How to pack your bag for a day at Uni
Being a fourth-year Uni student, I’m very familiar with what you will need for a busy day at Uni. However, this might not be as obvious nor easy for a first-year or international student. This blog aims to give you an idea of what you should be bringing onto campus, but depending on your course, you might have specific things that you are expected to bring, so double-check what you need I also recommend packing your bag the night before because it saves you time in the morning. Trust me, those extra five minutes in bed in the morning are worth it!
- A pencil case
A pencil case is pretty obvious and even though you might decide that you want to make the majority of your notes on your laptop, you will still need a pencil case. I would recommend buying a clear pencil case as you will need it when it comes to exam season. So when that stressful time comes around, you are prepared and have one less thing to worry about. I would suggest filling your pencil case with 2–3 pencils, 4–5 pens, a ruler, a couple of differently coloured highlighters, a permanent marker, colouring pencils and maybe a protractor, compass or calculator (depending on your course). You can pick most of these things up in ‘Wilkos’ or any supermarket. I would advise buying cheap ballpoint pens (i.e. don’t bring the nice fountain pen that was gifted to you on your 18th birthday as it will get lost!)
2. A water bottle
I highly recommend bringing a water bottle onto campus, as there are plenty of places to fill it up on campus such as in the Union and all libraries. I would recommend investing in a good, reusable one as it is better for the environment. Personally, I have a Chilly’s bottle. They are a little pricey, but they are so worth the money and keep your water cold. It will save you money in the long run as you won’t have to keep buying plastic bottles.
3. Food
Another money-saving hack is always to make your own packed lunch and bring it onto campus. Buying a meal deal every day might seem like the easy alternative, but it all adds up! You don’t just have to bring a sandwich either, you could bring anything you like, hot or cold, as there are microwaves on campus located in ‘Common Ground’, just remember to bring cutlery!!!
4. Jotter/Pukka Pad
I recommend getting the ones with holes already punctured into them as it just makes your pieces of paper easier to be filed away.
5. Planner/organiser
If you haven’t got a planner already, then definitely invest in one — it really helps with organisation and keeping track of your deadlines. Most planners feature a week-by-week layout which makes it super easy to be organised and stay on top of your uni work.
6. Laptop and/or iPad
This is quite an obvious one, but whichever you use to make your notes on (or both). There is free WiFi on the whole campus and lots of printers should you need to print off any work.
7. Keys
Again, this one is quite obvious but forgetting your keys is such an easy mistake to make, especially if you are a first-year in halls and have a door which automatically shuts behind you (trust me, we’ve all been there!) I recommend keeping your keys on a lanyard or buying a key chain, so it makes them easier to be found in your bag.
8. Wallet
In a world where we can now use our watches to pay, it seems quite an alien concept to bring your wallet onto campus. However, it’s so important, especially if your phone/wallet battery dies and then you’re stuck without a way to pay for anything. Make sure that you bring your student ID along with you, too as you will need it to access the library.
9. Headphones
I recommend bringing your headphones with you in case you want to listen to music whilst walking to/from campus or need to catch up on a lecture in the library.
10. Additional extras/toiletries
I normally bring a small pouch with some essential toiletries such as hand cream, lip balsam and feminine hygiene products. I also recommend bringing a packet of tissues and some painkillers as you never know when they might come in handy!
