The dos and don’ts of packing for uni halls

Moving into halls is a huge step. It can therefore be hard to know exactly what you should bring to uni, resulting in most students being either over or underprepared. Should you pack up your whole wardrobe including outfits you haven’t worn in the last two years? What about cleaning products? But don’t panic – read this simple guide of exactly what you should and shouldn’t pack to help get your to-do list sorted in these last few weeks leading up to your first term at Newcastle Uni.

Do go all in for decor

Honestly, decorating your new room in halls is one of the most fun parts of moving out and it doesn’t need to be spenny. Abuse FreePrints to either cover your walls in pics of your pals from home or print out photos from Pinterest and make a collage – these are very ‘in’ right now, kind of like how tapestries were the bomb in 2014. To breathe some life into your new room, houseplants such as cacti are fairly low maintenance and will give you a sense of achievement. When you’re barely surviving on your diet of trebs and cheesy chips, at least your plant is thriving. Complete the look with some TikTok inspired LED lights from Amazon and you’re good to go. Not only is decorating fun, it will help you feel more at home.

Don’t bring anything too sentimental or valuable

Okay, obviously you’ll need some valuable things such as your laptop for all those important lecture notes but items with sentimental value are probably much safer at home. You don’t want to be the person crying when the family heirloom bracelet you received on your 18th has gotten lost somewhere between Bijoux and Soho. You will wish you’d listened to this article and left it in your parents’ house in Surrey.

Don’t bring the whole of IKEA’s kitchen range

In terms of kitchenware, do bring your own cutlery, plates and glasses. However, for things such as pots and pans, there will probably not be enough space for six brand new sets in your shared kitchen. Discuss who’s bringing what in your flat group chat before packing, that way you won’t end up with seven chopping boards and no cheese grater – you’ll have at least one of everything and plenty more cupboard space for other student essentials such as pasta and beans.

Do bring certain small appliances

Most halls provide a toaster and kettle for you, so you won’t need to bring those. However, there are some small appliances you may want to bring as they won’t be given to you e.g. a blender for your daily protein shakes if you’re a gym guy or gal, or a small coffee machine if you’re a caffeine addict. This will stop you from splurging in the SU’s Starbucks before every lecture and trust us, those £ quickly add up.

Don’t bring your whole wardrobe

Remember, you’re coming to Newcastle to start your Autumn term – it will be FREEZING. The wardrobes in most student halls are tiny, so save on space and leave your summer wardrobe at home. When it gets to Christmas break and the weather starts getting warmer, you can switch some of your clothes around so you’re prepared all year. Also, don’t make the same mistake I did in first year and bring all of your dresses to uni. You’ll quickly realise that the percentage of ‘dressy’ nights out you go on is tiny compared to the chilled and dressed down ones – jeans and a nice top all the way!

Do bring clothes hangers and towels

This seems pretty self explanatory but you’d be surprised how many freshers either forget or think that they’re included with their halls. Cupboard space is also very limited, so hanging up your clothes will be the new go-to (this also means less creases and let’s be honest – absolutely nobody irons their clothes at uni).

Do bring a first aid kit

You’ll thank us for this one when you’re hungover after a big night out and you actually remembered to bring paracetamol with you. Bring a first aid kit to halls and include paracetamol, ibuprofen, plasters, anti-bac spray and wipes and any other medication you think you may need. It definitely won’t hurt to be prepared when you inevitably fall down the Soho stairs and wake up with grazes and cuts all over your legs.

Don’t take your TV

Unless you’re an avid gamer or someone who plans to spend a lot of time in their room, don’t take your TV. You’re going to be extremely busy in first year and any time you do have to watch the telly will most likely be spent in your shared area with your flat. So, save yourself the hassle of carrying it up three flights of stairs to your new bedroom and leave it at home.

Do take games

We know this sounds a little bit weird – but when you and your flatmates have a night in, games such as Twister are so jokes and you’ll all go absolutely wild for your family’s old Nintendo Wii from 2007. So, dust off your Mario Kart steering wheel and bring it with you for some quality entertainment.

Overall, packing for your new life at uni isn’t as hard as you might think at first and if you follow our guide, you’ll be prepared and ready to go! See you soon freshers…

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