Painkillers/cold & flu tablets
Freshers Flu is a real condition. Living in a confined space with other people, drinking constantly and staying up late will almost guarantee you an illness. It's not the worst illness in the world (although it may seem that way at the time) but I definitely advise you to stock up on essential medication to get you through your cold. A hot water bottle is also recommend.
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| Yup, that's me dressed up as "litter." |
Blister plasters
Heels are the work of the devil. I'm prone to blisters - badly - so for me, blister plasters travel with me wherever I go. But if you're not used to donning a pair of heels every single night then I'd highly, highly recommend investing in a packet of these life savers. In fact, to save yourself the pain pop a couple of blister plasters on before your first night out and tell your new found friends to aswell - you'll be a little genius.
A foot spa/foot cream
For Christmas, my mother bought me a foot spa and it was a wonderful gift. Every morning after a night out, I pop on a face mask and place my feet into my foot spa - an hour or so later, my feet are renewed and ready to face the next night out. You really won't regret investing in one. If you think a foot spa is a little bit expensive and excessive, then a good old foot cream will be your best friend.
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| Oh the shame... |
A bear/items from home
I have a lot of bears at university and one of them is known as my "cuddle bear." He's an absolute hero as he isn't wearing any clothes or shoes which means that he's perfect for cuddling up to. Leaving home for the first time is a little bit daunting so taking items with you that makes your new accommodation feel like home is key.
Pre-drinks/chocolate
You can always go shopping before going out but buying your drinks beforehand will save you a lot of stress and hassle. When you're moving into your accommodation and leaving your family, the last thing that will be on your mind is drinking so having them there and ready is key. Oh and who doesn't love chocolate?! It gets the entire flat together.
Face wipes
A quick one here: I don't condone the use of face wipes but Freshers Week is tiring and cleansing your face at 3am every single night becomes a chore so I will allow the use of face wipes/micellar waters this once. That's all. Then it's back to the full on cleansing routine. Promise? Okay, good.
Food
Like alcohol, it will save you a lot of hassle. My grandma packed me a couple of boxes up when I first moved into university and it was a wonderful gift and saved me a lot of time. Don't get me wrong, I love weekly shops but when you're first moving into university, I'm sure you'd rather be socialising than food shopping. Food that's quick and easy to make it key - you have plenty of time for a la carte meals that show off your culinary skills later on.
DVDs
In second year, me and my friends didn't go out every single night. Some nights, we just went to the pub or stayed at home watching a couple of DVDs. In fact in first year, me and one of my best friends bonded over the Hannah Montana Movie. So taking a couple of DVDs with you will help bring the entire flat together. After all, it's hard to socialise and bond over loud music and drunkeness - some of the best nights are nights in.
Money
It seems obvious but it's so, so important to over budget when it comes to Freshers Week. You're not going to be wanting to turn anything down in case you "miss out" so it's important to have some spare cash with you. I can remember spending £500 in my first three weeks at university - crazy, right?! Thank god for my overdraft - just on socialising and buying items that I never imagined I'd need. It's a hard life when you suddenly have to buy toilet brushes and toilet roll.
A camera
Seriously, capture every moment. I can assure you that the next three years are going to be some of the best of your entire life. I have two photo albums full of pictures and I get incredibly emotional looking at them. The pictures in this post are from my first Freshers Week - we all look like babies! Photos are important. Very important.
And finally, I'd like to say congratulations for getting into university. It's a wonderful experience and I wouldn't change mine for the world. I get upset when I think that I only have a year left. When I was first looking into university, I kept thinking to myself; "three years?! That's an awfully long time." But it flies by so quickly. Too quickly. So enjoy and cherish every moment that you have.
And finally, I'd like to say congratulations for getting into university. It's a wonderful experience and I wouldn't change mine for the world. I get upset when I think that I only have a year left. When I was first looking into university, I kept thinking to myself; "three years?! That's an awfully long time." But it flies by so quickly. Too quickly. So enjoy and cherish every moment that you have.
Will this be your first Freshers Week or do you like to think of yourself as a professional these days? What are your must have items for the week?
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