First time going to uni plan
(( I've always romanticised uni and getting my level grades is far too soon for me, really scared. But to keep me delusion and a way to waste my time I have been making a list and a budget plan in this doc. I hope it helps others if they are confused and panicking.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GCkNlqyumVc8us3jUS6Kq9Z_kwvIrfUfzdCRz8GPx2w/edit?usp=sharing
Good luck to all tomorrow, I will be sleeping after I get the results
)) Opening UCAS first, then go to school to get grades and sleep at home the whole day.
(( I've always romanticised uni and getting my level grades is far too soon for me, really scared. But to keep me delusion and a way to waste my time I have been making a list and a budget plan in this doc. I hope it helps others if they are confused and panicking.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GCkNlqyumVc8us3jUS6Kq9Z_kwvIrfUfzdCRz8GPx2w/edit?usp=sharing
Good luck to all tomorrow, I will be sleeping after I get the results
)) Opening UCAS first, then go to school to get grades and sleep at home the whole day.Whilst I admire people who have such a detailed plan for uni, I think it's a bit of an overkill. A simple checklist would be more than enough
Random:
•
2024-25 diary - recommended, although sometimes Google Calendar is sufficient
•
2024-25 wall calendar - not necessary
•
Documentation Wallet- Passport, ID, National Insurance, GCSEs/A-level certificates, Bank details, etc - fine
•
First Aid Pouch- Plasters, paracetamol/ibuprofen, hay fever, tiredness pills, cold/flu, face masks, etc - really a lot; there would be some shops near the uni that you would go to for stuff like this. Otherwise the local Asda or Tesco would be enough.
•
Uni Move In Plan; Suitcases only for clothes, bedding, personal care, electronics - I wouldn't do more than 2 suitcases. It's a complete hassle to move your entire bedroom into the dorm for 9 months and then move everything out again. Also, keep the electronics to a minimal since it's not likely going to be a big room.
•
Boxes only for kitchen, bathroom, desk items, decorations, miscellaneous, toilet paper - this is fine, but do note you can always shop for things at shops local to the uni i.e. why do you need to bring toilet paper?
•
Buy at uni only for groceries, and others that you don’t want to carry (e.g. cleaning supplies)
•
Single Mattress Topper - a bit much
•
Single Mattress Protector - a bit much
•
Single Duvet Sets x2 (check with uni for sizing) - they're usually singles; I have yet to see unis offering anything more than a single bed for a single student; it's not a 5* hotel.
•
Pillow - fine
•
A blanket; to keep warm just in case the cover is not enough - fine
•
Plushies - why?
•
Pans
•
Pot
•
Knife Set OR Cooking Knife with Cover - typically a kitchen knife and a paring knife are more than adequate
•
Chopping Board; idk what is better, plastic vs wood - wood if you oil it (preferably with olive oil) regularly. Plastic if you want people to know it's yours. Chances are the colour coding that the boards are meant for don't matter here since you won't care what colour you use to chop up your ingredients.
•
Dining Sets x2 -Plates, Bowls, Mugs, Glasses - who is your guest?
•
Cling film, food zip bag - can be bought from the local shops. Also, why not just cling film food in diningware or use Tupperware instead?
•
Hand Towels x2
•
Kitchen Tools -Peeler, Can/Tin Opener, Cooking Turner, Stirring Spoon, Big Scissors, Colander, plastic bowls x2 - not exactly sure what you're cooking, but you are starting to sound like a gourmet chef
•
Tupperware; great for freezing vegs e.g. onions
•
Utensil Holder/Organiser; hold your forks, spoons etc - I see you're bringing your kitchen with you
•
Cutleries x3 -Forks, Spoons, Knives, Chopsticks - I'm really curious to know who you're cooking for
•
Reusable Water Bottle
•
Optional- Food tray, water filter jug (amazon), recipe book, toothpick - really not necessary
•
Towels x2 -Hand, face, body
•
Scrubber/loofah, shaver
•
Mug, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss, Mouthwash, etc
•
Shampoo + Conditioner, Body Wash
•
Deodorant
•
Hand soap; for the sink - you can buy this from the local shop, unless your soap is extra special
•
Toilet Paper Bundle - again why bring toilet paper when you can just pop to the local shops?
•
Bathroom Washtub/Bowl; to hand wash clothes if needed - they usually have washing machines, dryers, and or a laundromat
•
Toilet Brush, Toilet Cleaner - unless your toilet cleaner is a special brand from a distant and exclusive company that produce their product in some remote region of the Himalayas, the brush is more than enough. Buy the cleaner at the local shops.
•
Shower Cover- AMAZON £3.99 for 2pc - do dorms not have shower covers? Are you camping out in the wilderness?
•
Optional- Plastic bin, Bath mat, flip flops for the bathroom, Window Squeegees- AMAZON £2.99, shower caddy (shelf), air freshener - bath mat is fine, bin is sort of OK, air freshener is sort of OK; flip flops, squeege, shower caddy shelf are excessive.
•
Why have I not seen you asking for a toiletry bag? This would have make things so much easier
•
Stationery (stationary means still) -Pencil case, pens, pencils, highlighters, rubber, sharpener -Ruler, scissors, stapler with staples, paper clips/pins, tape -Sticky notes, refill pads, revision cards, notebooks, a4 plain papers, calculator - unless you're doing an art/design course, this is overkill. Pens and notepads are usually more than enough. The plain paper and calculator are fine additions though.
•
Folders + Plastic Wallets; keep papers organised - hole punchers and ringbinders are plenty. Unless you are taking your folder to a job interview there, this is a bit much.
•
Reading books x2; doubt I will read but want to try to keep productive - I'd bring several, but you would likely be reading the course material a lot more - you are essentially reading nonstop at uni. So unless you have done some sort of advanced learning course where you can speed read 500 pages in one afternoon, I would keep the books to one side.
•
Whiteboard - are you planning an invasion? Keep this at home.
•
Bookstand/Magazine Holder - a bit much. People normally throw magazines away after a while. Do you really need this? How many books will you actually have to warrant a bookstand?
•
Desk Mirror - I take it this is for makeup and you don't have access to a mirror in the bathroom. You can sometimes use your phone instead.
•
Digital Clock/Timer- iKEA £5
•
Hairdryer
•
Sleeping Eye Mask
•
Period Pads (day/night, light/heavy)
•
Hair Pouch- Hair bands, clips, ties, roller
•
Brushes, combs
•
Glasses cleaner
•
Perfumes - singular, not plural please
•
Facial Products- face wash, pimple patches, etc
•
Face and hand cream, sunscreen cream
•
Makeup Pouch
•
Others- Cotton pads/buds, nail clippers
•
Optional- Hand sanitisers, earplugs
•
Clothes-
Jackets- daily etc
Bottoms- jeans, trousers, skirts, smart wear Shoes- daily, indoors, smart etc Underwear and socks
Seasonal wear- gloves, scarves, raincoat etc Others- bathrobe, dress, bags etc
•
Clothes Hangers (standard and grip clip ones)
•
Clothes Organisers
•
Washing products- Detergent pods/liquids (both coloured and white clothes), stain remover - buy these at the local shops.
•
Clothes Drying Rack- AMAZON £11.45 or look in-store
•
Clothing Clips
•
Laundry Basket/Bag; any bag is fine - I would get a laundry basket for under £10. It's a better convenience
•
Lint Roller- AMAZON £4.99 for 5; to get rid of tiny dust etc - unless you are bringing your cat with you, you would barely use even 1.
•
Optional- Shoe rack, clothes drying rack, extra hooks/pegs (over the door), fabric softener, hanger organiser - shoe rack is nice to have
•
Photos, posters - you would probably be buying most of this from the Freshers' Fair
•
Figurines etc - excessive
•
Blue tacks, wax gel, command strips or pins
•
Optional- Fake plants, tapestry; for wall, led lights - one of these; your room is tiny
•
Disinfectant Wipes
•
Multipurpose Cleaning Spray
•
Sponges, tablecloths
•
Trash Bags
•
Small broom and dustpan
•
Washing up liquid (fairy)
•
Rubber gloves
•
Extension Lead Cable- AMAZON £6.99 - always practical
•
Power Bank
•
Umbrella - especially if you are going to somewhere in the west or north of the country
•
A bunch of reusable bags for shopping - a bit much, but OK
•
Playing games; uno, standard playing cards - just one of these
•
Optional- standing fan, mini portable fan
Grocery (put customised name stickers on the stuff) - buy these when you get there
•
Weekly Essential- E.g. Eggs, Sausages, White Bread Loaf, Milk, Water, Spam, Meat
•
Fridge Storage- E.g. Butter, Garlic, Juice, Onions, Chives, Carrots
•
Cupboard Storage- E.g Cereal, Cooking Oil, Potatoes, Lettuce, Rice, Salt, Sugar, Pepper, Soy Sauce, Mayo, Vinegar, Sesame Oil, oyster sauce, soybean sauce
•
Bedroom Storage- Crisps, biscuits etc
•
Cooking Recipes- example… Breakfast; Cereal, Egg with Sausages, Toasts etc Lunch; …. Dinner; pasta, spaghetti, noodles, stir fry food, salmon, cold sesame noodles, sweet and sour pork, chow mein etc
•
Optional- ….
_______________________________________________________________
Money:
•
ISA (Savings Bank Account); tax-free return
•
Daily Usage; choose between student (e.g. Santander for railway card) or existing card - stay with existing. If you need to get a new bank account, check to see which is the nearest branch to you when you get there
Only my estimation and a view of what will be happening once uni starts for me, probably underestimate these - very likely
I like the idea of giving myself weekly pocket money, meaning i transfer money from a different account to my daily usage card - more than likely, you would be in debt very quickly
I plan to get a budget book (any kind of notebook) to track what ive been money on, like date 14/08/2024- shopping £20, transport £15 etc; it's easier to use an app or just use Excel/Google Sheets; the book is not necessary unless you want to itemise everything down to the last item, in which case use an online accounting software
...
Savings- how much you saved each week - you get to save money whilst being a student? Please bestow your wisdom.
Overall, it sounds like it's very excessive. It's almost as if you're moving your whole bedroom with you or you're going camping in the wilderness for 5 years.
I would look at it more like a temporary stay and you're supposed to bring the necessities. Bringing too much with you will mean you will have to carry it all back after 9-10 months or so.
Things I would include in the list, if appropriate depending on the location of the uni:
•
Bike - unless you enjoy walking, take the bus too often, or you have all the time in the world
•
Laptop and all in one printer - no mention of this
•
Ideally a monitor to connect your laptop to
•
Tablet if you have got one, but not necessary
By the way, from the sound of things, you also seem to have a Chinese background.
Good luck on your results.
Random:
•
2024-25 diary - recommended, although sometimes Google Calendar is sufficient
•
2024-25 wall calendar - not necessary
•
Documentation Wallet- Passport, ID, National Insurance, GCSEs/A-level certificates, Bank details, etc - fine
•
First Aid Pouch- Plasters, paracetamol/ibuprofen, hay fever, tiredness pills, cold/flu, face masks, etc - really a lot; there would be some shops near the uni that you would go to for stuff like this. Otherwise the local Asda or Tesco would be enough.
•
Uni Move In Plan; Suitcases only for clothes, bedding, personal care, electronics - I wouldn't do more than 2 suitcases. It's a complete hassle to move your entire bedroom into the dorm for 9 months and then move everything out again. Also, keep the electronics to a minimal since it's not likely going to be a big room.
•
Boxes only for kitchen, bathroom, desk items, decorations, miscellaneous, toilet paper - this is fine, but do note you can always shop for things at shops local to the uni i.e. why do you need to bring toilet paper?
•
Buy at uni only for groceries, and others that you don’t want to carry (e.g. cleaning supplies)
•
Single Mattress Topper - a bit much
•
Single Mattress Protector - a bit much
•
Single Duvet Sets x2 (check with uni for sizing) - they're usually singles; I have yet to see unis offering anything more than a single bed for a single student; it's not a 5* hotel.
•
Pillow - fine
•
A blanket; to keep warm just in case the cover is not enough - fine
•
Plushies - why?
•
Pans
•
Pot
•
Knife Set OR Cooking Knife with Cover - typically a kitchen knife and a paring knife are more than adequate
•
Chopping Board; idk what is better, plastic vs wood - wood if you oil it (preferably with olive oil) regularly. Plastic if you want people to know it's yours. Chances are the colour coding that the boards are meant for don't matter here since you won't care what colour you use to chop up your ingredients.
•
Dining Sets x2 -Plates, Bowls, Mugs, Glasses - who is your guest?
•
Cling film, food zip bag - can be bought from the local shops. Also, why not just cling film food in diningware or use Tupperware instead?
•
Hand Towels x2
•
Kitchen Tools -Peeler, Can/Tin Opener, Cooking Turner, Stirring Spoon, Big Scissors, Colander, plastic bowls x2 - not exactly sure what you're cooking, but you are starting to sound like a gourmet chef
•
Tupperware; great for freezing vegs e.g. onions
•
Utensil Holder/Organiser; hold your forks, spoons etc - I see you're bringing your kitchen with you
•
Cutleries x3 -Forks, Spoons, Knives, Chopsticks - I'm really curious to know who you're cooking for
•
Reusable Water Bottle
•
Optional- Food tray, water filter jug (amazon), recipe book, toothpick - really not necessary
•
Towels x2 -Hand, face, body
•
Scrubber/loofah, shaver
•
Mug, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss, Mouthwash, etc
•
Shampoo + Conditioner, Body Wash
•
Deodorant
•
Hand soap; for the sink - you can buy this from the local shop, unless your soap is extra special
•
Toilet Paper Bundle - again why bring toilet paper when you can just pop to the local shops?
•
Bathroom Washtub/Bowl; to hand wash clothes if needed - they usually have washing machines, dryers, and or a laundromat
•
Toilet Brush, Toilet Cleaner - unless your toilet cleaner is a special brand from a distant and exclusive company that produce their product in some remote region of the Himalayas, the brush is more than enough. Buy the cleaner at the local shops.
•
Shower Cover- AMAZON £3.99 for 2pc - do dorms not have shower covers? Are you camping out in the wilderness?
•
Optional- Plastic bin, Bath mat, flip flops for the bathroom, Window Squeegees- AMAZON £2.99, shower caddy (shelf), air freshener - bath mat is fine, bin is sort of OK, air freshener is sort of OK; flip flops, squeege, shower caddy shelf are excessive.
•
Why have I not seen you asking for a toiletry bag? This would have make things so much easier
•
Stationery (stationary means still) -Pencil case, pens, pencils, highlighters, rubber, sharpener -Ruler, scissors, stapler with staples, paper clips/pins, tape -Sticky notes, refill pads, revision cards, notebooks, a4 plain papers, calculator - unless you're doing an art/design course, this is overkill. Pens and notepads are usually more than enough. The plain paper and calculator are fine additions though.
•
Folders + Plastic Wallets; keep papers organised - hole punchers and ringbinders are plenty. Unless you are taking your folder to a job interview there, this is a bit much.
•
Reading books x2; doubt I will read but want to try to keep productive - I'd bring several, but you would likely be reading the course material a lot more - you are essentially reading nonstop at uni. So unless you have done some sort of advanced learning course where you can speed read 500 pages in one afternoon, I would keep the books to one side.
•
Whiteboard - are you planning an invasion? Keep this at home.
•
Bookstand/Magazine Holder - a bit much. People normally throw magazines away after a while. Do you really need this? How many books will you actually have to warrant a bookstand?
•
Desk Mirror - I take it this is for makeup and you don't have access to a mirror in the bathroom. You can sometimes use your phone instead.
•
Digital Clock/Timer- iKEA £5
•
Hairdryer
•
Sleeping Eye Mask
•
Period Pads (day/night, light/heavy)
•
Hair Pouch- Hair bands, clips, ties, roller
•
Brushes, combs
•
Glasses cleaner
•
Perfumes - singular, not plural please
•
Facial Products- face wash, pimple patches, etc
•
Face and hand cream, sunscreen cream
•
Makeup Pouch
•
Others- Cotton pads/buds, nail clippers
•
Optional- Hand sanitisers, earplugs
•
Clothes-
Jackets- daily etc
Bottoms- jeans, trousers, skirts, smart wear Shoes- daily, indoors, smart etc Underwear and socks
Seasonal wear- gloves, scarves, raincoat etc Others- bathrobe, dress, bags etc
•
Clothes Hangers (standard and grip clip ones)
•
Clothes Organisers
•
Washing products- Detergent pods/liquids (both coloured and white clothes), stain remover - buy these at the local shops.
•
Clothes Drying Rack- AMAZON £11.45 or look in-store
•
Clothing Clips
•
Laundry Basket/Bag; any bag is fine - I would get a laundry basket for under £10. It's a better convenience
•
Lint Roller- AMAZON £4.99 for 5; to get rid of tiny dust etc - unless you are bringing your cat with you, you would barely use even 1.
•
Optional- Shoe rack, clothes drying rack, extra hooks/pegs (over the door), fabric softener, hanger organiser - shoe rack is nice to have
•
Photos, posters - you would probably be buying most of this from the Freshers' Fair
•
Figurines etc - excessive
•
Blue tacks, wax gel, command strips or pins
•
Optional- Fake plants, tapestry; for wall, led lights - one of these; your room is tiny
•
Disinfectant Wipes
•
Multipurpose Cleaning Spray
•
Sponges, tablecloths
•
Trash Bags
•
Small broom and dustpan
•
Washing up liquid (fairy)
•
Rubber gloves
•
Extension Lead Cable- AMAZON £6.99 - always practical
•
Power Bank
•
Umbrella - especially if you are going to somewhere in the west or north of the country
•
A bunch of reusable bags for shopping - a bit much, but OK
•
Playing games; uno, standard playing cards - just one of these
•
Optional- standing fan, mini portable fan
Grocery (put customised name stickers on the stuff) - buy these when you get there
•
Weekly Essential- E.g. Eggs, Sausages, White Bread Loaf, Milk, Water, Spam, Meat
•
Fridge Storage- E.g. Butter, Garlic, Juice, Onions, Chives, Carrots
•
Cupboard Storage- E.g Cereal, Cooking Oil, Potatoes, Lettuce, Rice, Salt, Sugar, Pepper, Soy Sauce, Mayo, Vinegar, Sesame Oil, oyster sauce, soybean sauce
•
Bedroom Storage- Crisps, biscuits etc
•
Cooking Recipes- example… Breakfast; Cereal, Egg with Sausages, Toasts etc Lunch; …. Dinner; pasta, spaghetti, noodles, stir fry food, salmon, cold sesame noodles, sweet and sour pork, chow mein etc
•
Optional- ….
_______________________________________________________________
Money:
•
ISA (Savings Bank Account); tax-free return
•
Daily Usage; choose between student (e.g. Santander for railway card) or existing card - stay with existing. If you need to get a new bank account, check to see which is the nearest branch to you when you get there
Only my estimation and a view of what will be happening once uni starts for me, probably underestimate these - very likely
I like the idea of giving myself weekly pocket money, meaning i transfer money from a different account to my daily usage card - more than likely, you would be in debt very quickly
I plan to get a budget book (any kind of notebook) to track what ive been money on, like date 14/08/2024- shopping £20, transport £15 etc; it's easier to use an app or just use Excel/Google Sheets; the book is not necessary unless you want to itemise everything down to the last item, in which case use an online accounting software
...
Savings- how much you saved each week - you get to save money whilst being a student? Please bestow your wisdom.
Overall, it sounds like it's very excessive. It's almost as if you're moving your whole bedroom with you or you're going camping in the wilderness for 5 years.
I would look at it more like a temporary stay and you're supposed to bring the necessities. Bringing too much with you will mean you will have to carry it all back after 9-10 months or so.
Things I would include in the list, if appropriate depending on the location of the uni:
•
Bike - unless you enjoy walking, take the bus too often, or you have all the time in the world
•
Laptop and all in one printer - no mention of this
•
Ideally a monitor to connect your laptop to
•
Tablet if you have got one, but not necessary
By the way, from the sound of things, you also seem to have a Chinese background.
Good luck on your results.
(( I've always romanticised uni and getting my level grades is far too soon for me, really scared. But to keep me delusion and a way to waste my time I have been making a list and a budget plan in this doc. I hope it helps others if they are confused and panicking.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GCkNlqyumVc8us3jUS6Kq9Z_kwvIrfUfzdCRz8GPx2w/edit?usp=sharing
Good luck to all tomorrow, I will be sleeping after I get the results
)) Opening UCAS first, then go to school to get grades and sleep at home the whole day.Good morning @pwp1014 🤗
I just wanted to check in and see how you were feeling about your results?! I hope you are feeling incredibly proud of yourself no matter the grade, you've put in so much effort and hard work, so no matter the result I hope you can feel pride and have something fun planned today. It's amazing to see that you've made a packing list and budget plan, very organised! 🙂
Becky
#FindYourFuture
Thought I did.
I did say what she shouldn't bring as well as what she should have. There are also better alternatives to bringing certain things to uni. Was that not apparent?
Quick Reply
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