Top 10 essentials when moving away for university

1. Laptop

A laptop is probably one of the most essential items you need to take with you to university. It will probably be the only source of entertainment you will have (and how else are you going to procrastinate without Netflix?) A laptop is an all-rounded device that will help in almost any situation — whether it be music whilst you study, to take notes in lectures or to skype your parents to tell them how much you’re missing them.

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2. Clothes

OBVIOUS! Friendly reminder — you will need a lot of these. Remember your parents won’t be around to wash your clothes so be sure to take a lot to ensure you don’t run out of something to wear. Don’t forget you will be there throughout all four seasons so make sure you have packed something for every type of weather.

3. Headphones

Headphones have the same reasoning as bringing a laptop and they also have the great benefit of allowing you to block out anyone in your halls that maybe you don’t like or hall mates that are too loud. Also, a great tool for when you need to get work done, as listening to your favourite tunes can really boost productivity. Simply put, they can help any situation and are another all-around essential you need during your time at uni.

4. Hairdryer

A hairdryer isn’t just an extremely useful item, it is also an amazing way to get to know who you are going to be living around for the next year. Think about it — when starting uni, near to no one will remember to bring a hairdryer so when one of your brand new hallmates is running around saying “I need a hairdryer, I need a hairdryer”, you can come in and save the day! They will forever be in your debt and therefore your first friend is made (you can thank us later). Obviously if all your new hallmates have all read this blog then you may be out of luck, but still, it’s worth a try.

5. Positive Attitude

As cheesy as it may sound, a positive attitude is a huge necessity to have when starting university. Heading to your first lecture will be extremely daunting as you won’t know what to expect but you won’t be the only one feeling like this and speaking from experience we would suggest going in with a positive attitude and making the most of it. You may not understand a single word said in your lecture, but it will be a great way to meet new people!

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6. A Stress Ball

A very small portable yet extremely essential item we advise to take to uni. The best uses would be when in lectures, when studying or maybe when waiting to hear back about results on a recent essay.

7. Reusable Coffee Cup

Whether you are a coffee drinker or not (if not, this is a perfect time to start), having a reusable coffee cup around university is very handy when you may be running around a lot. Also, many coffee shops now offer a discount if you bring our own cup which helps when you are a uni student with a lack of funds, it also means you are still taking care of your footprint on the world which is difficult when you are student.

8. A Work Ethic

Let’s not sugar-coat it — University is going to be very difficult. Therefore you will need to be able to work hard but of course, whilst also having fun. Having a good work ethic can be difficult, so you will have to try different methods and ways of working to see what works best for you. Try asking other people for insight into how they work and what they find useful; working with other people can also help you be more productive and ultimately work harder.

9. Fancy Dress Material

This is essential. For some reason, universities can’t seem to stop making you dress up every day for your first month so you will need to be prepared! You may already have a ton of fancy dress at home so we would advise you just take it all (the worse the better). This will also save you money and save you time faffing around with what to wear. Also another great way to make friends as they can borrow outfits if you bring enough with you.

10. Kitchen Wear

If you’re one of the lucky ones, you may have kitchen wear waiting for you or, if not so lucky, you may have to provide your own. You will need pans, plates, cutlery, cups and bowls — we would suggest taking a few of each as they tend to go missing and the culprits are normally the ones who forgot to bring anything (don’t give them your hairdryer!)

Now you should be all set to have an amazing few years at uni, we hope our essentials help you on your journey and remember to enjoy yourself.

We also have some amazing apartments fortunately located right by most of the major university areas; Birmingham, Nottingham, Bath, Bristol, London. They’re all great options for when you have family visiting, or you are a family member visiting a university student to see how they are getting on. Our apartments will allow you to get some of your own work done as they are secluded and feel like home — with great features like fully-equipped kitchens and free Wi-Fi, you’ll never want to leave!