University Essentials

[aibutohavethisusername]

Apart from a decent backpack what would you say the essentials are.
Thinking of Christmas gifts for DD. Thanks.

[BringOnTheScience]

Has your DD gone to uni this term, or are you just applying now & getting ready?

[SurpriseSparDay]

Think it through from waking up on her first day there - what’s included in her accommodation, what’s not?

Really good quality bed linen.
Decent coffee making equipment.
Warm, waterproof coat.
Comfortable, hard wearing boots.
Up to date phone, iPad, laptop
Good bike if relevant.
Comprehensive cookery book and kitchen equipment.
Table lamp.
Cushions.
Warm blanket.

It’s such a lovely thing to plan for!

[titchy]

Decent cookbook with cheap easy recipes. New bedding. Fairy lights Then a load of boring stuff like clothes horse, crockery, pans.

[aibutohavethisusername]

BringOnTheScience she is applying for next year.

Some great ideas there.

[Serin]

An anker bluetooth speaker.
Only about £25, brilliant reviews and so powerful.

A Victorinox tomato/sandwich knife. The sharpest most practical thing ever £5 Amazon, lasts forever.

Smoothie maker, not essential but our 2 uni students used theirs daily.

[WomensRightsAreContraversial]

My auntie bought me a big decent suitcase for coming and going on the train. It's still going now! I'm not telling you how many decades later

Also a gift but not a gift gift... teach her how to budget. As in I have £X student loan to last me this term, my outgoings are Y and there are 25 weeks to my next installment, so that's £Z amount per week, of which I have to pay mobile phone, rent, food... I seemed to be the only one of my close group of friends at uni who budgeted. I wasn't that strict with it, but it wasn't me who ran out of money half way through a term and had to live on 12p packets of noodles...

[BringOnTheScience]

Cool - advance planning

I'd hold off the kitchen stuff until after accommodation is confirmed. Also bedding - my DC1 has a queen size bed so we had to get specific fitted sheets. Some halls specifically ban fairy lights too!

• Decent coat & good boots - they all end up walking to save bus money.

• general casual wardrobe additions, especially if 6th form has 'business attire' requirements.

• How's her laptop / tablet?

[BubblesBuddy]

I agree with bedding and kitchen equipment. DD1 went catered and beds can be different sizes. Throw is often s good idea though.

I would get decent clothes, the expensive outer wear ones, and laptop. iPhone speaker is a great idea. Mine never took fairy lights! Think about a hair dryer though and personal items. Mine always liked to take a good perfume with them!

[user1494670108]

A door wedge to hold door open. Bottle opener, wine glasses, tumblers, sandwich maker

[ZandathePanda]

A personalised big tin (with photo of her pets in a nurse outfit) filled with plasters, lemsips, bandages, thermometer, strepsils etc. Make it a big tin. Lots of choice on the Internet.

Did the above except cat wasn’t too keen on dressing up.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Someone mentioned a Bluetooth speaker - DD got herself Bluetooth headphones as well. Cuts out background noise and doesn't bother other people.

Good anglepoise lamp.

Rather than boots, DD nicked my goretex trail shoes. Waterproof and good for walking and cycling.

[aibutohavethisusername]

Thank you for all the ideas. DD has pretty good coats and DMs and also a fairly new laptop.

Bottle opener, knife, throw are things I definitely didn’t think about.

Keep the ideas coming thanks.

[BorisInAnExecutionersMask]

A really good mattress topper. It's the one thing I discounted as being a bit OTT, but DD bought one after one night on the rubbish mattress provided.

Mind you, you cant buy that until you know what size bed she has so, leave it for later.

[SurpriseSparDay]

Ooh, yes, a mattress topper (and a hot water bottle) would be excellent.

There’s so much variety in accommodation - it does make it hard to shop much in advance.

Two things I remember being useful, centuries ago, as I gradually acclimatised, were a sandwich toaster and a slow cooker. Though they were mainly needed once I’d moved out of college into private rented accommodation.

[ErrolTheDragon]

I wouldn't overdo cooking appliances until you know about accommodation. Some kitchens have limited space, and toasters etc may not be allowed to be used in bedrooms.

For Xmas I'd include some nice, distinctive mugs. Sites like Cafe Press are good for ones featuring specific pets, hobbies etc

[victoria0132]

A decent printer and ink cartridges because uni print credits are fairly expensive and it's sometimes easier to print at home than on campus.

Spare sets of bedding, towels, more socks and underwear than you think because she'll probably leave all her washing until she's nearly run out!

A drying rack to save paying for the tumble dryers too

[ErrolTheDragon]

DD was a bit ho-hum when one of her pre-uni Xmas presents was a nice towelling dressing gown, but when she was in her second year with no en-suite, she realised what a good idea it was.

[OneOf]

Not for Christmas, but nearer the time, maybe a gift card for the local coffee shop, so that she can grab a drink on the way to lectures.

Ditto an Amazon gift card for anything she realises she urgently needs.

And good insurance for all her things, an absolute essential.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Re the coffee - a good (non leaky) insulated mug if they don't already have one. Better not to get them into an expensive bought coffee habit IMO!
Not that the coffee shop gift voucher is a bad idea, but perhaps more so they can have a coffee out with friends more easily iyswim?

[MarchingFrogs]

maybe a gift card for the local coffee shop
DD's birthday was a week before she moved in and a friend asked me for suggestions for presents. I suggested a Costa or Starbucks gift card, those being the two 'chain' coffee outlets on campus, Only to discover that they don't currently accept them in payment.

(My friend bought her a nice fleece throw instead).

[Chip22]

Realistically from my uni days... booze, fancy dress and a dominoes pizza voucher...

[paddingtonbearsmarmalade]

I did a little pack of stuff for one of our family friend’s children (basically my little sister but not by blood :)) when she went to uni this year.
I put in:

• water bottle/flask (I noticed she was constantly buying bottles of water!)
  
• hot water bottle
  
• nice mug with hot chocolate sachets & marshmallows
  
• student food cook book
  
• a packable bag to keep in her rucksack for groceries
  
• some highlighters
  
• nice coloured pens
  
• big bar of chocolate
  

& I made up a jar of plain flour with instructions for pancakes on the label & added golden syrup & vanilla so she could make those.

I also considered fairy lights, a notebook, portable phone charger & cable & a voucher for her nearest supermarket but it was really adding up cost wise! (Obviously you couldn’t do a voucher for supermarket until you know where she’ll be!)

[aibutohavethisusername]

Just been shopping, was planning on just looking. Ended up with loads of socks, fluffy pjs, a water bottle, photo frame and battery operated fairy lights all from Primark so I have the budget to buy a few more bits.

[aibutohavethisusername]

Dominoes voucher is a great idea.

[MrKlaw]

ipad (aside from conveninence for browsing etc, its basically my DS's TV and means no issues with TV license)