University has been one of the best experiences of my life. There is nothing I have enjoyed more as much as I have almost every day of the last three years. With that being said, I was definitely not prepared when I first got there, these are some uni essentials most of the “Essential Uni Item” lists I read missed off:
1. Dressing Gown
You and your new flatmates are going have some serious arguments about temperature control, it’s unfortunately unavoidable. You are going to want to turn the heating up a lot, but let me tell you now it is a lot better for everyone for you to put more layers on than to have your weird roommate walking around in their old underwear.
2. Hobby
You are going to get very bored stuck in your room at uni, especially before you make a friend in your flat. Pick up a new hobby over the summer, whether it ties in with a society or you just find something you can do alone in your room, you will need something to occupy your time between assignments. However if you are wanting to make friends do not make it musical.
3. Treats
The quickest way to make friends is through their stomachs. Make cookies, buy donuts, or soak some gummy bears in vodka.
4. Paracetamol
Hangovers and migraines are common at university, make sure you are well equipped to deal with them. It doesn’t hurt to have some headache kool ‘n’ soothe strips on hand to help deal with the pain.
5. ID
Seems like a given but you’d be really surprised how many people missed out on the first couple of nights. They also had to make the embarrassing phone call to their parents convincing them to mail their passports.
6. Spare Cutlery
Whether they are under your bed or in your flatmates room, your cutlery is going to go missing over the year. Make sure you have AT LEAST four knives, forks, and spoons as these are major uni essentials!
7. Decent Lamp
University lighting is unbearably rubbish. You will not be able to do your work or your makeup in the dim lighting, it’s just not worth the struggle.
8. Pack Of Cards
Most early drinking games you will learn involve a pack of cards. The problem is that pack get wet, ripped, or lost during drinking games so bringing spares with you might make you the saviour of pres!
9. Speaker
No one thinks to bring one to start with, you’ll use your phone or laptop. That is until you realise that 1. They are not loud enough and 2. They are easily damaged by liquids and drunk students (This is a lesson you only need to learn once)
10. Alcohol assortment
You will get bored of Strongbow Dark fruit EXTREMELY quickly, there are about five nights out in the first week alone and there is only so much cider one can consume in a limited time. Now is your chance to experiment try tequila and vodka (Probably not together but that’s your mistake to make).
There are lots of other things you will need but these are the things that have made the last three years of my life so much easier and more convenient. I hope, come September, you have the time of your life at Uni.