First year of university: What to bring and what to leave at home
Packing for your first year of university can be overwhelming. How do you pack for a whole year? How do you know what to take? How do you know what to leave? We’re here to help you break it down and figure out what you should and shouldn’t pack for your first year of University.
You should pack…
Your laptop
Universities are getting more and more digital, meaning that laptops have become essential. Also, during study breaks, having a laptop can be great to catch up on some Netflix. You don’t have to splash out on a high-end machine, if you don’t already have a laptop. Any medium priced laptop will do just great for university assignments and Netflix!
Shower shoes/ flip flops
If you’re sharing a shower with anyone at uni, it’s a very good idea to pack shower shoes. You don’t want to know what’s gone on in the shower and neither do your feet. You can find them for cheap online or at a lot of different stores.
A shower caddy
It is much easier to deal with all your toiletries if they are in one movable bag. Even if you have your own shower, a shower caddy of some kind can help you keep your toiletries organized.
Deodorant, soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc.
Don’t be that person.
Headphones
If you have noisy flatmates or neighbors, having a good pair of headphones or earbuds (and a cheap backup pair!) is a must. We’d also recommend creating a playlist of music that you know won’t distract you from your work. That way, even if you don’t normally listen to music while you do your homework, if worst comes to worst and you’re stuck doing work somewhere loud, you can put in earbuds and be okay. A key to surviving your first year of university is to be adaptable, and headphones can help you do that.
All the school supplies
Pens, pencils, highlighters, paper, post-its, a stapler AND staples, a hole punch, notebooks, binders, folders, EVERYTHING! If you bring a ton of school supplies, you won’t need to ask for them all the time, which can be annoying, especially when no one else seems to have it either. If you think you might need something, bring it!
A Planner
Even if it’s not a traditional planner, having somewhere set up to put down different important dates from day one is crucial. There are a lot of different ways to put down your schedule, from physical planners to planner apps, so figure out what works best for you.
Mugs and your favorite types of tea and coffee
After a long day of class, a cup of coffee or tea can be the bit of motivation you need to conquer the rest of the day. And if you have an early class, it may be easier to make your own coffee than having to wait in line for it elsewhere.
All the books on your reading list
Yeah, that’s right, all of them. Unless the book is optional, buy or rent all the books on your list. If you’re looking for a cheaper version, you should look for a digital or a used version of any of the books on your list.
You shouldn’t pack…
All your clothes at once
If possible, you should leave you winter clothes at home or packed up until it’s cold. Trade out your summer and winter clothes when the time is right to save up space in your room.
Anything fragile
If no one has told you not to take the fancy dining set yet, let us tell you: Don’t bring it. It will break.
Too much
It’s very easy to over pack for university, especially your first year of university, but in general, stick with what you need and only a few things you really want with you. Lugging a bunch of things to university and back home for the summer that you end up never using is never fun. But also, don’t be afraid to bring/send stuff you’re not using home.
Too little
It’s also important to make sure you have what you need. If you get there and don’t have what you need, it can take a while to find the time to buy it, and no one wants to waste their first few days of their first year of university on buying stuff they should have brought.
Packing for the first year of university is a lot about thinking ahead and finding a balance between what you want in your room and what you actually need. It can seem overwhelming at first, but once you get started you’ll be able to pack in no time. If you want more specifics, here’s a very comprehensive list. And if you want help budgeting for uni, take a look at our article on budgeting for university.
Are you a new or old uni student? Any tips we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments!
- Author The Bamboo Team
- Posted 7 August 2019
