The A-level results for 2024 will be announced on 15th August, starting the countdown to student life.
Make your university preparations easier with my What to take to Uni Checklist - it'll make the essential IKEA shop for first year students so much easier!
As a parent who's sent both of our children off to university, I've learned some useful tips. When our first child left, we overpacked, not realising how small his university accommodation bedroom would be. Then, a few years later, when our daughter left, we forgot a few essentials. It's a busy and emotional time, so I'm sharing what I've learned to help you prepare your child for an easy start to student life. This way, all they have to think about is enjoying freshers' week!
In this blog - top tips for starting uni life:
Amidst all the excitement of leaving home and Freshers Week, it's normal to have some nerves. Now's the time to go over all the basics so your son or daughter has one less thing to worry about when they get there.
Psst... even if they only absorb half of what you say, they'll be better prepared than they were before!
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO TAKE TO UNIVERSITY CHECKLIST
Start your packing list and make a note of things you need as you remember them (I use the Notes App on my phone). Use my 'what to take to uni checklist' to get you started. Avoid the temptation to take everything from their bedroom at home – the room they’re moving into will be small with a bed, a desk, a chair and limited cupboard storage. Make sure you check the accommodation details for the bed size.
Even though it may seem like they are leaving home for good, they will probably come back to visit within a month to pick up anything they may have forgotten. Following the KonMari method, I recommend bringing only items that they truly love, use, and need for their studies or living arrangements, as well as any essential documents. Anything else can be left at home for now to save space in the car!
Download a copy of my WHAT TO TAKE TO UNIVERSITY PACKING CHECKLIST here.
My top tips from the list are:
· Check the details of what is included in your accommodation.
· Take two sets of bedding (don’t underestimate drying time on a clothes airer)
· Pack two sets of plates, cutlery and glasses just in case you have guests or to cover breakages.
· Remember to take winter clothes with you – it gets cold and darker quickly in the Autumn term.
We did a big IKEA shop before my son left for uni and managed to get everything in one go. Many other students were doing the same thing in the last two weeks of August, so it's a good idea to plan your visit to avoid the crowds. If you know what you want, you can place a click and collect order to bypass the queues completely.
STUDENT COOKING 101
Some 18 year olds are completely at home in the kitchen while others wouldn’t know where the oven is! I recommend spending some time making sure that they can make a few basic meals to ensure they don’t blow their first student loan on Deliveroo.
We did a crash cookery course with my eldest the week before he left for uni – covering 'everything you can do with an egg' as well as some favourite pasta dishes. I wrote them all down in an email so he had something to refer back to if he got stuck!
TikTok is a great platform for finding easy recipes, making it easy to find a Spaghetti Bolognese recipe on a phone while cooking.
STUDENT LAUNDRY 101
If your son/daughter doesn’t have a linen basket in their bedroom, put one in there now and get them washing their own clothes. My son recalls going into the shared laundry room in his uni accommodation and seeing a couple of girls looking completely confused – they had no idea what to do.
A couple of weeks of practice at home, separating the whites from colours, using the machine and deciding whether things go in the tumble dryer or not will really help remove one worry when they’re away.
We received WhatsApp messages for the first month of uni with pictures of striped T-shirts asking “white or colours wash?"!
Some university residences use an app for their laundry rooms which means no more sitting in laundry rooms waiting for the washing to finish. Students just have to load up the machine and turn it on and the app lets them know when the washing is ready.
Top Tip: Every student needs a clothes airer in their room, it’s a no-brainer to take one with you.
A SIMPLE GUIDE TO STUDENT BUDGETING 101
It may not be the most exciting conversation, but it's necessary if that student loan is going to last longer than Freshers' Week. The transition from living at home to being responsible for all expenses is a new experience for most students. Many make the mistake of overspending on socializing, Ubers, and ASOS orders in the first term.
Give them a helping hand by working out how much they have to spend each week.
· ADD the student maintenance grant and any top-ups (Mum & Dad, bursaries etc)
· DIVIDE this by the number of weeks in a term (remember to include the holidays).
· SUBTRACT the weekly rent
· SET ASIDE a weekly food budget (£30).
· REMEMBER you may need to buy textbooks and make sure you put something aside to cover rail/coach fare for trips home.
WHAT'S LEFT is the weekly budget for going out as well as ASOS, Amazon and Vinted orders.
OPEN A STUDENT BANK ACCOUNT
Make sure to shop around for the freebies & overdraft facilities that best suit their needs (currently Santander are offering a free 4 year 16-25 railcard, Natwest an Amazon Student gift card or coach card). and don’t forget to take confirmation of the university place from UCAS when you go to open the new account.
HOUSEHOLD INSURANCE
Parents should check whether the household insurance covers your children while they are in university accommodation. If not, you will need to get contents cover for the university accommodation to protect their phones, laptops, and belongings.
Finally, Barney, the cockapoo, decided he wanted to come with us when we moved our son into the halls of residence, but we left him at home. It’s a busy, emotional day dropping off your child (I blubbed most of the way home), so you’re going to want to focus on them rather than deal with your dog stealing the attention!
If you enjoyed this blog, please let me know in the comments below and share it with someone who'll find it useful!
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Updated August 2024
Hi! I’m Sue, a professional home organiser and Master KonMari Consultant based in Hampshire, UK. I had the privilege of training with Marie Kondo, and I use her KonMari Method to help growing families and empty nesters rightsize their homes.
Together, we declutter and organise to clear space and time so they can focus on enjoying life.
Are you ready to start living A Life More Organised?
For a no-obligation chat about how I can help, please get in touch.
m: 07740 782575 www.alifemoreorganised.co.uk
I'd love to keep in touch - why not follow me on Instagram or join in the conversation in my Facebook group
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