Duvet?  Check. Notebooks?  Check. Clothes? Check. If you’re off to university next term, you’ve probably already started a checklist and begun to mentally pack all those boxes you’ll need. Some things you need to have with you are a given, but there are other student essentials which you might not have thought of yet. 

Before you start boxing and bagging things up, here are seven items you might not have realised you’ll need…

Ear Plugs

Regardless of where you’re living, there will always be late night noise from your fellow students. While you might wish you could join them in their revelries, there will be some nights when all you want to do is get a good sleep ahead of the following day’s coursework hand-in or early lectures. Pack some earplugs for those nights when the volume levels are keeping you awake.

Cold and Flu Remedies

You’ve probably dismissed warnings of ‘Freshers’ Flu’, but it’s a real thing. Throw together a bunch of people and lots of social events, and bugs will easily be passed on and spread like wildfire. Stock up on Lemsip, cough sweets and tissues before the start of term because you can guarantee you’ll need them before the first few weeks are out.

Tupperware Boxes

It’s a student life hack worth knowing – cook massive amounts, put it in Tupperware and freeze it. You could easily save yourself a lot of money by buying in bulk and a lot of time in the long-run. Cook once and you could live for a week on the stuff you’ve frozen for later, ideal when you’re in a hurry to get out and can’t be bothered cooking from scratch.

A Torch

At some point, there will be a power cut. Be prepared and have a torch somewhere within easy reach, because you don’t want to be stumbling and crashing around in your cramped little room until the lights come back on.

An Extension Lead

One thing you will almost certainly discover as soon as you move into your new place is that there are never enough plug sockets. You’ll probably find there are just two plug sockets and they’re inconveniently placed down the side of the bed, so have an extension lead to hand and you can easily plug in all your gadgets and still have a spare for the bedside light.

A Reed Diffuser

Student rooms aren’t particularly well ventilated, as even the most hygienic of people will quickly discover. Be sure to pack a reed diffuser or some air freshener to dispel any unpleasant aromas when you first walk into your room.

A Doorstop

Whether you’re in halls of residence or moving into a house share, a doorstop is one quick way to make new friends. Propping your door ajar is an open invitation and people are more likely to pop their heads in and say ‘hi’, which is really useful in those awkward early days when you’re feeling lonely and worried about making friends.

You might not have thought of them before now, but rest assured you will find a use for these seven essentials once you’re there. Make some extra space in those boxes when you start packing because these are must-haves for all new university students.

Lizzie Exton writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for internships. To browse our graduate jobs London listings, visit our website.