MOVING AWAY TO UNI ESSENTIALS
September 02, 2016Hey there everyone! It's finally September again, which means that as summer ends, autumn draws closer and I'm sure for most of you, the beginning of another school year is the only thing on your mind. Then, there are students like me who are preparing for their first, second or even final year at uni.
As some of you may know by now, this academic year, I've decided to move up a bit closer to the campus, rather than commute from home as I did previously. I know that some of you may be doing the same, or may even be moving many miles away to a university that's not even in your country and this can be quite daunting, especially for little homebodies like me. It's also got me thinking about what things I actually need to buy to help make my new abode feel a little bit more like home, and I thought I'd share my university essentials for anyone who is in the same boat.
NB: I'm moving into a house that comes pretty much fully furnished, so most of these things I have / am intending to buy for decorative purposes. However, I know that this may not be the case for a lot of you who may be moving into student accommodation, halls etc, so I've tried to provide links to help cover things that you all might need too! Also, all of these things are to my personal taste, so if you don't like the things I've suggested feel free to check out the websites I've sourced to find things a little more to your taste. Now, without further ado.
BEDROOM
Your bedroom is going to be your sanctuary, your home away from home. Therefore, it's really important to make sure you pick items that will make you feel a bit more like yourself and help you settle in to this new, unfamiliar space.
DUVET SETS:
My chosen duvet set is every aesthetic Instagrams' fave, the Strandkrypa set from IKEA. My room at uni is neutral coloured and I'm gathering lots of colourful accessories to make it pop. This duvet set adds a cute splash of colour to an otherwise dull environment. However if these aren't your style, I love this colourful Jonill set, also from IKEA.
OTHER OPTIONS:
Sunset Duvet Set from Cute Harajuku (you can also use the code "sailor-sylveon" for 10% off any purchases from this store!)
CUSHIONS:
Cushions add a super chilled out yet funky vibe to your room, and if you've seen my room tour blog post then you'll know I'm kind of obsessed with them, and I intend to carry this obsession right on to uni. I'm not really fussed on matching items together, I just buy what I like, which is why I bought this groovy Thorine cushion from IKEA. I mean, it's a hedgehog playing the keyboard, what more could you want?
If you have better taste than I do, or you're just a bit more conscientious about your items matching or remaining neutral, then maybe this Gunlog cushion from IKEA is more your style. Also, check out your local supermarkets and their home departments like Asda, Tesco and high street stores such as Dunnes, Urban Outfitters and Dunelm. They will usually have bedroom items that match and correspond with each other which makes it really easy to choose a style!
OTHER FUNKY ITEMS:
BLANKETS:
I would say that I spend a good amount of my time wrapped in a blanket aimlessly wondering around my house. No matter where I live that will never change. So if you're a fellow blanket as an outfit person, this adorable Hedgehog Blanket from Asda will be just perfect for you. If you're not a fan of that then follow the same advice listed above and check out other stores and ranges to find your perfect blanket. Although, in saying that, the best blanket I've ever snuggled under was a particularly fluffy one from Primark (yes they do have a home range!). If you want a taste of home in your room, then bring your favourite blanket from the room of your roots!
KITCHEN
Arguably the second most important room in any house, you should be very careful about what you buy for your student kitchen, because trust me, everything will be used and it won't always be by you. In this instance, I'm quite fortunate as most of the important electrical appliances and accessories in my university accommodation are already there waiting for me, and the same will be true for you but if you're unsure of what to bring then it may be worth investing in a small teapot or coffee percolator (depending on your preference and nothing that's out of your price range!), and your own cutlery. But again remember, you might not be the only person using these items!
TEA TOWELS:
I have bought quite a few packs of tea towels in preparation for uni because I don't necessarily mind sharing with my fellow housemates, plus you never know what could happen to them in nine months, so it's always good to have spares. I got mine very cheap from places like B&M Bargains and Poundland (who also do an incredible range of baking accessories for the enthusiasts who may be reading). Don't ever neglect to look in pound and discount shops because they have some amazing stuff for students and anyone who's on a budget but still needs to stock up on essentials, so don't ever overlook them!
MUGS:
Again, you can always bring your favourite mugs from home with you, but, and I hate to sound like a repetitive Rachel, you have to be careful. You never know who's going to use them and what could happen to them. I personally really like these personalised, hand painted mugs from Paperchase that have an individual alphabet letter on them. That way you can definitely claim one mug as your own, and keep track of who's been using it, if you're not the easy-going sharing type. Paperchase is my go to store for mugs and they have one for every taste!
BOOKS:
Some of you may be very apt at cooking and confidently know your way around the kitchen. However, there are those among us, including myself, who are a bit hopeless when it comes to all thing cuisine. I found this helpful student cookbook on eBay, which is full of easy recipes that don't solely consist of pasta and leftovers. A student budget is tough, and you have to be thrifty sometimes, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy lots of healthy, good-tasting meals!
Also, make sure you check out the BBC Food website, and look around online for lots of recipes to suit all tastes!
CHECK OUT THIS SITE:
TruffleShuffle have a whole kitchen range on their site that covers pretty much everything I've mentioned and some things I haven't. Their products are really good value and super unique, so it would be worth taking a look to see what catches your eye.
BATHROOM
Unless your bathroom is an ensuite, you shouldn't have too much to take with you to university asides from the usual; soap, shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste etc.
TOWELS:
You can of course bring some towels from home, but nothing goes better with a fresh start than some fresh towels! I personally love these pretty Lonnern bath towels from IKEA.
If you do have an ensuite bathroom then it may also be worth investing in some bath mats to bring some colour and a personal touch to your bathroom - not to mention health and safety!
CLASSROOM
This is by far my favourite part of the going back to uni / school experience. I live for cute stationary and I have to exercise a lot of self-restraint to stop myself from going slightly overboard!
SCHOOLBAGS:
I know by the time you get to uni you feel as though you'll be judged for having anything other than an expensive handbag that is really far too small for all of your stuff. But in all honesty, I would be completely lost without a double strap back pack to neatly store my things! They don't always have to be huge Kanken type bag, or Duke of Ed rucksacks, they can be sleek, beautiful and still efficiently hold your stuff, like these gorgeous Pastel Backpacks from Pocket Tokyo (you can use the code "sailor-sylveon" for a discount off any purchases!).
My personal choice would be this really cute Canvas Tote Bag from Amazon. I'm a huge fan of totes and they make a really cute accessory for any outfit, as well as storing a lot of stuff!
OTHER OPTIONS:
NOTEBOOKS:
I'm very much a disorganised person for the most part, but last year I suddenly turned into this study guru, super organised freak. I take all of my lecture notes down on scrappy paper and then copy them delicately into a pretty hardback notebook.
This year I really struggled to find something cute and that would do the job, as everything in trend seemed to be small, A5 exercise books. You know those ones you had to do your spellings and shit in? Yep, them. So if you look on my latest Instagram post you'll see a couple of the notebooks I managed to pick up from Tiger and Easons.
When I was shopping online I found this really cute Maps A4 notebook from Paperchase, but they didn't have it in store when I went in, so an online order is definitely in order.
TruffleShuffle have a huge range of back to school stationary also, including this adorable Moomins Notebook!
OTHER STATIONARY:
Ballpoint Pens / Gel Ink Set / Colour Pen Set all from Muji
I hope you've enjoyed this blog post and hopefully found some inspiration to help you get through the next year. Remember, it's not just material items that make your uni experience incredible, but they sure to help make you feel a bit more at ease. If you ever need any advice or help, you know where to find me!
Rachel
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