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Packing for University
pots+pans
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Registered User regular
I'm starting University a week today, and have started packing. I think I have most of the obvious stuff (clothing, utensils, stationery), but I'm hoping for some advice on the non-obvious essentials.
I'm going to Liverpool, which is much larger than the town I currently live in, colder too. Any help would be great.
Thanks!
I'm going to Liverpool, which is much larger than the town I currently live in, colder too. Any help would be great.
Thanks!
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Seriously, having your door open in halls in one of the best ways to meet new people.
Again, staying in Halls you'll want to make sure you have a nice dressing gown and some kind of jogging trouser thing for stumbling about in the morning. You may want to get some sandals/slippers for when you're wandering about Halls (for keeping the footsies warm).
A large selection of hoodies will come in handy, as will a good scarf and hat for when the weather gets a bit nippy, and some decent waterproof boots for the beautiful British weather.
Otherwise you won't really work out what you really need 'till you've been there a month or so, which sucks, but everyone needs different things to make living in Halls bearable.
http://thintheherd.info
An H1N1/Swine Flu Pandemic Forum
I hate the internet sometimes because I can't tell if you're being serious or sarcastic.
A USB hub for your laptop can be a good idea if you haven't got many ports.
While people always seem to recommend tools in these threads, I've never seen anyone around here actually need tools/have them. Duct tape, scissors, poster putty, and sticky hooks are all things that people in my dorm are constantly asking to borrow.
Finally, measuring tape can come in handy if you're raising your bed and want to know how much space you'll have underneath, if you want to get an idea of your room's dimensions to plan ahead for next year, etc.
I'm being both. Let me add that anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit could make some money with designer face masks that feature their school's logo or mascot or something else marketable.
Check out these images from CBS news of people in masks - http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2009/04/27/in_depth_health/photoessay4971028.shtml?tag=related
The current version of H1N1 is not the real threat. the coming mutation is. That is why a number of government agencies are getting 'ready'.
http://thintheherd.info
An H1N1/Swine Flu Pandemic Forum
A mug, maybe a plastic bowl and plate, knife fork and spoon (for those late night snacks etc). A sharp (paring or vegetable) knife.
For the UK, a small umbrella that fits in your bag - good for those unexpected showers.
Bottle opener (a wine bottle opener if you drink wine).
Alarm clock.
For one typical day, as soon as you wake up, write down everything you use.
There you go, a list of things that you'll need.
Think for example: Wake up, put on slippers, brush teeth, shave, morning run, etc.
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Those may or may not be allowed. Usually under the "not" category, but you can check with your school first.
I'm going to Nottingham myself, so I know what you're experiencing, I only move out later this month though.
Some questions to ask yourself:
- Is your accomodation catered? If not, you should probably bring some food for the first couple of days or so, canned goods save a lot of money on food shopping; which means more money for BOOZE!
- Do I have bed sheets? Maybe a couple.
- Do I have a iron?
- How am I going to stay clean? (Shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, razor, mouthwash)
- Can I afford a mini-fridge? (Those things are...simply...a godsend).
Those are the basics anyway, my packing list goes on for two pages.
Good luck!
I'm in uni at york and in my first year the showers weren't in cubicals of their own and just kinda open in the bathroom so water pooled on the floor a lot, and it helped to have somethign to push it toward the drain to avoid wet socks later when brushing teeth and whatnot..
I used it as a doorstop too cos the gap between the door and the floor was very big and normal doorstops were too small.
Also, i didn't bring any, but posters for your room, my room looked very bare and boring compared to everyone elses, i didn't mind cos i had games consoles to lure people in but it'd nice to make your room look inviting
No.
You'll want your door open, but bringing along is a door stop is a waste of space, unless you really have plenty of room. Better to just use a shoe or something similar.
Edit: also, many dorm systems allow students to check out mini-fridges for the year, which beats having to buy one or bring one there and back.
Theyre not exactly big, the little plastic ones are fine.
Also lots of halls use fire doors which are really heavy and dont stay open easily.
Also, what kind of doorstop takes up more space than a shoe?
Also, don't pack any winter clothes just yet. Maybe a jacket or a couple of sweaters but you'll probably go back home before it gets really cold, so don't worry about them for now. Just pack the stuff you really need on move-in day and get the extraneous stuff later. You'll be glad you did when you're finished around 1 in the afternoon and can go get lunch while the guy bringing every single thing they own is still hauling shit in at 6 pm.
The kind you weren't planning to wear on your foot anyway.
If you are within an hour or so of home, you can always go back for things you've forgotten. Obviously if you are farther away you're going to have to think more carefully about what to bring.
-Will I need an iron?
-I'm taking some smart-casual clothes, should I take a suit too?
-Not really to do with packing, but will a budget of £30/$50 a week be enough to live off?
Thanks for all the help. None of my family have been to university, and all my friends go to ones nearer home, so it's great to be able to get advice from elsewhere.
I'd only take a suit if you will be looking for a job.
£30 might make everything a little tight, especially if you're buying food, and will mean that you'll be unable to do anything social that involves money.
Make sure you've budgeted for any text books you'll need to buy and extra supplies.
yes.
no.
Do you have a meal plan. yes. If not, no.
congrats dude. do them proud.
Seriously, make sure you know how much you're going to be spending on books. I've got to drop £95 on compulsory texts for my first semester (It can be even worse than that for stuff like Law courses with their huge textbooks) and then there are the inevitable things like the library being out of that crucial book you need to finish an essay, so always plan to spend more on books than you think you should.
Regarding the suit: The only time I knew anyone to wear a suit was either as a part of a costume or for one of the balls near christmas/end of term, so it's not really owrth taking one. For going out drinking in the city a shirt and whatever will be fine.
I can't help much in regards to fridges I'm afraid. When I lived in halls my first year they provided a mini-fridge free of charge for me to keep medication in. I'm living off campus now so I'm just buying a smallish one to keep that in (As well as booze and any other stuff I can't fit in our fridge). I wouldn't say it's a necessity but it is nice knowing no-one will steal your booze :P
You may want to take pictures with you. Personally, I found it made me feel a lot better to have a row of pictures in my room near my desk. It made me feel more at home and stopped me feeling particularlly homesick. Posters are great too, my Uni's student union had a poster sale themselves so I picked a few things up there. If yours doesn't and you forget to take any with you you'll be able to pick some up in Liverpool's city center no problem.
I'd also recommend taking some basic medicines with you. Just stuff like cough mixtures and some headache tablets. You'll most likely get 'Freshers Flu', so it doesn't hurt to be prepared.
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One of my roommates went through a couple years buying maybe 1/3 of his books, and just keeping the rest continually checked out from the library. If you're willing to navigate the renew system and figure out how to dodge late fines, that could potentially be a big money saver too.
but they're listening to every word I say
Or, you know, keep it in the kitchen. Most Halls have started having the assigned cupboards lockable (or you buy a cheap chain).
Really, spend as little as possible on cookware as it well get trashed.
It is my right to live my lifestyle as I please. I don't have to keep it in the kitchen you cookophobe!
But really, they let you do that in the UK? My dorm, if you left anything in the kitchen, it would be probably be gone the next day. Plus, you weren't really supposed to keep anything there anyway.
but they're listening to every word I say
*Ahem*
"Lysol Disinfectant Spray Makes Clothes Good for Another Day..."
Wud yoo laek to lern aboot meatz? Look here!
Because most Halls are not catered and we don't have anything resembling the "meal plan" a lot of US Unis seem to have, the expectation is that you will be cooking for yourself. Most kitchens are therefore fairly well supplied with cupboards and a fridge, freezer, oven, hob, toaster, kettle, etc. It does vary depending on the age of the buildings and how recently they've been renovated, but yeah, kitchens are important.
Bluetac/Sellotape/Scissors
Family+ Friends photos
First aid kit (disinfectant, bandages and plasters, paracetamol + neurofen etc)
Sewing kit
Nail Scissors/Clippers and Tweezers
Bottle opener + Corkscrew and perhaps icetrays
ID (Passport if you don't have a Drivers License)
A small tool box (at a minimum you'll probably want a couple of screw drivers and some pliers, if you have a bike a set of allen keys + spanners etc can help)
Alcohol + Mixer
Laptop recovery disks
External HDD/External caddy
Mattress Protector
Coin Jar
CD Wallet
Permanent Marker
Spare Batteries/Lightbulbs
Street Map
Condoms
Ear plugs
Alarm Clock
Enough Money to travel Home
Tea and Coffee
If you have a bike, take out insurance, it will get stolen.
Most dorms should come with basic items like an iron, ironing board, hoover, kettle, toaster etc.
If you're planning on getting a job, definitely take a suit
If £30 means everything (food, alcohol, travel, toiletries, entertainment) then it'd be really tight, and you'd need to have a great deal of self control. Your best bet is to start making a budget as soon as possible. Things like pub visits quickly add up, especially if you buy rounds.
As for textbooks (this depends on subject so this is coming from a biology/chemistry background) DO NOT BOTHER. They are a total rip off and a lot of the time your lecturers that recommend them or say they're vital have a financial interest at stake. Your library will have multiple copies of every textbook you need and getting into the routine of setting aside time to work at a library is a great way to get your work done and not be distracted) and chances are you will get to know most people on your course where you live quite quickly if you desperately need to borrow one. The internet is also a great resource if you get stuck at home and there'll be a good chance that someone will have a PDF version of it in your Halls/Dorm as well.
No idea if they're in the UK, though.
WARNING: The above is unlikely to be true for UK Universities
Just to say that I'd be wary of being able to get the set texts from the library.
All the Unis I have been to (and it's quite a lot) will have a couple of copies of the set texts, but they will a) go fairly quickly and/or b) will be on super short loan.
Agaian, a difference from the US is that if a textbook or set text is on the "to buy" list over here, it's actually because it is essential and will be used for more than 50% of the course. We actually have to really justify to the University any book that we say the students must buy. We're also less likely to have a financial interest in the books (hey, even if I recommend a book I wrote, the royalties are so tiny I'll be recommending it because I honestly think you need to buy it rather than thinking about the couple of hundred quid I'll get in the post at the end of the year).
I'm from the UK. Both the universities I've been to (UoEdin/UoBristol) have many multiple copies of first year textbooks that you can not take out from the library, but just use to study whilst there. But this is for sciences, so you're best looking at what's available.