What essentials are needed for uni?

[doglover]

DD has a place at Oxford starting in October.

Apologies if this subject has been done to death but we are newbies to the whole university experience! We are now starting to think about what she will need to take - college room / catered.

Will her college send her a list of requirements? She's really keen to buy bedding (mattress protector / pillows / quilt + cover / sheets?? Or is any of this provided??) and towels plus ..................

Any suggestions or links to previous threads would be very welcome!

[Horsemad]

Her college/halls should have info on their website but there's a great MN list if you click on the search bar (I'm on the mobile site and it's at the top of the page). Can't link off my phone sorry!

[Horsemad]

www.mumsnet.com/.../university-essentials-checklist

Try this

[Horsemad]

Or this.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/2982663-What-to-take-remember-for-Uni

[Kez100]

If they are close to town centre - cash! Most things past the obvious (like bedding, clothes horse, specific reading books) can be bought in the high street and gives them independence to buy only what they need.

Perhaps less convenient to do this if its a campus not near a town centre.

[doglover]

You lot are fantastic! :)

[thesandwich]

College should let you know bed size- essential for shopping! Also what she can or can't take i.e. Extension leads/ 'mini fridges

[a1mary]

Leaving this here so as many of you can see it as possible - don't underestimate the worth of a big pack of teatowels! They tend to start smelling awful very fast (especially when I was in halls sharing a flat with 9 other people)! Send your DCs with a load of them and tell them to keep half in their room - that way they can whip out a couple of fresh ones when the rest start to smell .... trust me, not many people in our flat offered to pay for laundry to wash them!

Also I found a small whiteboard that I kept on my desk to be hugely helpful!! Everything else is covered on most lists linked above or try the student rooms list!

[Mytimenow]

I've found Dunelm to be the only place that does 3/4 bedding, got fitted sheets and mattress protector/topper in there yesterday. DS has double quilt to go on top.

[HopeClearwater]

Depends where she is going to be living and where she will be eating. Lots of Oxford colleges put their first year students up in college accommodation often with little to no kitchen facilities - they eat in a buttery / in hall.
Although they've improved a lot recently, my first thought would be electrical extension leads - 4-socket at least.
Second - Warm quilt - lots of those old rooms are freezing in winter!

[boys3]

if anything like DS1's cambridge college the answer is probably not a lot beyond the basics of bedding, bit of cutlery, glasses, mug(s) etc.

DS1 is perhaps not typical in that he has had really quite large rooms in his two years so far. Biggest space in the car often seems to be taken up by box upon box of books - not related to his course but simply to at least part fill the acres of book shelves :)

Nice rug and lampshade can give a more personal feel.

He's also has quite a few formal dinners each term so tends to also twist DH into a trip to the local vintners (aka aldi) to stock up on wine to take.

On a more sensible level - coathangers. Never seem to be enough of them.

[scaryteacher]

Having a ds who has just graduated, and is supposedly starting his MA in a month, (if he ever bothers to tell me the cost of the fees and halls), a brain and some common sense, and the ability not to turn a small glitch into a full blown crisis entailing phone calls at 0130 about computer leads!

[Horsemad]

@Mytimenow which mattress topper did you go for?

DS's halls have 3/4 beds, so I will look at Dunelm.

[LadyinCement]

boys3 - can I ask if your ds wears a formal suit much? I got a bit roasted in Style & Beauty asking about what suit to buy for ds for university (I didn't say it was Oxbridge). Neither ds nor I can find information on The Student Room or on college website. He is in an old traditional college, btw, if that makes any difference.

I have so far bought ds a mattress topper, an over-radiator airer and some Dark Grey towels (envisage a term's worth of grime on them...).

[Mytimenow]

images.dunelm.com/i/dm/1000076550_alt02?$narrowplayerdefault$
No idea if that will work never done link thingy before. It's new protector called rebounce only £8.99 it will do for a starter the actual toppers were very expensive and I'm expecting Freshers to be messy so if he ruins it in first week He can replace it!

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

My flatmate brought a huge home made chocolate cake and some booze and was instantly the most popular person in the flat! Always said I'd do the same for my kids!

[Horsemad]

Thanks Mytimenow did you get the double size? Do they do it in 3/4? Can only see single/double/kingsize on the website.

[boys3]

ladyincement probably up to half a dozen times a term (so almost weekly) and actual black tie events rather fewer - I get the impression four or five a year, including the May Ball(s). He did have fairly good quality suits from when he was in the sixth form. He's added one further suit since starting plus the black-tie one.

and he has grey towels too :)

[Mytimenow]

I bought the 3/4 size in store, they had them at front of store with Uni essentials not with the full selection in the bedding dept.

[Lucysky2017]

I don't care what other people do - my 3 (and now the twins) will take the duvets and sheets off their beds and pillows. I don't see why people buy new stuff! Are we all so rich these days?

[Horsemad]

Thank you Mytimenow

[RJnomore1]

What do they sleep under when they come home to visit Lucy?

[dementedma]

the lists will cover everything and a shit load of stuff they don't need.
My top tip is a first aid kit made up in a tupperware box: plasters, sterile dressings, tweezers, cold and flu remedies(freshers flu), painkillers, stomach settler thingies for hangovers, fizzy vit c tablets, muscle rub, anti histamines etc. Also condoms.

[LapdanceShoeshine]

@horsemad

Dunelm list the 3/4 size separately from the others for some reason

www.dunelm.com/product/rebounce-mattress-protector-3-4-size-1000076549?searchTerm=waterproof%20mattress%20protector

(I was looking through all the mattress protectors, after reading mytimenow's post, & noticed it)

[Horsemad]

Thank you Lapdance, I hadn't seen that.

[hellsbells99]

For those of you who will struggle for space in the car or if your DCs will be arriving at uni by train, most universities offer bedding packs for sale. We ordered one for DD2 last year as there were 4 of us in the car. Saved us having to transport quilt, pillows, sheet, duvet cover (bit of a naff stripy design).