What to take/remember for Uni?

[DComb23]

Hi, My son should be off to Uni this coming September and I'm feeling stressed with the process. He's now created a list of what to take. He's now registered - only yesterday - for accommodation with his 1st choice Uni. He's clearing out his room today - what to keep here, rubbish, what to take, what goes to charity.
Are there things in your experience that we could easily overlook in the run up to going to Uni?

DS has never used a printer. It's all saved on cloud and printed off on uni printers.
In theory there was cleaning of bathrooms and kitchen in his halls (this year), however it was very superficial and the rooms themselves were never cleaned. DS did run the hoover round when he vacated though

Ds hall had regular inspections including their rooms. Only the hallway and kitchen was cleaned (assuming it was left in a fit condition) , rooms were up to them.

My son keeps his room at uni very clean and tidy.
Just wish he was the same when at home for the holidays.

Lady that certainly doesn't happen in the halls my son has spent two years living in, but yes, for the money that they charge you'd expect to find a mint on the pillow every night.

@JudyBlumeForever this made me laugh! I had a similar experience, I went to eat cereal after one of my first (very messy) nights out and realised I didn't own a bowl 🤣

DoneInn Unfortunately DS's university isn't so student friendly-sometimes it seems like the place is just an ego-trip for the professors and the students are incidental...

Local copy shops charge 10 eurocents a page and he worked it out that even at full cost he would spend 8. There are four of them in his house so one printer was worth it for the convenience.

DS3 broke up from school today where he had been working as a TA for his gap year - thankfully he has earned enough money to hopefully see him through

The staff gave him a huge box labelled uni survival kit which contains pot noodles, shower gels, gummy bears, beer, more gummy bears, packet pasta, more beer, toothpaste, more gummy bears, toilet rolls, more beer, more gummy bears and 3 packs of ibuprofen!

Since when were gummy bears a student thing?

Mobile phone insurance.
Laptop and other valuables insurance.
Open student bank a/c with best freeby, to deposit loan in.
Monzo card for day to day spending,- so they can budget , and block it themselves when they lose it.
If not drivers, get provisional licence, so they're not tempted to take passport out for club/pub id.

Are you sensing the theme here?

eatyourveg I did care packages for both of mine on a similar basis! They contained, among other things, chocolate, shot glasses, condoms, an emergency £20 note, printed photos of family and pets (teenagers never seem to print actual pictures).

Don't forget to look into what you need to do about a TV license if he's having his own TV in his room.

5kg bag pasta and 5kg bag rice. At least you know if they run out of money they have something to eat!

I spoke to a student yesterday and she said a dishmatic is a must, so they can wash their dishes without removing everyone else's dirty dishes from the sink.

Yes, my DS also loved his dishmatic thingy, he bought one with a brush end and phoned to say how great it was

DS also took a load of music on his iPod with decent speakers and became very popular at parties.

Don't forget Paracetamol and cold/flu remedy for the inevitable Freshers Flu.

And on a serous note make sure he gets he is Menigitis ACWY vaccination currently offered to all 18-24 yr olds at the GP before he goes. They will also check his MMR is up to date.

Unidays app gives student discounts at lots of places and unlike NUS dicscount it's free. You have to have a uni e mail address to get it though.
Students I know don't watch actual TV and they don't need a license for iPlayer, Netflix etc.
DS gets Spotify half price with Unidays and we all share his log in.

Crockery id self catering - get from the charity shop so it doesn't get mixed with everyone else's ikea stuff. The same for pans.

Tin opener, corkscrew and bottle opener.

photos and a list of birthdays with addresses to send cards.

flip flops for the shower, towel and dressing gown.

Soap and shampoo.

spare cheap phone.

Winter clothes, the first holiday is Xmas.

Does he know how to use a laundry?

Spare bedding.

wall planner / chart for deadlines and organising social life.

basic first aid and sewing kit.

HC1 so he doesn't get lumped with prescription charges and check vaccinations are up to date.

paper, pens, book bag.

spare toothbrush, comb, hair gel deodorant.

Toilet roll - if he has his own bathroom there will not be one and if he is sharing he might need it anyway.

A wok - you can cook just about anything in one.

I have just bought ds two "hotel quality" bath sheets from Groupon. In a very practical dark grey (so he can go all term without washing them...).

I've had 4 DC go to Uni in the last 6 years so I consider myself well versed I what to take 😁

First thing I'd say is to not take much stuff. There will be shops there. The less stuff the better.

We did the expanding file thing suggested earlier with important documents and copies of important documents in it. - most of it never used though😂. Apparently NO ONE uses stamps these days.

The thing all the kids loved the most and continue to love was good quality mattress toppers. They have carted them round with them with each new move. Occasionally they've had the wrong size following a move but it all seems to have worked out.

Can anyone recommend a good mattress topper please?

This Mattress topper is amazing but v expensive.

DS1 hardly noticed his mattress topper until I took it home a week early before end of term to save space in the car for the big pack up. He really noticed it was missing! The provided mattress was thin and lumpy with springs that dug into him, apparently!

This one

That value one is still £80!

Do they not have a value value one?

Yes but not memory foam.

This is cheaper

Now we're talking!

Actually I do have a posh sort of mattress topper on my own bed, but it means that no fitted sheet (even the extra deep ones) will satisfactorily fit over the mattress. Gosh, first world problems!

Watching with interest as DS is off to uni in September. H's opted for catered halls so won't need catering stuff. I hadn't thought of a desk light, bu can see that might be useful.

I assumed one set of bedding was enough as he will (hopefully!) wash and dry it on the same day. But I can also imagine it won't see the inside of a washing machine for 10 weeks.....