What do we need for Uni

[nadjasknee]

Just that really. DD heading to uni, will be staying in halls. We have the list of essentials (duvet, crockery etc) but looking for ideas of what to bring that will make the transition easier. What did you give your dc?

Bumping

Breville toastie maker - a good way of making friends.

Cards, games, dvds, cake!

Cards!! Never even thought. Great idea.

If they're in the UK then I'm sure they can buy what they'll need from the shops as required

Doorstop.

If you join the WIWIKAB Facebook page there are endless posts on every aspect of this.

There are lots of lists from previous years on here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/3997773-What-are-the-essentials-that-freshers-need-to-take-to-uni-halls

https://www.mumsnet.com/articles/university-essentials-checklist

Less is more really, because the bedrooms and kitchen storage tend to be pretty small.

I would honestly recommend picking crockery, glassware and cutlery up from charity shops, firstly because it will be distinct from everyone else's and secondly because she won't care when things go missing or get smashed, which they will. Run it all through the dishwasher before she goes off and it will be cleaner than it will be all year! Obviously a new chopping board is nice for hygiene reasons (a coloured or distinct one is a good idea) and a decent, new knife (which probably everyone will use, which is what my daughter found).

Other people are likely to bring sandwich toasters and nutribullets etc so hold off on them until she meets her flat mates. They'll also end up with a huge cupboard full of cleaning sprays, washing up liquid and cloths / sponges because most people will bring a supply. A clean tea towel or two of your own is nice though, no one will take responsibility for washing communal ones.

Remember that all university towns (except maybe Lampeter!) have big supermarkets and plenty of shops where they can pick up anything beyond the basics that they need for the first few days, so she might more enjoy having some money set aside for buying things, as she decides they'd be useful. Half the fun of going somewhere new is getting to know your new city and what is offers.

Check what type of hob is in halls. DDs hall has induction hob so we’ve been out to buy the right ones.

DD got some battery operated fairy lights & brought a few small houseplants. I suppose she brought gym kit, too.

DS is planning which Lego sets to bring. And a bicycle.

Love this - great ideas x

Their own washing up bowl will come in handy in lots of different ways. Don't waste time with irons, steamers, ironing boards and heated airers, much loved by new uni mums. A baking tray big enough for pizza, a pan big enough for pasta, a wok/large frying pan and a couple of decent knives cover most eventualities.

Fairy lights must be battery operated. DD has a lego fish tank and lego flowers to decorate her rooms, along with a lot of house plants & photos for her pin board.

As @Suzy14837 said, if the uni is in a town rather than a remote campus, don't worry too much. My DD will be going down with the very basics to set her up, and the location of a nearby Wilko on google maps. She is in touch with a flatmate via the uni Freshers facebook group and they plan to buy kitchen stuff between them (no point in multiple kettles). Given how small many rooms are, too much stuff can be more of a problem than too little!

A small folding clothes airer. For laundry, but also towel after a shower.

Dont over-buy, they won't want to be storing stuff they dont need. Check the list from the halls, some items may not be allowed. Be realistic about what they are likely to use. DD took a stick blender as she likes making soup and a cake tin as she likes baking, and both of these were used.
Get what you can from charity shops. DD found some spotty cutlery which was easy to pick out from everyone else's.
DD took house plants to make her room look nice, and photos/ pictures for her noticeboard. An airer is useful to avoid paying for and waiting for tumble dryers.
She never used the iron we bought her, and she packed way more books than she had time to read.

About half as much as you think they will need - we sent our DS off stocked with all sorts of things we thought would be useful and when we picked him up at the end of the first term at least half hadn't even been unpacked .... in a shared flat there will be lots of duplicates. As others say, unless she is going somewhere really remote anything basic can be picked up in local charity shops/Wilko etc. at my DS's Uni trips to IKEA were even included as an outing in Welcome Week .

Mattress topper. The beds are never that good. DD2 printed out masses of family photos for DD1 to put on her pinboard.

If her uni is a town with an argos reserve what you think she might need a couple of days before, then if you arrive and it's already there then you can just let the reservation expire or if she needs one you can go and collect it. It also works well for cumbersome things like duvets, pillows bedding etc then you don't have to squeeze those things in the car.

Something decorative and comforting from home. Dd says making her room look homey made her feel better about those first few nights where everything was new and she felt lonely and homesick. (They all do for a bit)

Once you know the accommodation it’s good to have a look on YouTube, there are many videos of current or previous students doing a tour. With both my two they gave inspiration and ideas. DD realised she had space for a bedside cabinet so took a 3 tier plastic storage tower and a bathroom storage trolley for her en-suite.

Basic first aid kit
Paracetomol, otrivine/Sudafed, 4head balm/strips, plasters/dressings, any regular medication, antihistamines, some form of antiseptic cream or wash

My daughter took fluffy cushions and a fleece type blanket for her bed, a small rug. Anything that makes the room look more cosy and less generic. LED type lights seem really popular too. Lots of photos etc for noticeboard.

Don't get crockery from Ikea, every other student will have the same ones, get charity shop plates.

When my eldest went I stole JKR's room of requirement and made her a 'bag of requirement. It had, if I can remember it all (and I bought it over a year)

flip flops for the shower
mini first aid kit
gift cards for supermarkets
hat, scarf and gloves
toothbrushes
toilet roll
memory stick
emergency chocolate - it actually says that on the packaging
mini sewing kit
picture frame that looked like a film roll
pens, pencils and note book
ring binder
address book and birthday dates
paracetamol - I think I put that in the first aid kit
door stop - useful to prop your door open to make friends and to lock yourself in
ear plugs
written list of phone numbers
spare phone and sim card
corkscrew
tin opener
battery operated tea lights
I think that was it, all in a bag she could use for weekends home.