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?

I'd go for two sets of bedding Paxman. If I remember, Freshers' Week can be very messy...

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

My kids all only every used one set of bedding. We started out sending them with two but they only ever used one set so stopped. Some of them had a sleeping bag which I suppose they could use if they spilt something.

Umm, these kids going off to Uni are on the threshold of adulthood.
Can't they be allowed to work out for themselves what they need, then go and buy it for themselves?

They're not children going to boarding school.
They're leaving home.
If they can't figure this stuff- duvets and saucepans- out, how are they going to flourish at Uni?

DD would think of most of it, but if I can make her life a bit more easy by suggesting a mattress topper and a dishmatic then I'd love to do that.

Teach him to cook a few simple meals, if he doesn't know how to.

DancingLedge

I helped my DCs sort out stuff to take to Uni. Mostly it was because I knew what things I was happy for them to take from the house but also because it was helpful for them to have my imput 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think it's a bit extreme to believe that helping your kids with this type of thing means they won't 'flourish' at Uni. In fact I suspect there is absolutely no correlation at all.

DancingLedge you may not have an 18 year old off to uni or you might realise this isn't about the DC it's about the last bit of nurturing before empty nest syndrome.
Helped me enormously when mine went and was much appreciated by my DC.

DoneInn

Haha, I still waiting for 'empty nest syndrome, to kick in. I went from having four DC at home to having none within five years....😁 It's bliss.

I'm sure my DC could have sorted things out themselves. It's not exactly rocket science is it? However I thought it was thrifty for them to take some of my old things such as old pans, towels and duvets and for me to be the one who gets the new stuff.

Yes DD2 is off to Uni this September.
If she can't figure out what pots and kitchen stuff she needs, then she hasn't solved the more basic question of what does she know how to cook, IMO.
Older DC, I put my hands up, I was pretty invested in this stuff. I'm glad that now I've learned a bit about how to stop helicoptering, and can see that she needs a bit of space to choose the things she wants to have. Instead of the things I can feel great about providing for her.

Empty nest syndrome?? I've got "Can't wait to boot him out" syndrome,.
I think that's a pretty normal feeling for parents of school-leavers.
Time for them to step up and show what they're made of.

Although it may be different when 11yo DD leaves home...

I shall be lurking outside ds's halls seeing if he's wearing a vest in the winter

I agree that it's the last bit of nurturing. Ds is pretty independent now, having done a gap year, but still it can't do any harm to try to make sure they're comfortable.

I presume ds's halls will be sending a list of what's provided. Otherwise some people will be turning up with the kitchen sink and others will have a handkerchief tied on the end of a stick a la Dick Wittington.

I've just found details of what's provided in ds's halls. Not much! What happened to the 80s? I had a full set of bedding changed once a week. I guess that'll be three months on one set of sheets, then . I'd better get him something more grown up than his current dinosaur set! (Disclaimer: he loves that duvet since it is really washed out and super soft... someone once said the best night's sleep you'll ever get is the one before you put your foot through the duvet cover).

I've never heard of anyone getting their bedding washed for them at university before.
Where did you go lady Harvard?

Clothes horse would have saved my life at uni! I used to use my door handles to hang my knickers

Breville sandwich toaster.... was the best advice I got from these threads last year. My DS has used his nearly every day and had friends knocking on his door to borrow so was good for socialising too!

This is probably a dafy question. Iron and iroing board. No ones mentiones them ao I assume not to bother!

Yes Flamingos that's a daft question!
Seriously, my teen has never ironed anything and I can't imagine going to uni will change that. Maybe there's a communal iron and ironing board?

Neither of my student DC has ever ironed at uni despite having a liking for 100% cotton shirts . I did glimpse an ironing board in a kitchen cupboard once when I was snooping round halls.

Door stop
Multi-socket extension lead
Clothes drier - one of the ones that is quite compact and opens upwards, rather than sideways. The ones that go over a radiator are also good for a towel.
Basic printer - it's annoying having to trek to the library to print. Also basic office supplies like a stapler and hole punch
Cleaning wipes
Laundry tablets - often you have to trek miles to the launderette and it's a pain taking powder. Liquitabs or the dry tablets are so much easier. Don't bother with fabric softener.
A decent sized towel as he will most likely be walking to and from the shower along corridors in just a towel!
Sam Stern's student cookbook - it's awesome and I still use it 6 years after graduating.

A couple of other tips:
Apply for loyalty cards at any supermarkets/shops near the university. Also find out which places do student discounts.
Tell your son to lock his door on his way out if there's a fire alarm - some unis have problems with theft from rooms during fire alarms.

He will likely get given condoms at the freshers events.

But still. Condoms. Painkillers. First aid kit. Hangover remedies. Other medicines e.g. Anti histamines and the like.

Soap/shower gel. Washing powder.

I doubt much else is required. Perhaps a pint glass and a spoon.

Extension lead is a good one ^
As is clothes airer.

Actually we used to have a communal iron. Came with the halls. It was never used to my knowledge.

I also second a toastie maker. Wonderful things - toasties - suitable for any time of day and make it harder to set the kitchen on fire whilest drunk.

Maybe spare bedding but probably best if the DC pick that.

I forgot the most important thing! Plastic flip flops for the shower. Absolutely essential.

I made up a little album of family photos for each of my sons. They both said they really appreciated it - they have loads of photos of their mates on their phones but it's nice to have a reminder of family as well. One thing I would make sure of is that your son lets the accomodation office know that he wants to take up his place as soon as he gets his results. Ds1 had a bit of a nightmare finding accomodation in London because all the rooms in halls were allocated to the organised students while he was out celebrating his results.

I've seen, but not bought, these www.amazon.com/Shower-Caddy-Waterproof-Storage-Organizer/dp/B00XHX4Y22?tag=mumsnetforum-21 hanging soap bags for communal showers. They won't soak up water and drip when they go back to their room.