Moving to university for the first time? Here’s a graduate’s guide on what to take with you

Welcome Week is nearly upon us, and from Thursday we're welcoming new students as they arrive to move into halls. Jazmin, who's just finished her MA in Journalism at Goldsmiths and lived in Batavia Mews during her time here, shares her top tips for the things you might forget to pack.

Living in university accommodation is often one of the most exciting aspects of student life.  The idea of moving can seem a bit daunting at first, but take it from someone who’s been there, there are so many great experiences ahead of you that you’ll probably share with your new housemates so don’t worry, it’ll all be worth it.

When it comes to moving in, the biggest problem is often not knowing what to bring with us to university. It’s so easy to find yourself with a bedroom full of things you don’t really need, and forgetting some basic essentials. To save you the hassle, we’ve put together a list of some of the most common items that you might’ve forgotten to pack:

Lamp

Don’t panic, your new room will definitely have a ceiling light, but you’ll be surprised by how much of a difference a lamp will make. Not only will it save you from having to use the torch on your phone to read books in bed, it’ll make your room feel much more homely.

Doorstop

You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s worth reiterating: leaving your door open makes it a lot easier to meet and make friends with your new housemates. So don’t shut yourself away, find something to prop your door open.

Tea towels

Tea towels are often forgotten, and if we do have them with us they’re always the last things to be washed. Don’t leave any excuse for plates and pans to pile up on the draining board and bring extra tea towels with you.

Hangers

While you’re busy trying to fit the contents of your wardrobe into one suitcase, it’s easy to forget that you’ll have to hang those clothes back up when you get to your new accommodation. If you have some spare ones at home, try to pack a few more so you don’t need to worry about buying extra later in the year.

First aid kit

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and while there will always be people around to help you if anything serious happens, it’s helpful to have the basics with you. Some painkillers, cold and flu tablets, plasters and an antiseptic cream are a good place to start.

Spare towel/bed linen

You’re not always going to be able to wash and dry your towels and bed linen in the same day, so avoid any rush or having to go without by having a spare set with you while the other set is dirty. 

Reed diffuser 

Candles won’t be allowed in most halls of residence due to fire safety regulations, but if you’d still like your room to smell nice, pick up a reed diffuser instead. They last a lot longer which will save you money in the long run.

Bin bags

You can never have enough bin bags, and you’ll find that they’re always one of the first things to run out. Stock up on a couple of rolls for the use of the house and it’ll make tidying up and clearing rubbish out much easier than trying to use old grocery bags.

Tupperware

Cooking big batches of food to last a few days will save you time and money; the only issue is making sure you have somewhere to store it. Tupperware containers will always be useful to you, so have a few with you to take the hassle out of saving your leftovers.

Find out more about Welcome Week and read the full schedule of events.