Ok, what’s there not to like about lists?
They’re neat, they keep you from stressing too much and they make you look like you’re somewhat organised. Gotta love a list.
One of the most famed of all lists, perhaps second only to the shopping list, is… the packing list. When you’re moving out of home into university accommodation, there are some top things to pack. These essentials were surprisingly not on the university recommended packing list, but don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
Imagine this. The summer of ‘18, stinking hot and high humidity. The ideal thing to have around in your room to keep you cool would be a solid fan. After looking around online, you realise that over all of New Zealand, with Auckland included, there is a fan shortage. All that’s left are the small USB desktop fans which hardly make a difference in the heat, or the fancy bladeless fans that cost a fortune. Lesson learned, but a fan, do it early.
[Disclaimer: In 2018, it was only the first few weeks that were really hot, after that it became more moderate. This means that for some, buying a fan may not be needed. If you do decide to invest in a fan, keep this in mind that it’ll only be of massive use on those hot summer days and the other freakishly hot occasions]
Packed meals are great when you can’t attend a scheduled meal time, but one thing that isn’t provided in that food pack is cutlery. This may not seem that bad if your late dinner is fish and chips, but when it’s a dish involving rice in any shape or form, things are gonna get real messy, real fast if you don’t have cutlery. Bring a basic cutlery set up to the halls to save yourself that hassle once you’re here. seriously, how are you to consume your instant noodle snacks without a fork??
To accompany the cutlery set, a decent bowl is the ideal thing to have to keep crumbs off the floor when you get hungry. In UH, you can’t remove cutlery or crockery from the dining areas, so if you do want to eat between mealtimes or are in need of study snacks, then having your own bowl is suggested.
Cos who doesn’t like living in a nice smelling environment.
(Not essential but useful if the cleaners spill stuff in the common room and it doesn’t smell the best). Would recommend a solid air freshener or diffuser as opposed to the spray, as that may trigger the smoke alarms…
Now there’s no need to go all out and get a full sewing kit and sewing machine (unless you really want to, I know two people in UH who brought sewing machines), but a pocket sewing kit is really handy. $2 invested in needle, thread and assorted sewing equipment means that you, or someone on your floor, can do minor adjustments to your clothing, mend buttons and general repairs.
And berocca, panadol and lozenges. Add these to your first aid kit if they aren’t already included. Trust me, at some time in the year, you’ll be glad you have them close at hand. If it’s not you that’ll be needing it, it’s guaranteed that someone on your floor will need some.
Buy 1B5s, refil pads, notebooks, ring binders, clear files, pens etc before moving into halls if possible. The ideal time to do this is in January, when the back to school sales hit the stationary stores, and may save you big $$. Also, it means one less thing to worry about when you reach the halls.
So there we have it, seven ‘essentials’ to pack with you when you move into University accommodation, that are not strictly ‘essential’ but will 100% make your transition into Uni life that little bit better!
PS: I hope you guys enjoyed the rhyme in the title as much as I did 😂