10 items that every Durham student needs

Pre-warning: Yes, I will be talking about air fryers

2 days ago

Luisa Aarhuus | Guides

It may be slightly rogue to drop a “uni essentials” list halfway through the academic year, but as they say: Better late than never. And frankly, there is never a bad time to optimise your Durham existence 🙂

After extensive research (i.e. an Instagram poll), I’ve compiled the ultimate list of ten simple items that will transform your halls or house experience from “barely surviving” to “thriving, actually”. In this article, we’ll cover all the critical domains of student life: Kitchen, laundry, academia, sleep deprivation, and, naturally, alcohol.

So without further ado, let’s begin!!!

1. The holy grail of student living: The air fryer

Shocking absolutely no one, the number one spot goes to the sacred air fryer.

I genuinely believe the air fryer is one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century. The air fryer is to uni students what the Kitchen Aid stand mixer and the Thermomix are to middle-class mums: A lifestyle.

They’re quick, efficient, and almost guaranteed to exist in every student household in Durham, sometimes multiple, if the flatmates aren’t getting along.

You do not need the boujiest model. You do not need the Ninja Dual Max Foodie (although I do own one and she is my pride and joy, I fear I am now officially old as I get excited about kitchen appliances). Aldi and Lidl do perfectly respectable versions for £30 or less and, let’s be honest, they all cook your chicken nuggets the same.

2. A close second: The “Mee-Cro-Wah-Vay”

I’m sorry, but like the rest of the British population, I simply cannot say this kitchen appliance’s name without impersonating the vivacious icon that is Nigella Lawson. If you can do so, you are simply stronger than I!

As someone currently living in halls without one, trust me when I tell you this: The reheating of food is a basic human right.

I have firsthand witnessed inter-building flat warfare over a Hello Kitty microwave. Don’t be like them. Invest in a microwave. Protect your leftovers. Protect your peace.

Said microwave. Tbf she is quite cute.

3. A bottle opener with a corkscrew

Shoutout to Thomas for this one! As a self-confessed connoisseur of a cheeky drinkipoos, I am ashamed to admit I didn’t even think of this one.

Let me paint a quick picture.

After a long, gruelling day of two whole lectures and several hours of procrastinating in the Billy B, you muster all your left-over energy to begrundingly trudge down to Market Square Tesco in the pouring rain (of course it is raining, it is Durham) where you decide to treat yourself to the second cheapest wine (Clubcard sale, obviously).

You arrive home semi-soaked and are looking forward to a crisp glass of Chardonnay … when you discover shock horror: The bottle has a cork.

You try a fork. Your front door key. A lighter, some hack you saw on TikTok. Nothing works.

You go to bed miserable, emotionally damaged, defeated, and, most tragically, sober.

This scenario, ladies and gentlemen, is very much not très bien.

Don’t be this person. Be prepared and have a bottle opener with a corkscrew.

4. Alcohol: The student ambrosia

This one ties in very nicely with the corkscrew.

After all, Durham has a reputation to uphold. Allegedly, we are one of the booziest universities in the UK.

Empty bottles? Fill them with fairy lights. Instant Pinterest-core décor. You’re not spending money, you’re investing in both short-term joy and long-term interior design.

Disclaimer: I am not encouraging anyone to drink. Do what feels right for you.

I, however, will be partaking. Extensively. x

Laundry

Now that we’ve conquered the kitchen, it’s time to move on to another crucial domain of student life: Laundry—the true test of adulthood.

For many of us, university isn’t just about intellectual growth. It’s about the horrifying realisation that washing does not magically appear back in your wardrobe.

Heartbreaking, I know.

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5. A steam iron (future you at formals will be grateful)

I am deeply ashamed to admit that I once spent £30 at a laundrette in Durham to iron a formal dress because I couldn’t be bothered to do it myself.

I am not proud. I will not be elaborating.

I am, however, wiser, which is why I wholeheartedly recommend investing in a steamer. And I cannot stress this enough: These bad boys are life changing. They make ironing vaguely tolerable.

To the boys (no names mentioned) who only iron the visible section of their shirts at formals and then refuse to take off their jacket until enough liquid courage has entered the bloodstream, please buy one x

Steam the whole shirt. All of it. Please.

6. Vanish Gel Stick

We all have stains. We no longer have “mum, help.”

As a self-confessed klutz I spill something down myself at least once a week. This thing works actual magic. Scribble it on, wash it, and volia – good as new!

It’s a solid 10/10 every time.

7. Earplugs

Anyone who has lived at uni will agree: We have all heard things we absolutely did not want to hear.

Given the current noise levels in the Billy B (so I’ve been told), earplugs are not a luxury—they are essential equipment.

Not just for sleep. For sanity.

And when summative season rolls around, trust me: You will be grateful.

8. Hot water bottle & blankets

The weather North-East of England is not for the faint-hearted.

Winter in Durham builds character. With energy prices being what they are, hot water bottles and excessive blankets are elite-tier investments.

Bonus for the girlies: they genuinely help with period cramps. Practical and comforting. A win win situation!

9. An Academic Wall Calendar or Whiteboard

If you actually do end up following my advice and purchase one thing from this list, please let it be this!

This is hands down the one true item that keeps my sanity during term times. A big, tangible wall calendar where you can write down every formative and summative deadline is genuinely life-changing. There is nothing more satisfying than physically crossing something off.

Digital planners are great, but there’s something about seeing your entire term laid out in front of you that is both motivating and mildly terrifying.

10. Appropriate footwear

As someone who famously loves aggressively inappropriate footwear, it pains me deeply to say this: Durham is simply not built for cute shoes.

Cobblestones. Hills. Torrential rain. Mud. More rain. You get the idea. These are not conditions that encourage suede trainers.

As much as I support the Sambas and Ugg craze, at least keep a pair of hiking boots or weather-appropriate shoes on standby for when Durham decides to showcase its bleakest side.

And as the famous German proverb goes: “Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung.” There is no bad weather, only bad clothing :). Which might explain why Germans wear hiking boots all the time…