list for university

homealone_2

my daughter is off to university in october and i am frantic trying to come up with a list of essentials that she will need. i know they have small quarters and so far have bought a small linen basket and am filling it with all her favourite toiletries and knik knacks that she wont be able to afford but will bring some home comfort. our aim is to visit once a month and do a monthly shop for her till she gets more organised but would love anyones thoughts on what they felt they desperately needed but didnt have or anyone else in similar position that has already made a list i can have a peek at

thanks

Edinburghlass_2

There are 35 replies to your post on the Old Style regarding this, perhaps you should have a look there to see what is useful

juno

https://www.studential.com

Pink.

This thread is probably more suited to the Student Moneysaving board, so if you don't mind I'll move it over there.

Savvy_Sue

Maybe the two threads will be merged later, I'll go and look at the old-style answers later, but I've got similar thoughts and have already made sure our eldest has a radio (he doesn't 'do' music but has acquired a taste for Radio 4), so he'll need batteries. I've also got him a small multi-business ended screwdriver, and I think he's got a small hammer. When I was at Uni I would have killed for decent wire strippers although I didn't realise such tools existed: used to change electrical plugs using a nailfile and a pair of nail clippers ...

I will have to smuggle a family photo into his bag if I think he ought to have one, maybe your daughter's more sentimental (loving?) than my son.

He will take his juggling balls, I'm quite sure!

A big bag of change for the laundrette would probably be useful, plus a folding laundry basket - IKEA bags are great for this! If you know what the nearest supermarket is going to be then a loaded gift card for said supermarket would also go down well.

Mugs. You can never have too many mugs.

Cushions and a nice 'throw' or bedspread will help make the bed more comfortable for sitting on. Which leads to the delicate question of condoms: my son will roll his eyes if I pack any for him, he's a late developer in that area, but I'll tell him he can always flog 'em if any of his friends are desperate. It will only be a small pack as they're often freely available in the bar at universities.

Plenty of any regular medication, a small pack of paracetamol and / or ibuprofen, spare pair of glasses if she wears them.

pavlovs_dog

juno wrote:

https://www.studential.com

after trawling though the site i found THIS which is actually an amazingly comprehensive list in all fairness to them

sockospice

I'm sure your heart is in the right place but isn't going to uni all about branching out on your own, making your own mistakes? As a student you get pretty astute at budgeting pretty quickly, and in my experience the students who had the most financial trouble were those who knew that their parents would be buying them food/paying rent etc. If you know that you have to make your money last and that there is no back up you soon learn to spend wisely.

As to what will be needed, in student accomodation most things (kitchen equipment, washing powder etc) are shared anyway, so vouchers for argos or something similar are always useful.

stuwilky

One bit of advice our wardens throw around is not to take any kitchen stuff (toasters, pans and the like) It is quite likely that someone else will bring them and 6 sets of pans in a flat is a little unnecessary (even given the lack of washing up on some flats!).

In that scenario each student can provide something - Toaster, Pans, ........ there is nearly always an Aldi, or Argos or something nearby for things like that to be bought within the first few days.

Bedding is another thing, particularly if you are short on room to transport stuff (or have to use public transport. Bedding is usually really cheap to buy on arrival from one of the above shops. Certainly here we have numorous shops selling stuff like that within a short walk of the uni.

pavlovs_dog

firespire wrote:

Do girls have sex toys? (I doubt they will suggest that over at Old Style!)

did you miss the raging debate about condoms in the thread on th OS forum then? we're not all from the dark ages :rotfl:

and if she is taking the above, all the more reason to take the battery charger, though i doubt the OP wants to thinks about her daughter and such things.


i think its worthwhile pointing out that if you are in halls/most uni accomm, then leccy is in with the rent, and unless you are using enough to require a new national grid/fuse the system/pose a fire risk by overloading plugs, how much of the stuff you use goes without comment, so make the most of 'free' electricity whilst it lasts. it you have power adapters to run things off the main, then use them rather than batteries

catherinemohan

Right i'm at the end of my first year now and here are a few things I wouldn't have got throught the year without:

1. Blue Tack - cant believe no-ones mentioned this already!!
2. A pizza cutter - my flatmate brought one of these with her and it's been fought over ever since!!
3. Needle and Thread - and the ability to sew (for making fancy dress outfits etc!!)
4. Corkscrew/bottle opener - for obvious reasons!!
5. An academic year diary - deadlines are NOT met without one!!
6. LOTS of underwear - washing clothes is a chore so lots of underwear = less washing!!
7. A towelling dressing gown - unless she's on-suite - just helps in the first few "getting to know each other" weeks
8. My laptop and access to the internet - incredibly important to me, if its within the budget get one!!
9. lots of DVD's/videos - there will be nights you dont go out!!
10. a TV between the flat - neighbours, need i say more??!!
11. a student rail card - so she can come home to do her washing!!
12. lots of mugs and tea bags - my flat seems to have become the official middle of the night teashop - a cup of tea before bed is definate hangover prevention!!
13. a digital camera - i know its a bit of a luxury but you have so many brilliant nights out at uni its nice to have memories of them
14. Febreze - again saves on washing!!!
15. Loo Rolls - you'd be surprised how much you can get through!!
16. a toastie maker - she'll be very popular bringing one of these!!
17. Sellotape/Scissors/Stapler/Staples/Hole Punch - again obvious reasons!!
18. Ink cartridges, Printer Paper and Normal Paper - the more the better, you'd just rather spend your money on other things during the year.
19. Blank CDs - for archiving work, sharing photos, music etc.
20. Ice Cream - the best hangover cure EVER!!

Right thats probably enough for now!! just for the record tho - its an extremely good idea to take your own pans etc, its then your responsibility to wash them up, you can always share later on when you know you can trust everyone - also i know the average view of students is jumping in and out of other people's beds but we do have some morals, it is an idea to have condoms but that doesn't neccessarily mean they need to be used!! and finally dont make visiting your daughter a scheduled event - like its been said university is all about standing on your own two feet and making mistakes for yourself - just do a big shop with her as a treat every so often as a surprise, she'll appreciate that more anyway!!

right - good luck!!

catxx

homealone_2

Edinburghlass wrote:

There are 35 replies to your post on the Old Style regarding this, perhaps you should have a look there to see what is useful

to help with your confusion, one listing was for money saving old style tips... making own conditioner, shower gloop etc for my daughter to take with her. the second list was a general list of items other parents or students had of the essentials that i needed to prepare for her to take such as laundry bag, postage stamps with notelets, change for washing machine the type of things that are not so obvious but missed when living alone for the first time. i hope this has cleared your confusion