What to take to Halls of Residence?

[Christmasmcchristmasface]

My eldest son has secured his place at Uni for September and has received confirmation of his place in the Halls of Residence.

What are your top tips of what to bring to make his life easier and comfy.

If it helps he will be at University of Ulster Magee which is about 90 miles away and he is initially planning to travel home most weekends (I think this will change when he settles).

If anyone knows the area and has any insider info it would also be appreciated.

*halls

A George Foreman grill. Great for toasties but can also cook meat on it, my DS used his most days.

If you're subsidising him financially, a monzo account makes it really easy to budget - we paid the allowance into it weekly.

I use to have to fly to Uni so couldn't take any bulky items such as duvets with me (the uni were good for storing them over the summer). So for things like duvets and kitchen appliances in my first year I reserved them at the local (to the uni) argos. When I first got to Halls I could see what we had loads of (3 x kettles etc) and just didn't pick up the reservation. I'd highly recommend that because then you know that it in stock and you can pick it up if you need it but not if you don't.

@UpsyDaisysarmpit

Mini fridge if you can get hold of one. I remember my first year and I actually became anaemic due to not being able to trust my corridor to not steal the food from the communal fridge. Kettle and tea and coffee making facilities for room. Toaster, egg cooker etc. One good frying pan and one good saucepan. Two of everything cutlery and crockery, distinctive style so he knows which are his. Dishwashing brush and liquid. Salt, pepper, soy sauce, herbs, sauce etc - all the stuff you need to season with (but he wouldn't think to buy at the shop when he goes shopping for food, gets home and can't make a meal, if he's anything like me). Kitchen knives, spatulas, etc. One good oven tray. Hair stuff, Coat hangers, toiletries. Nice bedding and duvet, extra pillows.

Yep. I got so sick of going to the communal kitchen to find my milk, yogurt, and drinks gone. I wouldn't have been without my mini fridge.

Cork screw/bottle opener
Knifes and chopping board
Ds took a milk frother and says all of the flatmates used it and 2 have bought one for their year 2 flats
Check what sort of cookers they had dd2s cookers were induction (meant only 2 students out of 8 had pots that worked on the cooker) a couple of tubberware pots.
Salt and pepper

Plastic lifter tong things from IKEA for getting toast out the toaster without electrocuting themselves.

Knife sharpener

A big roll of disposable JCloths. No student will wash T towels!
A plastic box of home made cookies, a great ice breaker with the other students in Hall.

Pack in foldable bags or big Ikea bags- useful for washing and can be put away easily.

Bedding
A lamp
A couple of extension leads
3 plates,bowls, mugs, cutlery, frying pan,saucepan, sharp knives, ds took a toastie maker.
Medical kit
Towels
Coat hangers
A fireproof/ waterproof envelope file for important documents
Make sure phone has enough data allowance as some halls have wifi issues.
A box with essentials like washing detergent, Fairy, soap, anti bac etc to start them off.

If he's coming home at weekends then pack light and take stuff as and when is needed. Ds is a 5 hour drive away so he took quite a lot to start with.

Reading this makes me sad that ds isn’t going to University.

Well, He sort of is, he’s going through the process of getting onto the police apprenticeship so he’ll be living at home.

In a way it’s a blessing though, I wouldn’t be able to help the poor sod with a penny to set himself up.

Don’t get boxes of detergent. Get the tabs. It’s easier for them to bring a bold tab with them to the laundrette (if it doesn’t have machines that include washing powder) than cart a box of powder or liquid.

Over the door organiser pocket thingy - handy storage and less likely to forget things when you're going in/out. First aid kit (lots of paracetamol!) and lounge shoes or slippers for when you're walking around the halls and in friends' rooms. Finally - a bag of coins for the launderette if they still have them in halls?!

Tabs? Pods? I dunno what you call them lol

DD's room is really smart, like a 4* hotel and she has her own en-suite shower room.

She has a double bed + a nice desk chair, but we've arranged for a large, furry bean bag to be delivered to her room the day after she moves in.

We're also going to set up an account with a reputable, local taxi company in her town so she never has to worry about getting back to her room late at night.

We're buying her one of those shower caddy things that suction to the wall for her epic amounts of potions and lotions

Then just some nice bits to make her room pretty, like fairy lights, little rug and new duvet set and cushions etc.

Finally, I'm arranging to have a big 'make your own 'shrooms' kit from The Marshmallow Co. to be delivered on her first night as a nice way for her to get together with her flat mates.

Ds took a tin of quality street which went down well with new housemates.

DD took some home made brownies

A mattress cover in case they have plastic protectors on them!

Finally - a bag of coins for the launderette if they still have them in halls?!
I don't know this university, but most are done by smart card or app now.
They can even check if there is a machine free before trogging over to the launderette, and I read that some machines message you to let you know there is 5 mins left of the wash

What are these coins of which you speak ?

@Bramshott No, they don't have trunk rooms

The giant IKEA / Sports Direct type bags are very useful.
Other options are boxes (card - which they don't keep) (plastic which you take home with you)
Then holdalls.

Vacuum bags for clothes and bedding are a game changer.

@Bramshott

Possibly a silly question - but what do they take their stuff in?? DD1 has a large rollalong suitcase her grandparents gave her which she could pack her clothes and stuff in but then what does she do with it when it's unpacked?? Do unis have such a thing as a trunk room anymore??

Oh the memory of trunk rooms! Only got rid of my trunk a couple of years ago when we moved. Used to be able to send it in advance with British Rail! Those were the days.

You can get fold flat plastic storage crates which are useful for transporting household items, books etc and then either store them flat or use them for storage in cupboards. I used to keep things like sports kit in one, towels in another on shelves in the wardrobe. We had a trunk room though for big boxes and bags, trunks etc. I used to take my clothes on hangers, tie the hangers together with elastic bands then a bin bag over the top (poke the hangers through a hole in the bottom of it) and place them on top of everything in the car.

There is a really good packing list on this link.

www.wiwikau.co.uk/index.php?threads/604/

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/docs/misc/what_to_take_to_uni.pdf

Washg up bowl so that is gthe sink is piled high he can still wash his own dishes.

I wouldn't do Ikea for plates, every other student will so they all get mixed up and no one claims the broken ones - get from charity shops instead, little old lady type plates that no one will knick.

tin opener / bottle opener / corkscrew or maybe a swiss army knife.

Bedding with extra pillows - order some to be delivered to halls.

A book with everyone's birthdays in and cards if they would normally send them. Also everyone's phone number in case he loses his mobile.

Some warm clothing, this probably applies more if they don't come home at weekends but they go to uni at the end of summer and before long it's freezing.

Flip flops for the shower.

A big notice to pin in the room saying, "register with a Dr and a dentist"

A small first aid kit with a strip of paracetamol added.

Check on payment schemes, I've been to more than one uni but I think the best payment scheme was at UCLAN, you had a card that you load with cash which you used to pay for things on campus at a discount, You could buy food and non alcoholic drink (unless with a meal) library fines, stationary and books and the card could be loaded by the student or other interested parties.

Yes to the mini fridge, I got mine when Rubalows closed down and after 20+ years it was still going, I left it for someone else to use and as far as I know is still going strong.

It will need to be PAT tested but most unis set up PAT testing.

How close to halls will his lectures be? If it's a bit of a distance he might want a flask or contigo type mug.

T V licence if he has a TV, student halls are excellent places for the licencing people to find unlicensed TVs.

A plug in heater. Against the rules, but hide in wardrobe when not in use. I remember my halls were really cold!!

Very cheap Argos saucepans. I used to throw them away rather than wash them when they got too burnt 😆

And the fire alarm used to go off at all times of night, so a dressing gown to chuck on. Also for wandering to bathroom if he's not ensuite.

Also plastic flip flops for the disgusting communal showers. And a pack of antibac wipes for this reason!!

I'd also say phone cards...but that shows my card 😆