What to bring to college?

TheBiz

What are all of you/ye's bringing to college with you?
The obvious clothes. I'm bringing a decent rain jacket etc.
Bed cover duvet, towels all that.
Laptop, phone, and my guitar (a cheaper one not to worried about getting banged around) A good bag for classes,
I'll be staying on site wherever I go so, but friends said they're bringing a bike.
I know I'm forgetting some obvious things but what else are you bringing with you?

TSMGUY

Condoms....

Digital Solitude

Lots of money and beer from the parents alcohol press.

Clothes hangers are useful if you use them, your house will not have enough

TSMGUY

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Lots of money and beer from the parents alcohol press.

lucky bastard!

TheBiz

TSMGUY wrote: »

Condoms....

Ah now we're making assumptions.. Who's to say I have any social skills?

Gallagher1

A decent umbrella..Saved my life countless times this year. One of those portable battery packs for your phone would also be a decent shout if you tend to be on the go quite a bit and don't want your phone to die.

Raid the beer/spirits cabinet at home. Save yourself a fortune.

And cutlery..no matter where you stay they will not have enough knives and forks. Ever.

Crazyteacher

Parents bought me a small rubber ware box with a plate , bowl, mug , and glass with a set of cutlery and insisted that I keep them in my room after every use. And my goodness I was glad I listened to them, my on campus housemates in first year were disgusting . Two weeks in and I had went in to 24 hour tesco and bought a cheap tesco electric kettle and toaster to keep in my room. Large packets of multi purpose antibacterial wipes are essential. Get a bag that goes on both shoulders for library books. Thought I was being cool getting a over the shoulder college bag but by mid term , the school bag had made a return! Get two mobile phone chargers one to leave at home, stock up on toiletries now so you don't have as much to spend in September. Price around for a small desk printer to keep in your room to print those last minute assignments.

TheBiz

Crazyteacher wrote: »

Parents bought me a small rubber ware box with a plate , bowl, mug , and glass with a set of cutlery and insisted that I keep them in my room after every use. And my goodness I was glad I listened to them, my on campus housemates in first year were disgusting . Two weeks in and I had went in to 24 hour tesco and bought a cheap tesco electric kettle and toaster to keep in my room. Large packets of multi purpose antibacterial wipes are essential. Get a bag that goes on both shoulders for library books. Thought I was being cool getting a over the shoulder college bag but by mid term , the school bag had made a return! Get two mobile phone chargers one to leave at home, stock up on toiletries now so you don't have as much to spend in September. Price around for a small desk printer to keep in your room to print those last minute assignments.

Definitely look into the printer and kettle because I'm always late with assignments and 2-I drink enough tea to bankrupt a small plantation.

Did you/do people stay in every weekend? Or do most tend to go home?

spurious

A good lock so you can put valuables in a suitcase and lock them. Sad to say there are a lot of thieves about and they don't always need to break in.

Crazyteacher

Depending on how modern on campus accomadation it , each room will have a key or probably swipe key entry to your bedroom so at least you can be secure in that way. If you get a room in a house , most of my friends were given individual room keys. I stayed up some weekends to do work on the library but I actually found I was settled more to do study when I was back home . It all depends how far you are from your college and whether you finish up lectures for the week on a Thursday or a Friday, it wasn't feasible for some of my friends to travel sometimes, getting home very late Friday night and having to leave early SundAy morning.

evolving_doors

Pasta
Noodles
Yer own cheap printer (don't tell anyone about it)

TMJM96

Proper cleaning utensils and stuff to clean your room and apartment with.
Things like medication and tablets. Panadol, strepsils, berocca and plasters will be very useful for you and your housemates. However I'd keep all of the above stuff in your room.

A George Foreman type grill will do, a cheap one will be so handy. You can cook healthily on it and quickly. Buy cheap alcohol but decent priced food. I was able to fit a week shopping full of fruit, veg and meat etc for all under €25.

A printer is very very useful if you're going to be living off campus. Even if you're on it. Chances are that if you need to print off an assignment so does everyone else in the module.

A portable charger for your phone/tablet will be very handy. Also make sure everything is charged before you leave for lectures or whatever.

Going home depended on a person's situation. I luckily only loved an hour from home so I went home most weekends. I knew others who loved 4+ hours away so went home every odd weekend. I stayed home some weekends if I had an exam or an assignment due on the Monday just because I wouldn't focus at home. However, this semester I finished at 6 on a Friday and the bus home left at 5:30 which meant sometimes I just wouldn't bother going home because of how expensive the train is (for such a short journey).

As you go through the first semester you'll realise what you do and one need.

Learning to budget is very important too because it's easy to lose track of spending (especially on takeaways).

TheBiz

I think I'll use the suitcase with the lock to hide the printer in.
What about bringing expensive gear? Like a guitar, iPad or expensive clothes? Not to be left out or anything but friends have said 'don't bring anything you wouldn't mind losing' but that seems a bit much.

evolving_doors

A syringe too...
To refill yer printer ink for cheap..

TMJM96

TheBiz wrote: »

I think I'll use the suitcase with the lock to hide the printer in.
What about bringing expensive gear? Like a guitar, iPad or expensive clothes? Not to be left out or anything but friends have said 'don't bring anything you wouldn't mind losing' but that seems a bit much.

Well during study week this year someone got their MacBook and phone stolen but that was a freak incident.

Unless your housemates end up being pricks you should be grand with having an iPad or guitar (however if they're trying to study they might be annoyed with you playing). You have thieves everywhere really, clothes get stolen from on campus laundromats but again, that's very rare.

You don't need to worry really.

spurious

I knew someone had a Bible stolen in a Theology college.
I don't think Holy God would like that.

The problem isn't usually your housemates/roommates (unless they are terrible pricks) but 'visitors' at parties etc..

TheBiz

Yeah, I say (hope) my room mates are nice, the problem will probably be my antisocial self.
I never thought of people stealing clothes from laundromats

childsplay

A small locked cash box thing for any valuables you have. Pop it in your locked suitcase with the printer.

Crazyteacher

Sure you'll probably be taking your iPad with you wherever you go. Definitely bring the guitar , there will be occasions where your housemates will want a sing song and will be glad of your skills. On behalf of your future housemates, get practicing now and have one other song other than champagne supanova and wonderwall on your repertoire !! Also don't be one of those hymn singers that start of practicing at 6am and you'll get on fine:)

Crazyteacher

TheBiz wrote: »

Yeah, I say (hope) my room mates are nice, the problem will probably be my antisocial self.
I never thought of people stealing clothes from laundromats

I've my fair share of housemates and I wouldn't say I was anti social , just very independent. The best ones are the ones that will chat to you when you need them but know to give you your space too and vice versa. You'll meet your own kind at lectures and hopefully make lifelong friends too. The best piece of advice I got from a past student was to be friendly to everyone in the first weeks but not to let them get too attached but you'll find that others ( who you end up wanting to avoid) take up your individual time too. Do join a club or soc that you are interested in but not too many as the first couple of months can be exhausting until you get the routine of college/rest/play. Keep in regular contact with your family too and tell them what you are up to , it's not easy on them too:)

DublinArnie

All ye talking about moving away from home for college....

I'm living with my family for at least my first three years

Digital Solitude

Not everyone lives in Dublin...

endacl

TSMGUY wrote: »

Condoms....

And optimism...

CINCLANTFLT

endacl wrote: »

And optimism...

And confidence :-(

TheBiz

CINCLANTFLT wrote: »

And confidence :-(

But college is like the movies right?! it's all bros and drunk 'chicks'.. Right?!

TMJM96

DublinArnie wrote: »

All ye talking about moving away from home for college....

I'm living with my family for at least my first three years

I loved the independence of living away from home but I didn't like the added cost of accommodation. The best thing would be to live at home at have houses to crash at after nights out.

legocrazy505

DublinArnie wrote: »

All ye talking about moving away from home for college....

I'm living with my family for at least my first three years

Also doing the same but for UL. Want to get through at least the undergrad completely debt free (which thankfully for me can be achieved and without any taxpayer assistance I assure you all).

TheBiz

legocrazy505 wrote: »

Also doing the same but for UL. Want to get through at least the undergrad completely debt free (which thankfully for me can be achieved and without any taxpayer assistance I assure you all).

I know friends who are commuting to college but it's not really feasible for me.
They have cars to go in and out + they work as agricultural contractors so they need to be back out for work.
I'd kind of feel like I was missing out on the whole experience if I was living at home..

Crazyteacher

DublinArnie wrote: »

All ye talking about moving away from home for college....

I'm living with my family for at least my first three years

College. Still went home at weekends and holidays.

legocrazy505

TheBiz wrote: »

I know friends who are commuting to college but it's not really feasible for me.
They have cars to go in and out + they work as agricultural contractors so they need to be back out for work.
I'd kind of feel like I was missing out on the whole experience if I was living at home..

Yeah, I don't really care for said experience, just want my degree really. :P

TSMGUY

Living at home and going to college seems pretty pointless to me...