by Sora Jhannoa

Created on: April 02, 2008

Knowing what to pack for University is a very difficult thing to get right first time and indeed at any other time. Never leave your packing until last minute! That will only make it more likely that you will forget something important, such as pants, a toothbrush or towels.

The sort of things you need to take vary greatly depending on a lot of factors such as what you will be studying at University, where you will be staying and how far away you are from home. If you are studying on an art course you will need to pack art supplies whereas if you are doing a course on 3D modelling then you will need a good computer which can run the programs you need use. You will need different things when staying in halls from the sort of things you will need when you share a house with some friends. Also if you are far away from home you will not be able to just nip back and fetch something important that you have forgotten, you will need to think carefully about what you have and what you might be missing.

Packing is always a daunting task, especially if you are moving for the first time. An important thing to remember is that your room at University will not be big, most of them are very small, especially the first year's halls of residence. Essential items vary between people, however I will briefly summarise the basics that you will need in your first year at University.

1. Clothing An obvious choice but important. Make sure you pack a range of clothes from smart to scruffy, and also clothes for hot or cold weather if you are staying at University for a long time.

2. Course related items such as art equipment for art courses, computers for computing courses, text books which may be relevant etc.

3. Pens and paper this is useful for taking notes with surprisingly enough, which you will have to do at University as you won't always be given the lecture slides.

4. Bedding preferably two changes of sheets and pillow cases, two soft pillows and a warm duvet. Buy the best you can afford. There is nothing worse than a bad night's sleep because your bed has been uncomfortable.

5. Cooking implements you may want to wait until you reach halls before buying these sorts of things, as some Universities offer starter packs for students. Basic cooking tools can be brought cheaply from supermarkets. Take a parent with you and they'll advise you on what will be the most useful.

6. Bathroom items toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant etc are all important. Remember to take shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. There is nothing worse than a student who does not wash out of laziness. Being smelly and not washing does not help you make friends.

7. A computer or a laptop, depending on whether you need one for your course or not. My course could not be done without a computer, which I only realised after the first month.

There may be other things you would like to take such as a television, DVD player or a game's console. Think carefully about what you will use and what will be important for living away from home. If you ever have trouble trying to think about what to take, the best thing to do is to talk to your parents and your University, as they will have a good idea of what is vital to pack.

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