University of Exeter

Exeter

What to bring?

So.

I'm finally getting down to the business of packing - and I'm wondering what to take! I know we get mini-fridges, but can we have kettles etc in our rooms?

And clothes-wise, do we need a full-on waterproof raincoat, or will an umbrella and a hoody suffice? Trainers, or wellies?

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Reply 1

shazj1

hi, i think its best just to bring bare necessities. u had a look on uni lists provided online? they give you an idea of what you need (although the list i found was 5 pages long!)

University of Exeter

Exeter

Reply 2

Angelil

Umbrella and hoody should be OK as far as wet-weather clothes go. Unless you're planning to trample across Dartmoor in the rain you shouldn't need wellies :p:

Kettles are great, I love mine. Wouldn't recommend any other food?drink-making appliances in your room though.

I can't tell you much about what to bring - more what *not* to bring! Such as:
-Lava lamps, fibre-optic lamps etc seem like a great idea at the time, but in reality they take up a lot of space and you'll barely use them. You'll be cursing them by the time you've had to lug them back and forth a couple of times. Bring fairy lights instead if you must bring something of that nature - they're a lot more portable :smile:

-In the majority of cases you won't need your own bedding as what the uni provides will be fine. I brought one extra pillow, as I like to have two and the uni only gives you one. Most of the time the quality is fine, the duvets should have been washed in between students (if in doubt, take it to a dry cleaner's yourself) and in any case, I wouldn't have thought hygiene is an issue seeing as you'll be putting clean sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers on the uni bedding anyway.
-CDs can be burned onto your laptop and your computer can also double up as a DVD player and CD player.
-You won't need a TV as most halls have a common room or living room with a TV. If you must have your own access, buy a TV card for your computer (remember you still need a TV licence if you plan on doing this!).
-Don't take too much fiction if you're a big reader. You won't have time to read all the stuff you take and you can always pilfer the university and local libraries for stuff to read if you do have time.

Another tip: Try and buy cutlery that's a bit different (e.g. a pattern on the plates, different-coloured cutlery handles etc). If you can't manage that, mark your silver cutlery and plain white plates with coloured nail varnish - it will help you identify your stuff and it shouldn't come off in the wash.

Reply 3

Calon Lan

Ariadne

There's no problem with having a kettle in your room, toasters are a no-no as the fire alarms are very sensitive. :rolleyes:

As for clothes, remember it'll be the beginning of December when term finishes (and it's starting to get cold already!). I'd bring one waterproof coat, I found last year most of the time a hoody and umbrella were fine, but I was glad of my raincoat some days! But trainers should be fine, no real need for wellies I don't think!

Reply 4

Ariadne

Do you need your own cutlery etc if you're in catered halls?

Reply 5

Angelil

You might want to bring one set (knife and fork for pancake day :biggrin:

- people have made pancakes in catered halls in the past! - and spoon for cereal if you get up too late in the morning to eat in hall) and a couple of mugs and glasses so you can have drinks when you want to.

Reply 6

totalblam_blam

Oooh, this is very helpful indeed. Thanks Angelil and Calon Lan! I was going ing to bring my own duvet cos I thought they didn't provide one, but now there's going to be loads more room in the car. Imagine trying to stuff a duvet into your wardrobe :rolleyes:

I never thought of bringing cutlery lol

Reply 7

boho

the university does provide you with a duvet, duvet cover and pillows, but theres nothing quite like bringing your own stuff to make it feel a bit more like home.

In catered halls, there is always the common room for it, but remember there are like 200 people with access to that tv, so you don't always get to watch what you want. i had a freeview box in my first year and there was nothing quite like waking up hungover on a sunday morning to all day t4 and e4!! anyway, its up to you. having a tv in my room with more than 5 channels did make me pretty popular.

as for the weather, im more of a skirts and leggings girl and never really seem to get *that* chilled. I got my first winter coat of uni in january this year when the weather was so so cold. saying that, im not much of a coat wearer and you can just get away with a hoody or layering up, which is always good for when you power walk it up to the peter chalk center and then get inside and can just strip off before you overheat!!

Reply 8

Angelil

To get round the duvet thing, you can always bring an extra blanket - it'll keep you just as warm and won't take up as much space in the car.

TV card also takes up less space than TV ;yes;

Reply 9

Niyati

I warn you it does tend to rain alot at Exeter :biggrin:

As for cutlery, several mugs are a must have, as you get to the point when you can't be bothered to wash up mugs but you are desperate for a cup of tea. I took three last year (all different sizes :biggrin:

) - also cutlery and plates are useful in catered (you only really need one set though) - because if u miss dinner, or you don't wake up for breakfast you can have cereals in your room etc. Last year I quite often bought sausage rolls etc to heat in the microwave for lunch (as you don't get lunch in catered - or you didn't last year)

A door stop is also important. On your first week it is good to have your door propped open (shoes didn't work in Penny c - the doors were too heavy!) so that you can make friends with everyone.

Also always bring a little medi kit, because nearly everyone gets Freshers flu at some point - all those germs from all over the country coming to one place. its bound to happen :biggrin:

Reply 10

totalblam_blam

Niyati

Also always bring a little medi kit, because nearly everyone gets Freshers flu at some point - all those germs from all over the country coming to one place. its bound to happen :biggrin:

Niiiiice. Lemsip is my friend, then :s-smilie:

Reply 11

Niyati

lol! For me it was hot ribena....i lived on the stuff for several weeks :biggrin:

- though I was lucky i only got flu once :biggrin:

Reply 12

Ariadne

How does laundry work in catered halls? Do we have to take our stuff down to a laundrette in the town, or are there laundry facilities in the hall? I'm assuming we have to bring our own washing powder...

Reply 13

supercat

There are laundry facilities in your halls. You do have to provide your own washing powder/tablets/fabric conditioner etc, but the actual machines are free (if you're catered).

Reply 14

Angelil

Well, not 'free', given how much extra you pay :wink:

Reply 15

monkeyru

so you have to pay for laundry facilities in self catered halls??? does anyone have any ideas about drying things that dont go in tumble dryers? my dad said something useful like 'everything goes in tumble dryers just like everything goes in the same wash coloured or not' and 'i never bought anything white or that couldnt be tumble dried so i didnt have to worry about' not useful :P

Reply 16

sophisticated

monkeyru

ive put stuff in the drier before thats not supposed to be tumble dried! i dont see a problem with it, unless its some material like silk, in which case obviously dont do it if it says not to.
my advice is just to put it on for 10 minutes and check on it...you could always dry it til its dampish then leave the rest of it to dry in front of your radiator or out your window (if its hot, unlikely!)
please dont hold me responsible though! heehee