University

[Abbie]

Im excited and nervous.

I think its cos up until now all summer its been like, omg the dance show! and dancing a lot and now its just uni and Ive been spending a lot of time with one of my closest friends and its just gonna be really werid

[Katy]

it is weird, but it doesnt last for long! Trust me! I cant believe i will be back on saturday for final year! Weird!

Good luck! Is anyone moving in this weekend

[squillyfer]

its so wierd cos i started here at Dundee on the fifth so my freshers week has been and gone and yet some people havent even moved in yet

[Abigail]

I was talking to one of my friend's dad in Tesco yesterday and he said York don't go back until middle of October They only have 9 week terms.

[Katy]

yeah at bangor going back this weekend is quite early in realtion to some places.

Some of my friends are moving this weekend, Nottingham and Huddesfield.
Scary times!

[Abbie]

One of my closest friends is going tomorrow

I still have another week!

[Abbie]

Look I found a checklist of what to take to Uni! it goes on and on

Documents

Passport photos
Passport or driving licence
NHS number
National Insurance number
TV Licence
CV and references
Discount travel cards
Bank account details
Address book and email contacts list
Local map
What's on guide
Old textbooks and notes
List of phone numbers
Support notification form
Diary or calander
Doctor and dentist details
Other university documents
Exam certificates
Room insurance
Kitchen

A lot of the kitchen stuff will depend if you're going self catering or not.

Corkscrew
Bottle opener
Mugs
Glasses
Wine glasses
Shot glasses

Kettle
Knives, forks and spoons
Plates
Bowls (for cereal, soup, icecream, etc)
One-person casserole dish
Small frying or omelette pan
1 small, 1 large saucepan with lids
Egg cup

Tin opener
Scissors
Chopping knife
Chopping board - An extra chopping board if you are cutting meat: this way you avoid food poisoning!!!
Vegetable peeler
Cheese grater - (Ikea do a very good one that has the grater as a lid so all the cheese goes into a box/compartment neatly and you can leave it in there to store aswell)
Breadknife
Wooden spoon
Spatula - good for a washing up implement.
Potato Masher (only if you are a fan of mash tho!)


Easy to follow recipe book
Store cupboard ingredients - coffee, tea, milk, sugar, eggs, margarine, cooking oil, salt and pepper - and let's not forget pasta
Coffee whitener - for when you run out of milk


Sandwich bags - good for lots of stuff you open and need to contain. e.g. sugar / teabags and things
Plastic bowl or box with lid
Microwaveable bowl
Cling film
Tin foil
Sieve

Tea towels
Oven gloves

Washing-up stuff - Washing-up liquid / Dishcloth / Scrubbing brush
Tray - For carrying food to your room and to stop you making a mess if you're not eating at a table

Chopsticks
Studying

Desk lamp (Halogen)
Book chair - saves a lot of neck strain if you are making notes out of a big book]

Notice board - for timetables, numbers, etc. Some halls may already provide one.
Message board with erasable marker eg. a mini white board or one of those magnetic sand ones that you can wipe
Diary/planner - to keep track of assignments
Dictionary and thesaurus

A pad of lined paper - for making notes/doing drafts etc
Ream of printing paper
A4 folders

Pens, pencils, paper, files, highlighters
Scissors
Sticky tape
Stapler, hole punch
Sticky labels
Post-it notes
Paper clips

White Tac - so it doesn't mark the walls
Stamps and envelopes
Outdoor

Sports gear
Bike
Raincoat
Umbrella
Healthcare

Multivitamins
Painkillers
Condoms/pill
Basic first aid kit - plasters, antiseptic wipes, bandages
Paracetamol
Some cold/flu remedy incase you are struck down by freshers' flu
Pro-Plus
Anti-allergy pills - eg. Piriton anti-allergy tablets
A cold/hot pack
Bathroom

Bath mat

Bath and hand towels (+ possibly a flanel)
Basket for shower supplies
Wash bag

Toilet roll
Box of tissues


Toothbrush and toothpaste
Soap - sqeasy (bottle) soap is probably better. If you're sharing bathrooms then it's easier to transport and wont slip onto the floor etc.
Showergel
Shampoo / Conditioner

Nail clippers

Deodorant
Cologne

Hair gel
Hair spray
Hairbrush
Comb

Razor
Shaving cream/gel

Lip balm
Housekeeping

Febreeze - To stop clothes / fabric getting to smelly

Laundry bag - So your dirty clothes don't end up on the floor. And for dragging to the laundry or dumping on your parents to wash for you!
Clothes horse - Save money on dryers by drying your clothes in your room
Coat hangers - you may not get any in wardrobes

Dustpan and brush - for cleaning up the odd mess, though most unis should provide this
Duster

Kitchen towel
Cif cleaning products/Detox?

Washing powder/liquid/tablets - if the washing powder dispenser isn't working

Door wedge - an open door in freshers week is much more friendly
Electrical

Alarm clock (maybe 2 in two different locations in your roomto make sure lectures are at least attempted, even if you carry on sleeping there!)
Calculator - for sorting out finances

Computer and/or laptop - saves on queues at deadline time
Computer mouse for laptop - easier to use than a trackpad
Floppy disks (diskettes) and CDR's (CDRW's cheaper in long run) - for backing up work
USB "pen drive" - carrying projects etc between uni, internet cafe, friends comp, etc. quickly, easily and RELIABLY!
Printer - printing could take up to six hours on uni computers
Network cable - to access the internet from the socket in your room

Mini fridge - for beer and other items you don't want in the communal fridge

Bedside lamp

Mobile and charger
Answering machine
CD player/Hi?-fi system - though better (certainly space wise) just to bring speakers and use your computer
TV - but license fee will be costly. There will doubtless be a communal TV you can watch. Also worth considering a TV-DVD/-VCR combi or seperate VCR/DVD players
Camera - to take pictures of room and friends (to send home/put on website ... everything else people do with photos)
Headphones - so you don't disturb others when you play music loud. You can get 'infra-red' ones that aren't too expensive and allow you to walk around while still listening to the music.

Batteries - rechargeable (save money)
Multi plug adaptor/extension lead - to give you more than the normal 2/4 sockets
Clothing

Dressing gown
Slippers

T-shirts
Jumpers
Trowsers
Underwear
Socks

Shoes
Trainers
Flip flops - for wearing in showers / communal wash areas

Swimwear

Ball gowns/eveningwear - for the Freshers' Ball.
Shirt and tie for any smart-casual events
Leisure

Board games - a couple, will make a good fun free evening (not sure about your phrasing! - its not mine)
Pack of card
Ball - rugby ball/football for friendly matches/made up games
Frisbee - again for the occassional game (rugby style)
Style

Posters - though theses are often available during freshers week - (you might need things to cover bad decoration)
Photos of family and friends
Wall hanging - more homely than posters
Rugs - to hide the mangy carpet
Fairylights/disco ball/police light/lava lamp

Cushions/beanbags - for friends to sit down in your room
A throw - to make your bed into a sofa for friends to sit on

Pot plants
Teddy bear/stuffed toys
Blankets - for when it gets cold and you want to snuggle up
Bedding

Sheets
Duvet and duvet covers
Pillows & pillow cases - did you know the average used pillow is 75% dead flesh?
Mattress cover - goes between the mattress and the bottom sheet
Hot water bottle

Inflatable mattress and pump - for your mates when they visit
Sleeping bag - for when friends come to stay/when you go to stay
Miscellaneous

Alcohol - to make new friends with
Sweets or biscuits - to distribute to flatmates

Extra storage - cardboard or plastic boxes for things which wont fit anywhere else
Large suitcase - to put things in when going home for the weekend

A spare lightbulb
Torch - for power cuts and looking under desks/chairs/beds
Pen knife

Loose change - for washing / vending machines

Earplugs - to cut out noise you don't want to hear

Bookends - probably unecessary; just use something else (eg pot of pasta, sugar etc)
Poster hangers - if you're not allowed Blu-/White?-Tac on the walls

Safety pins
Small sewing kit - just incase you need to do a quik fix on a rip or tear (like the ones you get in hotels)
Small toolkit
Matches

Fan
Clock
Female specific items

Hair Ties/clips
Make up
Lip Gloss
Jewellery Box
Jewellery
Moisturiser
Baby Oil
Nail Varnish
Hair removing cream
Hair dryer / straightners
Male specific items

Shaving brush
Don't bother with

Iron
Toaster
Sandwich maker - (I disagree that it isn't worth bringing) they're cheap and compact so if you like the taste of what they make then take one. A hot meal in minutes with little effort. The down side is they can be very messy when combined with cheese so you'll want to put it on a tray when in use.
Nice kitchen stuff - it will get used then left on the side to rot/rust
Candles - serious fire hazard

And all things that everyone gets, so if you're in flats rather than halls, you may want to wait and see if you really need to splash out when you could just borrow your flatmate's.

[Trinity]

Blooming 'eck Abbie!

Half the things on this list can be put on your phone/ipod

Don't buy food before you go, except tea bags and milk if you cannot do without for 30 minutes. Wait until you know how much storage space you have.

Don't buy stuff because you think you might need it, wait until you do. I have never used a wooden spoon - I am 44 and cook all the time. Oven gloves - use a folded tea towel like everyone else who isn't a granny.

Don't buy glasses for every occasion, you get these when you set up home or get married. For student living chunky glasses from ikea do every thing from juice to vodka.

Don't buy loads of crockery, the more you have the more will get used before you wash it. 2 of each item tops.

For all the kitchen stuff Ikea is ideal, if you are going to a self catered hall first find out what is provided. E.g. some places provide saucepans, but most don't.

On that list I would emphasis the medical section as being definitely worthwhile.

Take coat hangers - these are rarely provided and even if they are there will never be enough.

Don't forget a hair dryer if you use one.

Most uni halls do not allow candles, kettles, mini fridges etc in the rooms. Check you terms and conditions.

In the halls at the uni I work in you are provided with a notice boards and you are not allowed to put up posters etc on the walls.

Also there is no bed linin, duvets or pillows provided so check and make sure you have what you need.

[Siobhan]

Don't buy glasses for every occasion, you get these when you set up home or get married. For student living chunky glasses from ikea do every thing from juice to vodka.

don't you just steal glasses from bars until you have 20 pints glasses and 1 shot glass???

[Abigail]

That's one long list

Documents

Passport photos
Passport or driving licence
NHS number
National Insurance number
Bank account details
Address book and email contacts list
Local map
Discount travel cards
Support notification form
Diary or calander
Doctor and dentist details
Other university documents


What's on guide
TV Licence
CV and references
Old textbooks and notes
List of phone numbers
Exam certificates
Room insurance

First part - definitely take these.

Second is optional. Tv license only if you have a tv, CV if you're applying for a job, old textbooks and notes will only be necessary if you're doing something similar to A levels. Exam certificates you won't need for enrolment as UCAS send all your details onto the uni. Room insurance is usually provided in halls.
Kitchen

Corkscrew
Bottle opener
Mugs
Glasses
Wine glasses
Shot glasses
Kettle
Knives, forks and spoons
Plates
Bowls (for cereal, soup, icecream, etc)
One-person casserole dish
Small frying or omelette pan
1 small, 1 large saucepan with lids
Egg cup
Tin opener
Scissors
Chopping knife
Chopping board - An extra chopping board if you are cutting meat: this way you avoid food poisoning!!!
Vegetable peeler
Cheese grater - (Ikea do a very good one that has the grater as a lid so all the cheese goes into a box/compartment neatly and you can leave it in there to store aswell)
Breadknife
Wooden spoon
Spatula - good for a washing up implement.
Potato Masher (only if you are a fan of mash tho!)
Easy to follow recipe book

Save room in the car and buy these when you get there. The essentials, like a plate, cup, knife, fork etc. would be useful until you can get to a shop. Places like B&M, Pound stretcher, Argos, Boyes are all good for cheap uni stuff that will eventually get burnt/melted/lost/broken/stolen.

I got a set of three pans from IKEA for six quid. Nothing flash but they'll last me a few years.

Store cupboard ingredients - coffee, tea, milk, sugar, eggs, margarine, cooking oil, salt and pepper - and let's not forget pasta
Coffee whitener - for when you run out of milk
Sandwich bags - good for lots of stuff you open and need to contain. e.g. sugar / teabags and things
Plastic bowl or box with lid
Microwaveable bowl
Cling film
Tin foil

Again, buy these when you get there. Some UHT milk to keep in the cupboard is a good idea for when you run out and haven't got any money to buy fresh milk.

A couple of tea bags, milk and sugar will suffice for the first few hours.

Get some plastic containers that can go in the freezer and microwave to store excess food in for another meal.

Tea towels
Oven gloves
Washing-up stuff - Washing-up liquid / Dishcloth / Scrubbing brush

Make sure you HIDE them because I can guarantee you, they will not get washed and will smell rancid after a few weeks. People use them for all sorts of things other than drying pots.

Chopsticks

Never used them in my life.

Studying

Desk lamp (Halogen)
A pad of lined paper - for making notes/doing drafts etc
Ream of printing paper
A4 folders
Pens, pencils, paper, files, highlighters
Scissors
Sticky tape
Stapler, hole punch
Sticky labels
Post-it notes
Paper clips
White Tac - so it doesn't mark the walls
Diary/planner - to keep track of assignments


Book chair - saves a lot of neck strain if you are making notes out of a big book]
Notice board - for timetables, numbers, etc. Some halls may already provide one.
Message board with erasable marker eg. a mini white board or one of those magnetic sand ones that you can wipe
Dictionary and thesaurus
Stamps and envelopes

First paragraph are essentials.

Most bedrooms have a notice board. You may not have wall space for a message board, and in any case can just write notes and put them on the notice board. Office software has dictionary and thesauruses so they're not really necessary. Stamps and envelopes only if you plan on writing to people.

Outdoor
Sports gear
Bike
Raincoat
Umbrella

Not all halls have somewhere safe to keep a bike.

Healthcare
Multivitamins
Painkillers
Condoms/pill
Basic first aid kit - plasters, antiseptic wipes, bandages
Paracetamol
Some cold/flu remedy incase you are struck down by freshers' flu
Pro-Plus
Anti-allergy pills - eg. Piriton anti-allergy tablets
A cold/hot pack

All of these would be useful.

Bathroom
Bath and hand towels (+ possibly a flanel)
Basket for shower supplies
Toilet roll
Box of tissues
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Soap - sqeasy (bottle) soap is probably better. If you're sharing bathrooms then it's easier to transport and wont slip onto the floor etc.
Showergel
Shampoo / Conditioner
Nail clippers
Deodorant
Cologne
Hair gel
Hair spray
Hairbrush
Comb
Razor
Shaving cream/gel
Lip balm


Wash bag
Bath mat

Take plenty of flannels and towels if you're going in en suite. You might just get a leak one day and end up with a flooded bathroom and bedroom.

A wash bag would be useful if you're sharing bathrooms, bath mat only if you're in en suite.

Housekeeping
Febreeze - To stop clothes / fabric getting to smelly There are these things called washing machines these days.
Laundry bag - So your dirty clothes don't end up on the floor. And for dragging to the laundry or dumping on your parents to wash for you!
Clothes horse - Save money on dryers by drying your clothes in your room
Coat hangers - you may not get any in wardrobes
Kitchen towel
Cif cleaning products/Detox?
Washing powder/liquid/tablets - if the washing powder dispenser isn't working
Door wedge - an open door in freshers week is much more friendly


Dustpan and brush - for cleaning up the odd mess, though most unis should provide this
Duster

Agree with that, although most places give you a dustpan and brush and a hoover. Anyone who has time to dust has too much time on their hands.

Electrical
Alarm clock (maybe 2 in two different locations in your roomto make sure lectures are at least attempted, even if you carry on sleeping there!)
Calculator - for sorting out finances
Computer and/or laptop - saves on queues at deadline time
CDR's (CDRW's cheaper in long run) - for backing up work
USB "pen drive" - carrying projects etc between uni, internet cafe, friends comp, etc. quickly, easily and RELIABLY!
Mini fridge - for beer and other items you don't want in the communal fridge
Bedside lamp
Camera - to take pictures of room and friends (to send home/put on website ... everything else people do with photos)
Mobile and charger
Headphones
Batteries - rechargeable (save money)
Multi plug adaptor/extension lead - to give you more than the normal 2/4 sockets


Computer mouse for laptop - easier to use than a trackpad
Floppy disks (diskettes)
Printer - printing could take up to six hours on uni computers
Network cable - to access the internet from the socket in your room
Answering machine
CD player/Hi?-fi system - though better (certainly space wise) just to bring speakers and use your computer

Definitely get a mini fridge when you get there. You may have to hide it when it comes to inspections but if there's a lot of you sharing one fridge you won't get much in.

Second paragraph aren't essential. Who uses floppys now? Printer is useful but not essential. Longest I've waited for printing is a few minutes, don't know where the six hours came from. Network cables are usually provided when you enrol. You have voicemail on your phone so an answering machine isn't necessary. Save space and play music through your laptop.

Clothing
Dressing gown
Slippers
T-shirts
Jumpers
Trousers
Underwear
Socks
Shoes
Trainers
Flip flops - for wearing in showers / communal wash areas
Swimwear
Shirt and tie for any smart-casual events


Ball gowns/eveningwear - for the Freshers' Ball.

Slippers are essential. You never know what has happened to the floors during the night.

Leisure
Board games - a couple, will make a good fun free evening (not sure about your phrasing! - its not mine)
Pack of card
Ball - rugby ball/football for friendly matches/made up games
Frisbee - again for the occassional game (rugby style)
Photos of family and friends
Blankets - for when it gets cold and you want to snuggle up


Posters - though theses are often available during freshers week - (you might need things to cover bad decoration)
Wall hanging - more homely than posters
Rugs - to hide the mangy carpet
Fairylights/disco ball/police light/lava lamp
Cushions/beanbags - for friends to sit down in your room
A throw - to make your bed into a sofa for friends to sit on
Pot plants
Teddy bear/stuffed toys

I have been known to play board games in a free evening. We had loads in our kitchen. If you don't want to fork out loads, go to the charity shop.

Posters are usually available at the freshers fair.

Bedding
Sheets
Duvet and duvet covers
Pillows & pillow cases
Mattress cover -
Hot water bottle


Inflatable mattress and pump - for your mates when they visit
Sleeping bag - for when friends come to stay/when you go to stay

Take plenty of pillows in case you find yourself with a lodger.

Miscellaneous
Alcohol - to make new friends with
Sweets or biscuits - to distribute to flatmates
Extra storage - cardboard or plastic boxes for things which wont fit anywhere else
Large suitcase - to put things in when going home for the weekend
A spare lightbulb
Loose change - for washing / vending machines
Earplugs - to cut out noise you don't want to hear
Small sewing kit - just incase you need to do a quik fix on a rip or tear (like the ones you get in hotels)
Small toolkit
Matches or lighter
Fan
Clock

Torch - for power cuts and looking under desks/chairs/beds
Pen knife
Bookends - probably unecessary; just use something else (eg pot of pasta, sugar etc)
Poster hangers - if you're not allowed Blu-/White?-Tac on the walls
Safety pins

Looking under desks?! Bookends are unnecessary.

Don't bother with
Iron
Toaster
Sandwich maker .
Nice kitchen stuff - it will get used then left on the side to rot/rust
Candles - serious fire hazard

Agree with all of those except the toaster. Buy one when you get there if one isn't provided then you don't end up with six toasters in your flat.