If Santa Claus has come to town, now it’s your turn to come back to London! We hope you have enjoyed this winter break, and that you got the time you deserved to relax. Now it’s time to return to the routine of coursework, lectures, and general uni life!
But before you do that, we encourage you to check that you can successfully kick off the new semester. Luckily, we are here to help you remember the essential things you need to pack on your way back to campus!
Here’s a quick checklist of things you can expect to need as a student, and some items that are too often forgotten, but that will certainly come in handy. Tick them off as you go…
What you know you need:
Student IDs, financial tools, and paperwork
When in the holiday spirit, it’s easy to forget that at least during the academic year, you actually need a specific piece of ID to enter most buildings on campus! Just make sure that, when you’re packing, you don’t forget your Student ID, as well as your passport and other identification documents you need to travel.
The same goes for credit and debit cards, and anything else concerning your finances. Add to the list any paperwork you may need – for instance, if you have any allergies, make sure to always have a list of them readily available, either on paper or on your phone.
Tech essentials
When packing your laptop, Kindle, earbuds and every tech item you require, make sure to also pack the correct charger! You will thank yourself a million times over if you pre-emptively organize each of them according to their use. If you’re bringing a new kind of electrical item to your student residence, like an extension cord, make sure to have it PAT tested before using it!
Stationery
It’s tempting to think that you can do everything with your laptop, but there will be the occasional moment when you just need a pen. To mark attendance or to take a quick note during class, make sure you have stationery available to you! It’s much easier (and cost-efficient) to grab a handful of pens, pencils and highlighters from your home drawers than to remember to buy them once you get back.
What you don’t know you need (but you do!):
Specialty food from home
Going back home often means being able to enjoy the comfort food from our childhood. If you’re an international student, this applies even more: your range of spices, snacks, and overall cooking staples might not be available on the aisles of Sainsbury’s.
So, before you head back to your campus, make sure to pack all the food items you know you’ll miss: your favourite spice mix, a pack of Yerba Mate, or some handy non-perishables… Whatever will bring you comfort after a long day at the library.
Books in your native language
If you are a bit of a bookworm like me, you like indulging in a bit of fiction every now and then, to take a break from compulsory readings. But if your native language is not English, it’s difficult to get out of the study mindset when even your unserious texts are in your target language.
This is why I would recommend a trip to the library while you’re home, to grab a couple of texts in your mother tongue. You are more likely to actually want to pick up the book because you do not have to constantly translate in your head. It will be a much-needed rest!
Batteries and other home tools
Imagine the scenario: you are not quite done with the Christmas lights and decorative items you bought at the beginning of the term. You unpack your bags and go to turn your fairy lights on when suddenly, you realize the batteries are out. Let’s be honest: when do we ever remember to buy the correct type of batteries?
The same goes for those tiny but essential home tools like a screwdriver, Command Strips, a corkscrew… Basically, any item that you don’t know you need until you do and it’s too late. If your house has a couple of these items lying around and you can borrow one, pack them in your bag! You’ll save yourself some stress, and an awkward midnight trip to the grocery store for AA batteries (or was it AAA?)