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10 essential items for students
Going to university in September? Make sure you pack these...
Going to university is an exciting time. It promises new friends, new prospects and new experiences. However, it can be daunting, especially if you're living away for home for the first time.
Sometimes, the hardest part isn't saying goodbye to college friends or the beloved family pet, but knowing what to pack! It can be tempting to take the kitchen sink with you, but try not to overpack as the chances are your student room will be bijou. Besides the obvious items — such as crockery, bedding and clothes — there are a few other essentials that you'll probably want to take with you.
From noise-cancelling headphones to a drying rack for your laundry, we've rounded up 10 essential items every student should take with them to university. Most of them are student-budget friendly, and they're all GHI top-scorers, selected by our experts from the various GHI test teams. Here's what you need to take with you in September...
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Toast is a staple food at university. Perfect for breakfast and snacks, you’re going to want a trusty toaster in your kitchen. If your halls don’t provide one, try the Kenwood TTP200. It’s easy to use and will give you evenly browned toast.
Chances are, your university accommodation will be limited on space to dry your clothes, and paying for the tumble dryer can be expensive. Instead, dry your clothes using an airer (but try and avoid putting it in the same room you're sleeping in). The John Lewis Indoor Folding Bathroom Clothes Airer is cheap, compact and scored excellently with the GHI team.
A laptop is an essential for university. Although the library will provide computers, you'll want a laptop for exam periods and when you want to work from home. This Acer Chromebook has a good battery life of eight hours and its design should protect it from inevitable knocks and bumps, making it a great budget buy.
A stir fry is a staple dish at university. To make a huge range of quick and easy meals, you'll want the John Lewis Carbon Steel Wok. It scored nearly full marks with the GHI test team for its ease of use and performance. It also cooks egg-fried rice perfectly, so will save you lots of money on takeaways!
Nothing beats a catch up with housemates over a cuppa. Most university accommodation will provide a kettle, but some private halls don't. If you find yourself without one, fear not. This George at Asda Kettle is super-speedy and costs just £12.
It’s nice to treat yourself to a coffee once in a while – but buying your flat white every morning isn’t very budget friendly! Instead, make your coffee at home, and take it to lectures with you in a reusable cup. This one from ecoffeecup is made from bamboo fibre, effectively retains heat and is very comfortable to drink from.
Hairdryers are easy to leave behind, but are an essential for everyone at university. We like the Boots Power Dryer for its three heat settings, two speed settings and very affordable price tag of £12.99. This is a must-have if you want to quickly wash your hair before morning lectures.
Having a printer in your room can reduce the hassle of going to the library and means you don't have to rely on printing credits. The HP Deskjet 2632 is good for a limited budget and prints documents well, perfect for any coursework or assignments you need to hand in.
Inviting people over to your halls for a glass of wine is a great way to make friends. And, when you have company, you’ll probably want to pop some music on in the background. We like the Amazon Echo Dot as it can be easily connected to Wifi to stream music. It will also answer pub quiz questions!
Living in halls will provide you with a good social life, but it’s also noisy! For when you want some peace a quiet, we recommend the Mixcder E7 Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones. The sound is crystal clear and you get up to 18 hours battery life. Whilst not all surrounding noise is cancelled out, the price tag gives you good value for money.
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