What to Take to University

By Mary Shepherd, Kent Business School Blogger

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Worrying about what to take to university? The transition to university is often hard. Deciding what to take with you and what to leave behind can be a struggle. Read our guide to the essentials you’ll need when you leave home.

Top tips

Travel light and aim to take as little as possible when you leave home, leaving behind anything you can easily buy when you arrive. Check and see what the university is providing as part of the price for accommodation, as most halls will provide facilities such as kettles and microwaves. Don’t splash your cash and try to avoid spending lots of money on things that can be bought cheaply. Try looking around big supermarkets for bedding and stationery. Most items won’t survive your first year, so don’t waste your money.

What you need

Important documents

  • Some form of I.D. such as your passport or driving licence
  • Your bank details
  • Your Student Finance and accommodation documents
  • Course acceptance letter

Stationery

  • Pens/highlighters
  • Post-it notes
  • Note pads
  • An academic diary or planner to help you prioritise and keep on top of things

Electrical items

  • Your laptop and charger
  • A USB stick to help you keep all your work in one place
  • An iron
  • Your mobile phone and charger
  • Any cosmetic electrical items including hair straighteners, shaver, electric toothbrush etc.

Bedroom items

  • Bedding (duvets, pillows sheets, mattress protector)
  • A Laundry bag/basket
  • Coat hangers
  • A clothes horse
  • An alarm clock to help you get to those lectures on time

Bathroom items

  • Toiletries (toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, cotton wool, sanitary items)
  • Nail clippers/scissors
  • Some paracetamol
  • Any other medication you may need
  • A first aid kit

Kitchen items

  • Kitchenware and utensils (plates, bowls, mugs, cutlery)
  • A tin opener, this will be essential when it comes to making the student staple of beans on toast!
  • A sharp knife
  • Tea towels
  • Tupperwear
  • A student recipe book to get your cooking skills up to scratch and give you some good ideas for cooking on a budget
  • A few staple food items including rice, pasta, porridge oats, tinned tomatoes, beans, soup etc. to get you started

Clothing items

  • Loungewear for when you aren’t at lectures or seminars and want to study in comfort
  • A formal outfit in case you have to attend an interview or an awards ceremony whilst you are studying
  • Flip flops are a must have if your halls have a communal bathroom
  • A good waterproof coat and a pair of waterproof boots or shoes are absolutely essential for the autumn and winter terms
  • A strong bag/rucksack to carry everything you need to and from campus

We understand that preparing for university is a stressful (as well as exciting) time. No matter how much planning and preparation you do, there will still be something that is forgotten! However, we hope our blog has provided a good starting point for preparing you to move away from home. Find out more about how to get started at Kent.

Did this blog interest you? You might also be interested in reading our blog post ’10 ways you’re Wasting Money as a Student’.

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