Useful Christmas gift ideas for dc going to Uni in 2021 ?

[SATSmadness]

DD is rather caught up in interview prep/mocks revision etc and will probably only start thinking about Christmas when it's too late for me to get things bought/delivered so I thought I'd ask others what their dc found useful/needed when heading off to Uni. so I could at least surprise her with a few items on 25th Dec.

We have no idea yet whether she'll end up in catered or self-catering accommodation but fingers crossed she'll get a place to study medicine somewhere as a result of her interviews.

Some nice for her room maybe? A lovely lamp or a rug. Halls can be quite plain and ugly. Or some vouchers to buy a load of new clothes before she goes.

Big fleecy blanket/throw for the bedroom. Good to cosy up in. Battery operated string lights, again makes rooms cosy. Group of Cacti!

All of DD's friends ended up in her room when we got her a proper coffee machine.... but that may not be allowed where your DD ends up, so perhaps save that for next year :-)

Big fleecy blanket/throw

That was going to be my first suggestion. DD actually ended up with two, one from us and one from a friend of mine. So now she's in a house, one for the bed and one for the living room. I also got one for a friend of hers, who started university this year.

And cookbooks? The various 'mug cakes' ones (or even 'mug meals') should be usable even in limited catered hall facilities and the Roasting Tin books by Rukmini Iyer have some interesting recipes.
www.amazon.co.uk/s?hvlocphy=1007216&hvnetw=g&hvadid=259062823899&k=the+roasting+tin&gclid=Cj0KCQiA8dH-BRD_ARIsAC24umZPmg8DZzuH8pp8Ip_xb7HxE18xePhgNyl7wKpSi2cb9z-BUzJWsm4aAo2OEALw_wcB&ref=pd_sl_1lemmmd6ko_e&hydadcr=21201_1749534&hvdev=m&hvqmt=e&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=kwd-300939465783&adgrpid=54947341082&hvrand=4724599548407110570

Nice mugs and a couple of tea towels are always useful.
** Towelling bathrobe/dressing gown, nice towels.

Group of Cacti!
They're fun to pack in an overloaded car...

Towelling bathrobe
Blanket
Photo frames
Very warm coat
Umbrella
Laptop
Printer
Money

Depending on budget......

fleecy blanket

big pillow/ cushions (remember they spend a lot of times on their beds, they don't have settees or armchairs and it can be uncomfortable leaning up against a wall)
toastie maker
my dd (and ds before her) loved their slow cookers
dd has a sort of smoothie maker where the container it mixes in is then the bottle you drink from - she loves it and it gets fruit into her every day
(depends what she has) (also depends on budget) - new laptop ?
My dc don't have them, but projectors have been really popular this year - they all go into one room and watch a film / something on Netflix / whatever sport they are in to together. Apparently you can project from your phone these days
(Back to cheaper things)
Small toolkit (screwdrivers etc)
Doorstop

@ErrolTheDragon

Nice mugs and a couple of tea towels are always useful. ** Towelling bathrobe/dressing gown, nice towels.

Group of Cacti!
They're fun to pack in an overloaded car...

Titus survived three years and 18 journeys, and is still going strong. A bit wonky mind .

big pillow/ cushions (remember they spend a lot of times on their beds, they don't have settees or armchairs and it can be uncomfortable leaning up against a wall)

We bought my dd one of these, very handy.

Goodness @JollyJingleJemima that looks a bit like a decapitated bear ! Does look comfy though.

Sewing kit
Tool set
Stationary
Rail card
Alarm clock

Rice cooker

Panini press
Smoothie maker
Blue tooth speaker.

Pack of playing cards
Corkscrew
Pop-up laundry basket

I second the finely cuddle cushion from @JollyJingleJemima above.

DD is a first year medic. Last year I bought a couple of things from Present Indicative that she loved.(Deadly disease too trumps, stethoscope socks) and a few things for her studies (stationary, medical text book, cheap stethoscope £4, highlighter pens in the shape of syringes, and an anatomy colouring book). She loved all of it.
Oh and she loved the suture kit I got her for her birthday with all age needs to learn the stitches, including fake skin to practice on!)
This year she is getting a full-size skeleton as they’ve been encouraged to have their own. 🤣

Bluetooth speaker, travel kettle, wheelie suitcase or hold-all

Thanks for all the ideas folks' Sharing with a friend although he's looking for ideas for his DS and I think the bluetooth speaker might fit the bill there.

Mattress topper (decent one from somewhere like John Lewis as beds in halls are often not that comfortable). If a girl, vouchers for Zara Home.

DD wanted Bluetooth headphones for her first Xmas present after starting uni, rather than a speaker - less likely to be antisocial and cuts out other people's noise in halls. Both have their uses, of course.

@Londonmummy66

Mattress topper (decent one from somewhere like John Lewis as beds in halls are often not that comfortable). If a girl, vouchers for Zara Home.

The only trouble with getting a mattress topper now is you don't know which halls a dc will get and what size beds they have. Different halls definitely have different beds.

DS has confirmed place at uni (on a gap year) but doesn't know the hall yet, obviously, though he will only go for self-catering and he is a foodie and serious cook. His stocking is going to be full of little things like apple corers, cheese graters, peelers, whisks etc and I managed to get him a really good stick blender over the Black Friday deals so he can make soup. We will get the mattress topper etc when we know if he has managed to get a room with a double bed which he very much hopes for as he is 6' 4"!

Do you think they will really appreciate a present that almost by definition they will have to put away in a cupboard for 9 months? Honestly I’d be getting something for now, that can be enjoyed (god knows they don’t get to enjoy much at the moment) and worry about getting stuff for Uni when the time comes. There’s many a potential slip twix Xmas and results day 😉

Yeah, I wouldn't get bedding at this stage. Or things like kettles and toasters - some halls won't allow them in bedrooms.

Am inclined to agree with the last two posts - I'm not sure many an 18 yr old would want a mattress topper (which they aren't going to use for at least 9 months, if ever) as a Christmas present.
Things like the headphones would be a much better steer.

D1's birthday was in the summer before she went off to university, so we did get her a few related things - a kettle, tray, some stationery (sets of highlighters, post its, pushpins, paperclips) a sewing kit, mini zipped jewellery case.

Worth waiting till accommodation is sorted out before getting mattress topper and kitchen stuff. Also what electricals they'll be allowed. I sent D1 a mini coffee maker this term which she loves, it's a Lavazza one which uses eco pods.

A thread recently said that a dehumidifier for their room was invaluable. It obvioulsy depends on the room, heating, circulation etc, but might be very handy to help dry out laundy in her room- rather than the communal washing room, prevent mould and condensation in her room.