Going to university for the first time can be an exciting experience. Knowing what things to take, however, can be an incredibly daunting task. One of the best ways of working out what to help your child pack so that they are fully prepared for their university experience is to make a university checklist. Do this a couple of weeks before they go because there is a good chance you will find yourself adding things to the list and removing others. You will also need plenty of sturdy boxes and packing tape to pack everything so it can be a good idea to start collecting these as soon as possible.
The important thing to remember is that life at university isn’t that much different to life at home, so a university checklist should reflect this. It can be worth checking what items your child may have access to if they will be staying in halls as well as this could remove a couple of items from your list.
CLOTHING
This is probably the easiest thing to pack, although it is worth remembering that if your child cannot come home until the end of term, they will need to cover a range of weather with their packing.
- Clothing: tops, shirts, skirts, trousers, dresses, cardigans, shorts. Mainly casual, but some smart options.
- Accessories – jewellery (costume – would not recommend taking valuables), glasses (prescription or sunnies), scarves, gloves.
- Underwear – Bras, pants/boxers, socks
- Footwear – casual, sports and smart
- An iron – if they do have some clothes that need ironing remember to get them an easy to use iron, so they have one to hand when they need it.
- Coat- As well as the usual underwear, and general day to day clothes, a couple of jumpers is a must. A good coat, gloves and hat can come in handy as well and of course some clothes for going out in.
- A handheld sewing machine – This is also a really useful piece of equipment that will allow your child to mend any clothing they damage, quickly and easily.
- A lint remover: Consider a lint remover to help them look their smartest on nights out too.
BEDDING
A minimum of a full set of bedding is a must on your university checklist. This should include:
- Fitted sheet
- Pillowcases
- Pillows
- Duvet cover
- Duvet
However, if you can pack 2 then that’s even better, as it will allow for those times when it isn’t easy to get to the laundry room.
TOILETRIES
Of course, there will be shops at university but sending your child off with a good supply of things can really help them stretch their money out. A stash should include:
- Soap
- Shampoo
- Toothpaste
- Towels
- Flannels,
- Toothbrush
- Hairbrush
- Sanitary products if needed, as these can be quite expensive
- Condoms – because it is better to be safe than sorry
This is on the university checklist as a minimum – your child will probably want to add to this selection.
KITCHEN STUFF
University kitchens usually house the bare minimum, and even if they don’t, it is better to have your own because not all students clean up after themselves.
- Pans – a couple of saucepans should be enough although a nice pan set might be better. Also include a frying pan.
- A baking tray
- Cutlery
- Crockery
- Cooking implements, i.e., wooden spoons, a fish slice, tin opener and sharp knives.
- A set of airtight containers – this can be a really great investment as well, especially when sharing a fridge with other students.
Depending on your child’s level of cooking ability there may be other things to add to the list. This could include:
- A small set of weighing scales
- A student cookbook – because beans on toast can get boring after a while!
LAUNDRY ITEMS
A laundry bag for storing dirty laundry – this can be handy for keeping your child’s room tidy and also taking to the laundry room.
- Detergent
- Hangers
- Dryer balls can also be helpful
- Pegs – Pack some pegs as well as they can be handy for keeping damp clothes on hangers whilst they dry
IMPORTANT ITEMS
There are several things that your child might need whilst they are at university by way of official documents, paperwork and other important items; these are a must on any university checklist. These may include:
- The university acceptance letter
- Bank details
- National insurance number
- Phone charger
- Any keys they need (they will be given room keys so will need a keyring for these)
- Spare cables
- Spare batteries
- Medication -If they are on any medication, then don’t forget to add this and repeat prescriptions to the list
- NHS Number -some students prefer to change GP to one nearer to university if they are likely to need medications for an ongoing condition so their NHS number can be useful.
- General medications like headache tablets are a must.
- Glasses or contact lenses + solution
STUDY SUPPLIES
When it comes to study supplier, then the below are worth looking at:
- A laptop, and a laptop bag
- A couple of USB drives
- Charging cable
- A good selection of notebooks, for taking to lectures
- Pens
- Pencils
- Erasers
- Folders
- Books that might be relevant to their course
Having a good stock of stationery means being able to keep note and assignments neat and tidy which will help in the long run.
COVID-CARE
With coronavirus still very much around it is worth adding:
- Hand sanitiser
- Face masks – washable masks will be a better investment in the long run.
CLEANING
It is a student’s responsibility to keep their own room tidy so pack some basic cleaning supplies to help them with this. It is becoming increasingly popular for rooms in halls of residence to be en-suite so you might want to include:
- Cleaning cloths
- Bleach
- Basic cleaning products suitable for a bathroom
- A mop
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
By now that list will seem pretty long, and we are almost done, but there are some more personal and miscellaneous items that you should think about including. These could include:
- Photographs of the family
- A basic first aid kit
- A good bag for all those course books
- A small basic sewing kit
- Equipment for cleaning any leather shoes
- A few games or a pack of cards.
This list is just a starting point, as we are sure that there will be plenty more that you will need to consider packing. Therefore, spend plenty of time going through what’s needed and what’s desirable, and consider the space available in the halls or flat before packing bulky, unnecessary items. You can always send items after they’ve settled in.