, remember that it won't matter if he doesn't have everything - between amazon, ebay and the local hardware store (which I found surprisingly hard to locate!), he'll be able to get everything he needs. There's nothing like the laughs you have with friends when you've mended your bike with string, or attempted to cook a brownie in a pyrex bowl etc. Though, having mended my bike with string, retrospecticively I might have taken some cable ties with me!)

I also got an awful lot of mocking for how prepared I was with things that I'd brought to university, but then I really did take everything but the kitchen sink.

(In the very long list of things I used to take to uni, other things I found useful were: batteries, a really good torch, a decent pair of scissors, an umbrella and rain coat, plenty of mugs, bike chain oil, some sort of lubricant to stop the lock sticking in the winter, a bike pump and a spare inner tube, a bread knife so I could treat myself to nice bread, or bagels or whatever and actually be able to eat them rather than sort of vaguely hack into lumps, a long ethernet cable because the wifi was awful and the ones we got given tethered us to our desk, a little sewing kit, extension leads and a shaver socket adapter as ours were always in stupid places) This list could go on basically forever, so I'm gonna stop there!

theoretica

I think lidded plastic boxes have been mentioned, but if you find a set that stack when full and nest when empty they are great extra storage if needed - and packing for getting stuff to and fro!

wilddominatrix

I looked at a student site and the students on recommended a bucket- for being sick in !

jemb

The best thing when I went to uni (13 years ago eek!) was having a booze box and a door stop. The booze box meant it was very easy to make friends when moving into halls and an easy way of saying hi to your neighbour "hi, do you fancy a beer?" and the door stop as it's a it scary moving in and very easy to close the door on others moving in. At least then they can bob in and out and you looking welcoming! Other staples were towels, smellies, extra coathangers! staples - pasta, rice etc and basic kitchen stuff x

candygirl

jemb wrote: »

The best thing when I went to uni (13 years ago eek!) was having a booze box and a door stop. The booze box meant it was very easy to make friends when moving into halls and an easy way of saying hi to your neighbour "hi, do you fancy a beer?" and the door stop as it's a it scary moving in and very easy to close the door on others moving in. At least then they can bob in and out and you looking welcoming! Other staples were towels, smellies, extra coathangers! staples - pasta, rice etc and basic kitchen stuff x

The booze box is bound to be a winner

Mrs_Ryan

Can't stress enough- plastic boxes with lids- useful for leftovers. When I was doing my nurse training they were a godsend when I was on earlies as I didn't have to worry about the next day's lunch. Also if he is cooking lots of pasta dishes he can make an extra big portion and use it the next day. Buy ones of varying sizes from the pound shop.
A travel mug if he likes hot drinks- then he can make himself a cuppa in the morning if he's in a hurry (if he's anything like me who always got up at the last possible second!)
This sounds weird but if he has a sink in his room and the machines are liquitabs only, a small box of washing powder. Many a time I was so broke I had to wash undies and my work polo tops in the sink in my room it worked though and is useful in an emergency!
Lots and lots of bin bags. I discovered the use for these when my entire flat in halls, to celebrate first day of placement, got drunk and decided to have a water fight in the bathroom (I was lookout as i came in late in my good clothes and they had all had time to change) Students do funny things
If he's on PAYG, an emergency phone voucher so he can always call home if he needs to. If he's on contract obviously that won't be needed!
Soft loo rolls. Always good!
Finally, emergency toiletries- razor blades, deodorant etc. I know I'm a girl but I still need razors for various reasons and I didn't have any for the first week- I was going to pack some but forgot and I couldn't get any for about a week!
Best of luck to him

Honeylife

You really need to know the accommodation first. DD1 never got halls had an awful house share with a sponger and a thief. The room was bare and basic. No one share anything. We gave her her own mini fridge (silent) and she had to hide food in her room. DD2 shared with four lads in halls was extremely frugal, only second hand cheap ikea pots and crockery for her. Took her own duvet and bedding from home. Just wouldn't spend any money, and that was ok. DS had a lovely large room in halls and took everything anyone suggested, no cheap tat for him had to be quality stuff, new pots pans, bedding (and new bike). DD3 had a large ensuite room so had to take toilet rolls and bath mats, her room also had a silent mini fridge in there already and there was a huge welcome pack in the kitchen consisting of tea bags, coffee, sugar, plus another small welcome box on her bed in her room. She insisted on new bedding. (waste of money her siblings told her!) DD3 actually filled a van - not a car a van with her stuff! All wanted CASH!! We gave them Sainsbury vouchers/top up cards.

Jinx

Photo album.... for when home sickness kicks in.

I don't know if it's a girly thing but my daughter loved the small photo album I smuggled into her case with pics of family and her cats!

Islandmaid

I just wanted to thank you all.

My son didn't get into halls, and has ended up in a house share with 4 other's.

I was really stressed about him having to 'jump in the deep end' with utility bills, as well as rent and all that jazz, but although it's just a week in, he is getting in really well with his housemates, and they have sorted the bills etc

Your suggestions of things to take have been invaluable, things like a clothes airer, and Tupperware type boxes have gone with him.
We bought him a multi picture frame with photos of us, and another just blank for pics of his friends or whoever he wants.
He has a good range of store cupboard staples as well as a couple of good simple cook books, loo roll, laundry tabs and a good range of kitchen ware - they decided before moving in who was bringing what.
The item he has seen most value in is a mattress topper - one look at the mattress sent us straight to the shop for one before he moved in

He is my youngest, and I am missing him, but am so proud of his independent spirit and he is loving it so far

Thank you all once again - I love this forum, it's like having you own personal helpline X

Lynplatinum

Hiya

If your child is house sharing be careful.

Ensure that a book is started with a page for gas; electric; water;rent; (check out council tax - different rules in different areas - I think).

Each person's name on each page

How much they each should pay

They sign the book each time they give money to whomever pays the bills. the person who pays gets a receipt and staples it into the book each month.

One of my sons was nearly saddled with £2000 of bills and because he was the only one of the 9 folk in the house who ever paid, the power company were most aggressive in persuing him. We managed to get 2 of the others to cough up but 6 of them got off scott free - my son only had their phone numbers (and of course they did not answer) and the uni refused to either give us their home address or pass on letter (unsealed) to their parents/home address. A complete nightmare.
Also get your child to keep a small supply of tinned goods; dried milk; bowl and spoon and mug - possibly knife and fork; coffee/tea; loo roll in their room. Do not tell others its there. 'Borrowed' is rarely returned in both of my son's experience and late night shops are expensive. They wont believe you at first!!

That said - they both had a fun time overall and had good housemates and living experiences as well! Including one lass who offered to do all the cleaning cos my son was such a good cook! And she did!:T They made and have kept many friends and learnt so much! Every 2 months or so I did a 'bog roll and beans' run topping them up on essentials and checking they were ok and spoiling them to a meal out.
Hope this helps.
Nite all