Unusual University Essentials

Many of you will be starting university soon or returning after your summer break. Unfortunately I have finished now and I have to go and be grown up somewhere. 

Hilariously accurate

We've all seen the blog posts of things you need at university like your pillows, duvet, pots and pans. But this post will show some more unusual essentials that I found during my three years at university.

1. An important one if you'd like to be sociable at uni (well some of the time at least). A doorstop, most university accommodation have heavy, self closing fire doors. Now and again you'll want your flat to be a bit more open to everyone, or maybe just air out the smell of that plate that didn't make it to the kitchen three days ago.

2. A money box, either one of them pot ones that you can't get into (they are way too much commitment for me, I mean what if I need that 20p later on!) I just went for a little metal one with a princess on it that I can open up. There will be a point at the end of each term when that pot will be essential to survival.

3. A vase, at some point somebody will be bought flowers or decide to buy some for themselves and then realise vases have to be bought! As much as I loved the genius idea my flatmate had of cutting the top off a coke bottle, I would have definitely preferred a pretty vase.

You can just see the coke bottle behind the black picture frame

4. Fancy dress clothing and some rubbish clothing. I stupidly went to uni with no fancy dress outfits and had to buy one for every time something came up. 

Rubbish clothing is important too, within the first week of freshers we went to a UV paint party which meant whatever clothes we wore got absolutely ruined (let's not talk about getting it out of my hair #ouch)

5. Scissors, for some reason not something that popped into my head when packing for uni and I suffered for a long time without my own pair of them. There's only so many ways you can use a knife instead of scissors. On the note of knives...

6. A sharp knife. No scissors, pathetic knives, how on earth did I survive first year?!

7. Straws, you'd be amazed how thrilling a pack of straws is to a bunch of students, especially ones that are wearing expensive lipstick. You can never have enough glasses either, take as many as you can fit in your car as they will go missing and someone will always be drinking out of a pot noodle mug.

8. A spice rack, or something to that effect. If you have to eat cheap food on a budget you need ways of making it tasty. Curry powder is super useful, rosemary and thyme, chilli powder etc.. My favourite which is only £1 from shops like Home Bargains and B&M, The chilli and garlic grinder, makes everything super tasty and a little bit spicy. 

Not my image

9. A sleeping bag, somebody will always have somebody stay over whether friend from home or uni friend who has locked themselves out, with single beds in a lot of accommodation somebody might just appreciate a warm place to sleep.

10. Some cushions and blankets for shared living spaces. You definitely don't want your Debenhams, expensive, fancy cushion in the living room with drunk people. I brought some old cushions from home (with washable covers) and a cheap blanket from pound stretcher. Don't forget you spend most of your time at university in Winter (In England winter lasts about 9months of the year) so it will be cold, stock up on the warmer things.

Does anyone have any other unusual uni essentials? Hope these 10 help someone preparing for three years away.

Thanks for reading,

Rachel xx