Essentials to take to uni

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DS is off to uni in September. Are there any essentials he should have aside from pots, pans, towels etc? He’ll be in halls with shared bathroom.

Non perishable food items! I can't tell you how thrilled I was that my mum shipped me off with a semesters worth of cupboard essentials 😂

She also gave me some gift cards (she was an absolute superstar for this), all the toiletries I could dream of for a semester (again very thankful as this was an expense I didn't have to deal with!). Extension cords (Id never thought to buy but so useful). Lots of cold and flu medicine as well! Freshers flu was very real to us!

Washing tablets & easy to carry bag/basket like an ikea one, laundry room likely to be a walk away and carting box of powder or solid plastic basket between room and there isn't fun!

Sliders or flip flops for shared shower
Warm socks and slippers, warm house clothes, hot water bottle
A good rain jacket
Extension lead
A good Medicine kit - difflam spray, Dioralyte/hangover stuff, cough medicine, Lemsip, Nurofen. It’s a pain having to spend money on this stuff when you’re a poor student, and having to go to the chemist in the rain when you already feel ill!

Clearly by the list I’ve given I’m still traumatised by my cold, wet and rainy college lifestyle!

Extension cables. The sockets are always in the wrong places.

Never sent either DD with medicines! Wash bag for shared showers and flip flops is a good idea. Dressing gown if he’s modest!

Lap top. Clothes including waterproof. Phone and charger. Check what’s in the flat when you get there. What’s missing and will it matter? Spare mug or two. Cheese grater and can/bottle opener. Don’t take too much - you can always buy stuff in the city or use Amazon if he’s short of something. DD1 was catered so much less stuff!

Before loading them up with too much stuff, check what they'll have to do with it between terms. When I was in Halls we got turfed out in the vacations and there was only limited space in the storage rooms. Don't bother with pots and pans unless you know there's none provided - wait until you get there.

I was thinking about this after someone asked a very similar question on another platform. This may sound daft, but in preparation for Uni I'd make sure they'd taken a trip on public transport (both bus and train) including reading the timetable and buying the ticket. I was shocked reading another thread where young people were arriving at Uni with no concept of how public transport worked - having been driven everywhere their entire lives to date.

If there is space is his room, a clothes airer is really handy. You would be amazed at how often the tumble dryers are unavailable/not working and they end up with a bag full of damp washing!

Reserve bulky items or things that may be duplicated by other flat mates at Argos at the Uni town, that way if he needs the item he can go pay and collect it, if not he can just let the reservation timeout and you don't need to cart duvets, bedding, airers etc in the car.

I was shocked reading another thread where young people were arriving at Uni with no concept of how public transport worked - having been driven everywhere their entire lives to date.

It amazes me how much students spend on taxis and Ubers, either because they don't know how to use a bus or because they're too disorganised to be at the bus stop on time.

Mine were sent with heaps of stuff that didn't get used (extra kitchen stuff, stationery, files etc).

They all asked for sliders (branded obviously!) because you can wear them with socks, and go outside in them too, as well as wear as slippers/shower shoes.

Flipflops/Crocs/sliders to go to the bathroom.
Something small and easy to carry toiletries in to and from shower.
Extension leads
Gaffer tape - useful for so many things when you haven't go a toolkit to hand. Maybe a Swiss army knife with all the tools
A mattress topper to go on top of the uncomfortable bed that several students have slept in. Also 2 sets of bedding, as they might not be able to wash and dry a set all in one go.
Coathangers, and an over door hanger, somewhere to hang a damp towel.
DS didn't use most of the kitchen equipment we got him, he said after a few weeks the shared kitchen was so disgusting he didn't want to use it! The toastie maker was a hit, though!
Multivitamins.
Mini first aid kit including painkillers
Something familiar from home; DS had a few ornaments he's always had in his bedroom, maybe a special cup or throw.
A wedge for the door - it feels friendly to have the door open
Hope he has fun!

Has anyone said a door wedge yet? To keep bedroom door open if he’s feeling sociable.

A door stop.
You can send them anything they forget so don't worry.
A matress protector and extension cables are always good.

@ForTheLoveOfJackDaniels Sorry not sure how I managed to reply to you specifically.

Slides and a wash bag for the bathroom

Washing powder and softener

A big shop: pasta and pasta sauces, Supernoodles (just being realistic), tins, teabags, ketchup, salt and pepper, jam, other store cupboard bits.

Agree with door wedge, especially as some doors in halls automatically close and lock behind you! (Heavy fire doors)
Laundry airer, warm socks and blankets, cheap crockery/cutlery/kitchen stuff because there's a chance it will be used/broken 🙄 by other flatmates. Sliders or crocs for the bathroom and kitchen. Plenty of small storage boxes or baskets for all the junk he will no doubt accumulate.
Once he's settled he'll figure out where the cheap supermarkets or B&M type places are that students practically live in. One word of advice, we forgot something (think it was a bedroom bin) when we moved dd into her accommodation so DH went on the hunt for one. Every homeware shop nearby was sold out of everything that students might need because hundreds of them had moved in that weekend and been shopping! So make sure you've got everything essential beforehand.

Also, make sure he gets himself a Tesco club card/ Sainsbury's nectar card etc, or wherever he's shopping. Every little helps 😆

I'm glad to see this thread! My DD is off in 3 weeks. She's going into catered halls so shouldn't need much in the way of pots and pans. So far we've got bedding, towels, sponge bag, some storage baskets for her makeup, etc. (She has a lot of makeup.) Racking my brains trying to think what else she'll need or would be nice to have.

I'm sure there'll be lots that only becomes apparent once she's there, though.

DD has only ever lived in the US. She has requested that we arrive in town a day before check in so I can “teach her how to take the bus”😆

In terms of using the bus, most transport companies have their own apps and which tells you live when your bus is due and then when you are on the bus it shows the journey live and each stop as you pass which is useful and far better than how things were when I was navigating public transport regularly when younger.

@MermaidEyes It is against ALL rules to wedge a fire door open! You really must NOT suggest this. It’s unsafe and unacceptable. Fire doors closed at all times.

Mattess protector and topper are good ideas. Don’t get a massive duvet - some rooms can be hot. Add a blanket and hot water bottle if need be but my DDs never needed them. Not sure if all halls are ok with extension leads either. Overloading electrical circuits can be an issue.

Was about to say this :) be careful with wedges as if the doors are fire doors you won't be allowed to use them. The same goes for over the door hangers, been told we cannot use these on the fire doors as they damage the seals.

@Bcdfghjk That is correct. Not all doors are fire doors but it’s vital they are not compromised.

Agree with door wedge, especially as some doors in halls automatically close and lock behind you! (Heavy fire doors)

If you wedge open a fire door you will be in front of a disciplinary committee and could easily be fined, required to move out of the hall or even excluded from the university.

DS took flowery plates from charity shop. Everyone else had white ikea plates. Meant he could always tell which were his.