Many of you are leaving home for the first time, and it's pretty easy to get carried away and bring everything bar the kitchen sink! So we've put together this guide to make it easier, so you only bring what you really need to feel at home. You'll also want to bring face masks and hande cleaner etc.
The Priorities
Where will you be staying? Are you living in University halls of residence, on-campus, off-campus, shared house, on your own? All these places have different facilities so find out well in advance what is included and supplied in your room. The following list assumes that you'll only find furniture and white goods (fridge, oven, etc) when you arrive.
Bedroom
Clothing
- Day-to-day wear
Prepare for every type of weather: hot, cold and wet. This is England after all!
- Clothes for sports/societies/volunteering
Have a look if there are any sports clubs or societies you're interested in joining before you arrive. Think football boots, trainers, Harry Potter cloak, etc.
- Going out clothes
Due to current social distancing guidelines you won't be going out late but it's always worth having a nice dress or shirt in the wardrobe for special occasion or dinner.
- Clothes hangers
These are not usually supplied in your wardrobe and you'll want to avoid having your clothes just dumped in the corner.
Bathroom
- Bathroom towels (dressing gown optional!)
- Bath/shower mat
- Flip flops - if you're sharing a bathroom you may prefer to wear flip-flops
- Toiletries e.g. toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant etc.
Kitchen
Cutlery
Everyone in your house/flat/halls will likely bring a full set of cutlery so just buy a cheap set, as teaspoons and forks in particular always go missing.- Crockery
Don't buy a full set, just a couple of plates, bowls, glasses and mugs will do.
- Utensils
E.g. Sharp knife, peeler, can opener, spatula, wooden spoon, bottle opener
- Cookware
E.g. Frying pan, saucepan, oven tray, colander, grater, chopping board. Most supermarkets do a value range so don't spent a lot.
- Cleaning
E.g. Dishcloths and/or brush and dishwashing liquid, kitchen and bathroom spray cleaners, non-scratch scourer pad and oven cleaner, tea towels and oven cloth, laundry detergent and fabric softner, toilet cleaner (toilet brushes are provided). Buy limescale resisting products as we're in a hard water area and just bring enough to get started!
- Laundry basket/sack - strong enough to transport heavy wet clothes to and from the laundry room. Clothes airers aren't recommended as they can block corridors and fire exits. You can't dry stuff on radiators, so use the tumble dryers.
- Storage
Plastic containers for keeping leftovers will help you to avoid wasting food and money. Clingfilm, foil and sandwich/freezer bags are also useful for storing food. Bring a Sharpie to mark your name on these too to avoid your leftovers getting eaten by others ;)
Studying
- Backpack or similar
If you're going to the library, etc then it's great to have a bag to keep your books in.
- Stationery
Don’t bring too much with you unless you need specific items for your course. The campus bookshop sells most stationery items.
- Course books
You may have been given a list of books for your course which you can buy before you get here, but all books are in stock in the library so you should be able to loan them out free of charge.
Freshers Week
- Computer/laptop/smartphone
You're going to want to have something to attend the virtual freshers' events so ensure you have access to something and get yourself set-up on the wifi too.
- Money
This year is going to be different with the vast majority of our events happening virtually and free, but it's important that you bring some money with you so that you don't miss out on other opportunities to make friends and get involved.
The Optionals
So now you know what you need, but what about life's little luxuries? Be tough on what you really can't live without.
Entertainment
- Television
Definitely not essential, especially as you can stream so much or watch on-demand. If you do bring a TV check whether you need to pay for a TV license, ignorance is not an excuse!
- Playstation/Xbox/etc
Pros: Good icebreakers if you have multi-player games. Cons: Detrimental to your studying if you’re prone to distraction.
Household items
- Iron and Ironing board
Do you really need to iron? If you put your clothes on hangers straight after washing and tumble drying then you can get away without ironing most of the time! Most halls of residence do have an ironing board provided so it's often worth waiting to see what is at your accommodation before bringing an iron.
Transport
- Bicycles
A great way of getting around but make sure you have a helmet and lights and always lock your bike with a D-lock or two and insure your bike against theft along with all of your other valuables.
Cars
Definitely not essential and often discouraged due limited parking space and risk of damage/theft. Dump the car and save on petrol, insurance, tax and also get a boost to your fitness regime!
