August 10, 2021, by Agnes

Dos and Don’ts – What should I bring to uni?

With all the information out there, it can be difficult to figure out what you’ll actually need and what you definitely won’t need at university. Worry not, I’m here to tell you some of the main things that students bring to uni and don’t need as well as some things you’ll need but will most likely forget.

Don’t

1. Printer

You absolutely don’t need to bring a printer – why? Because there are printers in every library, most computer rooms and in every hall of residence. Each year you will be equipped with £10 credit on your University Card, which should be more than enough for all the printing you need to do for your course. (And if you need some more, you can easily top it up online.) All of this means that you’ll have a printer on-hand anytime you need one – without it taking up space in your room.

2. Your whole wardrobe

I know how tempting it is to bring every single outfit you have in your closet, but let’s be honest – you simply don’t need it. Make sure to only bring your most comfortable ‘every-day’ clothes and an outfit for each special occasion (job interviews, Halloween, formals, Christmas parties, etc). Also, try to bring only seasonal clothes – you probably won’t wear summer dresses in the first term, but you can swap your winter coat for them after easter! Trust me, you’ll want to reserve some free space in your closet too – you won’t be able to resist the vintage kilo-sales that pop-up in the SU building…

3. Candles

Since it’s a fire hazard, you’re not allowed to burn candles in any student accommodation. The smoke detectors are very sensitive and you can get a massive fine if you’re caught burning anything in your room. If you’re worried about the smell (student rooms do have a reputation for not smelling very pleasant), you can buy a room spray or an essential oil diffuser. In the same train of thought, make sure to read your accommodation contract as there may be other things that you’re not allowed in the room, such as fairy lights or certain extension cords.

Do

1. Pushpins

The first thing you’ll realise you forgot. Every room in student halls has some kind of notice board, where you’ll want to put photos, leaflets, important dates, etc. Of course, everyone always forgets to bring pins to put those things up. You can get a box of push pins from Wilko for less than £1!

2. Plasters

A group of young adults living away from their parents for the first time? You’ll definitely get through a lot of plasters. Kitchen accidents happen often and we don’t want any infected cuts – and yet everyone always forgets plasters! They’re cheap and you can get them everywhere so do yourself (and your flatmates) a favour and get some plasters.

3. Small sewing kit

A set of needles and a few threads in neutral colours can save your life. Picture this; you have an important job interview and suddenly one of the buttons on your only nice shirt pops off. Another student would be in a right pickle – now they have nothing to wear to their interview! Not you – you have a sewing kit, so 5 minutes later your button is back on your shirt and you’re ready to ace your interview. Convinced you yet?

I hope you found this post useful! Packing for university can be really intimidating, but remember that it’s better to under-pack than overpack – Nottingham has plenty of shops for you to buy anything you might forget.

Good luck!

Posted in Agnes