Prep yourself before coming to Royal Holloway and follow this guide of all the essentials you will need!
So you’ve received your A-level results and a confirmation that you will be coming to Royal Holloway in September – exciting times! However, as well as being super thrilling, getting ready to go to university can also be quite stressful, particularly when it comes to packing your stuff (and you have your mother nagging at you to do so). It can be incredibly tempting to dump all your stuff into suitcases but taking everything with you isn’t realistic. Here’s a quick checklist of things that are essential to bring before you come here to Royal Holloway:
Important Documents
- Passport/Driving Licence or some other form of official ID
- University admissions letter
- Accommodation documents
- All your student finance documents
- Course acceptance letter
- Passport photos
- Bank details and card
Useful, but not crucial: NHS Medical Number, Exam certificates, National Insurance Number
Clothes
You probably already know which items of clothing you want to take, but here are some extra pointers which may come in handy:
- Suit or formal wear
- Bag or rucksack
- Fancy dress (definitely needed for Freshers’ Festival)
- Slippers
- Lots of loungewear
- Swimwear
- Flip flops (especially if you use communal bathrooms)
- Dressing gown or fleece
Electrical items
- Laptop and charger
- Headphones
- Phone and charger
- Extension leads
- Hairdryer and hair styling/grooming tools
- USB stick/external hard-drive
Useful, but not crucial: Printer, games console, small TV, speakers, camera, an iron, alarm
Kitchen items
Our halls have a fully-stocked kitchen, so you won’t need to bring a kettle, toaster, microwave etc.
- Several bowls and plates
- Mugs and glasses
- Cutlery
- Saucepan
- A wok
- A sharp knife
- Tupperware
- A tin and bottle opener with corkscrew
- Baking trays
- Tea towels
- Cheese grater
- Vegetable peeler
Useful, but not crucial: A toastie maker, coffee maker, herbs and spices, casserole dish
Bedroom items
- Bedsheets, pillowcases and duvet cover
- Coat hangers
- Mattress protector
- Laundry bag or basket (best if lightweight for dragging to and from the laundry room)
- Door stop
Bathroom items
- Toothbrush
- Towels
- Paracetamol and cold and flu medicine (needed for Freshers' Flu and the hangovers)
- Washbag
- Any personal medication
- Nail scissors
- Razors
- Tampons/pads
- Plasters
Academic items
Books and notepads will take up a lot of luggage space, so it’s best if you buy stationary once you are at university. The Union Shop will offer all the essential items you need (e.g. pens, pencils). Here are a few extra bits you may need throughout the academic year:
- Sellotape
- Highlighters
- Scissors
- Calculator
- Post-it notes
- Diary/planner
Miscellaneous items
- Playing cards
- Condoms
- Blu tac/pins
- Torch
- Inflatable mattress/sleeping bag (for when friends come to visit)