Heading off to university is a life-changing event. You leave the security of the family home on the first steps to independent living. It is an opportunity to look after yourself, budget financially and learn how to cook and manage generally. Our eldest will hopefully be heading off on this adventure later in the year and already I have started planning what she will need and what are the university essentials to make life easier.
Most first years will live in Halls of Residence during their first year. Therefore they don’t need everything including the kitchen sink but equally rocking up without the basics isn’t going to help either. There are some things that as a student you will need in order to help you study and make life easier.
- Firstly a laptop will be needed. This is essential for writing up essays, researching and even watching Netflix whilst sitting in bed! Chloe has a secondhand Mac book but I’m expecting to upgrade it before she goes.
- A printer will make life easier. Chloe has got a small compact printer which she will take with her. The HP DeskJet 3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer is under £45 and we can even set her up with an instant ink plan. This means that she will be sent ink automatically as needed. Other features include
- Printing directly from a smartphone when using a HP printer
- Costs as low as £1.99 a month
- Environmentally friendly, HP Planet Partners will recycle used cartridges as part of the service
- Refer a friend and both parties receive a free month of service. Having her own printer will just make things easier when studying. Chloe’s learning style is to read things and she finds she doesn’t retain information as efficiently if she is reading off a screen. She likes to have physical copies. By setting her up on a monthly plan she doesn’t need to worry about the cost of this when she is budgeting.
- Chloe set this up herself and got it all working easily which was a good practice for when she hasn’t got us on hand to do it automatically. It took her about half an hour and she likes the wireless feature.
- A small fridge. If you have ever been a student you will know that milk in the fridge is fair game. Having a small under counter fridge in your room allows you to keep your own milk for your morning cuppa without fear of it being borrowed by a late night fridge raider!
- Extension cables. You may be very grateful especially if plug sockets are not in ideal places. We also have way more electrical items than we used so cables are very handy. Just make sure you don’t overload them.
- Finally, you may want a reading lamp or similar. Sometimes you don’t want the big light on.
These are just my suggestions for what appliances you might want in your room. The halls will have a hoover, ironing board etc plus the kitchens are equipped with microwave etc so it is just the added extras needed.
