Accomodations will give you the typical list, plates, bed sheets, … blah blah blah.

But they never actually list the small, but impactful items that will save you precious time during your busy first year.

Here are some essentials to bring along with you to your new place.

1. Shower caddy – plastic not mesh

In my first year we had a shared bathroom, this meant that we’d have to embark on a long journey from our rooms to the bathroom. Having a shower caddy was a must. It’s a great way to transport your cleansing and hygiene products. Get one that is plastic not mesh, otherwise it’s hard to clean. It’s lessy messy since it allows excess water to flow through, and doesn’t get your facial cloths, or other products that you would prefer not to get drenched, stay dry.

2. Bendy washing basket

I had a normal hamper type laundry basket, but boy do I wish I had the bendy ones!

The bendy ones were much easier to carry around in your hands.

3. Extension cord

Uni is mostly digital. Damn do I have a lot of things to charge now; earphones, head phones and freaking lamps. So having an extension cord with at least 4 sockets became a life saver.

Try purchasing one that has switches on them, especially if you’re not charging all of your devices at the same time.

4.Shower shoes

Yes you will need these. Especially if you are sharing a bathroom with multiple people. You’ll discover that not everyone is house trained.

5. Wall hooks

Depending on your accomodation, you’re allowed to place these on your walls. I personally used the extra hanger room for coats or lights bags, they definitely helped keep my room cleaner. Just be careful that they don’t damage the walls (happens when you take them off). These hooks have steps at the back of the packet for you to follow through to ensure this doesn’t happen, (don’t throw the packet out, you’ll need it eventually). Please for the love of your hard earned money take these off CAREFULLY.

6. First aid kit

Yes your residential advisor would mostly likely have one of their own, but mine in my first year didn’t even have a band aid for someone who cut their ankle in the shower shaving. I let them use mine. Even if you don’t think you’ll need it … you’ll need it. You don’t have to add a lot, just bandaids, antiseptic cream, panadol and bandages should suffice.

7. Dry Shampoo

There will be day where you mismanage your time so much that you can’t schedule a quick shower. Having dry shampoo just gives you a bit more time before that greasy hair phase. It’s only a temporary solution, but I would recommend it cause it gives you one less thing to worry about.

8. Mini multi tool

A mini 6 in one multi tool with different types of screw drivers actually become useful to me. I didn’t think I would need it but it came in really handy when I needed to screw in my desk.

Honourable mentions:

Water filter

I personally didn’t use this in my first year of Uni, but I know quite a few people that did. It was pretty useful for them especially if they lived upstairs, so they wouldn’t have to keep coming down all the time. A water filter is good to have for obvious hygenic purposes as well, but it’s not absolutely crucial if you live in an area with good water quality.

Blender

Don’t have time for breakfast? Just throw some fruit in there and you have a nutrious on the go breakfast. I wish I did this in my first year, all I made was toast in the morning which was kind of time consuming, I would have been more satisfied with a smoothie. You can always opt for a portable mini blender, but it doesn’t seem to have the same space as a regular one for you to carry around.

With Love,

Miss Full Moon

P.S

Lastly – bring your REAL personality, not what you think people would want to see.

I was nervous going to Uni and I ended up going back to this survival mode where I so badly wanted to fit in all over again. Even though you are surrounded by people, it can feel pretty lonely without the right kind of people around.

I genuinely didn’t think it would happen. Be honest about what your interests are no matter how embarrassing you think it is (I struggled to get it out there that I liked K-pop and Kdramas). Once I started, like magic, like minded people came my way (met good friends that way). You light a torch and all your moth friends come to you (lol bad analogy).

The first year of Uni in Hall’s of residents felt like highschool all over again with the drama that occurs.

Just remember, they’ll always be people in your accomodation that judge you and just end up butting heads with you. That is not your issue. You can’t please everyone. There was one girl who distanced herself from the whole hall and only associated with those in her friend group outside. She was judged for it but man did she make the right choice.

Know that these people are very temporary in your life, distance yourself from them and don’t let them ruin your first year of Uni my darling.