Off to university? Straighten up and fly the nest right with these must-haves to get you through your first year.
Squeaky Clean
No need to hang out your dirty laundry in public with this laundry bag, complete with handy instructions for first-leaving-homers. So now there’s no excuse for bring home washing to your parents…
£11.95
Notonthehighstreet.com
Bazinga!
You only get one life; to have fun, to listen to music, to fall in love, to eat ice cream and of course, complete your assignments. Why not spend more time doing that and less time folding clean laundry? This nifty clothes folder frees up your day and makes sure your storage space is used to its full capacity. Sorted.
£14.95
Red5.co.uk
In the Bag
This leather laptop bag from Vida Vida is perfect for A4-sized documents and 11 to 13-inch laptops for when all the campus computers are in use. But if you don’t need to carry your tech gadgets around, then it also looks great as an everyday leather bag that can fit all your student essentials. Or those overdue library books you’ve been meaning to return…
£70
Notonthehighstreet.com
Eraserhead
Growing up and heading out on your own is all about making mistakes and learning from them. For those easy-to-erase errors, these giant erasers from Flying Tiger can help you start all over again.
£2
Uk.flyingtiger.com
Bin the Pot Noodles
Never mind essays and exams, one of the biggest challenges you’ll face at university is fending for yourself in the kitchen. The Hungry Student Cookbook will take you from freshers’ week to graduation – all on a seriously tight budget. You’ll never have to resort to a can of baked beans again!
£12.99
Hungry-student.com
Pin Me Down
Depending on where your student lodgings are, landlords and accommodation reps can be very strict about what you can stick on your walls. This peg noticeboard from Clare Loves is a great way to keep things safe, save photo memories and anything else you accumulate at university, without having to chisel away year-old blu-tack come moving day.
£39
Clareloves.co.uk
FRESH TIPS FOR NEW STUDENTS
Get a student bank account
Shop around for the best deal and find a bank that’s right for you. There are some great deals for opening a new account, but don’t be swayed by the free gifts, it’s the terms and conditions of your overdraft you really need to look out for.
Take advantage of the 16-25 Railcard
Whether you’re staying close by or moving halfway across the country, travel is probably going to factor into your student experience at some point. The 16-25 Railcard costs just £30 and can save you a third on rail fares throughout Great Britain.
Sign up to NUS Extra
Your student ID card will become practically strapped to your hand during your years at university, but be sure to also apply for a NUS Extra card to guarantee over 200 student discounts at places such as Odeon Cinemas, The Co-Operative Food, Pizza Express and Amazon.co.uk.
Prepare for freshers’ flu
It definitely sounds like a myth (and your folks probably won’t believe you), but freshers’ flu is real. With thousands of young adults coming together in a strange city or town, something’s bound to spread. Pack Lemsips, some ibuprofen and a plaster or two – you can never be too prepared.
Bring an extension lead
You’ve packed your laptop, your phone charger, desk lamp, speakers, hairdryer, straighteners and your Xbox. You get to your brand new digs and there are only two plug sockets. All hail the coveted extension lead! You never realise just how handy they are until you don’t have one.
Don’t forget your brain!
It sounds silly, but contrary to popular opinion, you are at university to learn, work hard, have fun and discover more about a subject you love. Keep your wits about you, take advantage of opportunities and explore your brand new world – it’s going to be over before you know it!