Here’s a guide to the girlie essentials you need to live your best life at uni

If you’re heading to uni in a few weeks, you’d better buckle in to the most important listicle of your life. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed with packing, buy so much random stuff you’ll never use again and miss out on life hacks that will genuinely transform your daily life. I’m offering up my most valuable advice, so no matter whether it’s your first, second or third year, here are a few simple essentials you need to make your girlie uni experience all the better.

A railcard

This is kind of the list anomaly, but TRUST ME, a railcard is going to save your life. If you’re living it up in a big city, you’re probably going to rely on trains, which are becoming more expensive by the minute. Want to pop back home for a weekend? It just became one third cheaper. Take it from a girl whose return train home was £70 without one – invest in a railcard!

Headphones

On those long walks to campus, you’re definitely going to need a playlist or podcast to keep you going. There’s nothing worse than having a long library sesh ahead of you with no music to keep you company.

Water bottle

You absolutely MUST have a huge water bottle that will last you all day. If you’re going to be an academic weapon, you need to put in those hours, and stay hydrated while doing so. Bonus points if you have a weirdly shaped one that fits perfectly in your bag like me.

Two duvet sets

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Who can actually be bothered to do washing once a week? Certainly not me. Having two duvet sets meant I could change my bedding once a week and only have to do washing every fortnight. It saved me a lot of time so I could spend more of it at Spoons. Talk about having my priorities straight.

Laptop case

Get a girl boss laptop case if it means you have to take out a credit card just to buy one. They are a life changer – I promise! I loved sitting in the library and typing on my cute pink laptop feeling like Elle Woods. Did it contribute to me getting work done? Maybe. Mine is from Etsy.

Physical planner

If you want to stay on top of deadlines, having a physical planning book is the way to go. Being able to physically see your plans for the week all in one place is super organised and helped me remember everything I definitely would have forgotten without it. Sorry Notion girlies, I just couldn’t keep up.

Teapot

Having a teapot is such a game changer, especially if you’re feeling a bit awkward about your living situation. Enjoy a silly amount of tea from the comfort of your own room with a cute little teapot.

Face masks

There is nothing like a day of prep before a uni ball, or a relaxing day of me-time after a crazy weekend. Stock up on face masks where you can and trust me, you’ll look and feel amazing afterwards. They’re great for de-stressing too! I personally recommend the ones from Superdrug.

Club sunglasses

Will they get stolen? Most definitely. But sunglasses are just the most fun to bring into the club, no matter the season. You’ll feel like the coolest chick in the room. Definitely a high priority on the girlie uni essentials list.

Berocca

Trust me when I say this is the most useful of the girlie essentials you’ll need at uni. When you’re on your third night out of the week, along with 10,000 other students, your immune system is bound to take a hit. It’ll probably get to the point where you can’t get out of bed for a seminar once or twice. I spent so much of my term time with the sniffles, but my housemate stayed healthy and hangover-free most of the time. Her solution? Drinking a Berocca every day. Even though I’m a retired party girl, I still have one every day and have never felt better. Definitely not sponsored, just a huge fan.

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