Hey friends, it’s SJ here with another blog, which should be especially helpful for you Freshers’ starting with us in September at Exeter Uni at the Penryn Campus. Let me start off by saying just how eager I am to get back to Cornwall to see all the lovely fresh new faces that will be filling our streets in just a month’s time! I hope you’re excited, ‘cause I sure am!! If you haven’t read any of my previous blogs, I’ll fill you in quickly… So I will be beginning my second year this September studying the Renewable Energy BSc. I am part of the Dance and Swifty societies and spend most of my free time swimming at one of our stunning beaches or hiking over trails (usually to trek to some wind turbines). However, what I’m here today to talk to you about are my top tips on exactly what you should be packing to bring to your first year halls. The majority of you will never have moved out before, so I hope this will help you to decorate your room to feel most at home and prepare you for university life whilst being away. P.S. no way can you be missing my top 5 essentials at the end – stay tuned so you don’t miss any!
How to make your room feel like home
Your room is possibly the most important thing to consider when starting your packing. I absolutely adored my first year uni halls room, as well as it holding so many memories of movie nights, girls getting ready sessions and many other iconic moments, it also was decorated exactly like my home room is. This made it become my ‘safe space’ because although we all have busy uni lives, having somewhere comfortable and welcoming to come back to every night really makes all the difference. So, as a student staying in either the Glasney Student Village or The Sidings accommodation, what should you bring?
What you SHOULD bring:
- Bedding (including duvet and pillows)
- Decorations: plants, photos (I would suggest nicely framing one to keep on your bedside table), fairly lights (makes for more ambient lighting), posters, calendar, flower vase (I had one on my windowsill to keep fresh flowers in and brighten up my room) etc.
- Shower mat and towels
- Toothbrush holder and make-up storage container if wanted (easy to forget)
- Washing basket (you most likely will have to walk outside to another block for laundry)
- Storage tubs, ideally that would slide under your bed
- A fan (Glasney rooms can get hot!)
- Shoe rack (optional but keeps your room a lot tidier)
What you SHOULD NOT bring:
- A desk chair
- Extension cord, I thought I was being smart brining one last year, but turns out every Glasney room has a millionnn plug sockets!
- Candles, the amount of fire alarms I’ve had at 2am because someone lit a candle 🙁
- A TV, as much as you could bring one, I honestly don’t think there’s any point! I used my laptop all year, even for movie nights, and it was absolutely fine. As opposed to a TV, a projector would probably be a hit, but again you can get by just fine without one.
- A big mirror, I can assure you there are two mirrors in Glasney rooms, one in the bathroom and a full length one in the inside of your wardrobe door.
Freshers’ attire
Now one thing I was NOT prepared for was all the themed events and parties that were thrown so early on in Freshers’ Week! Make sure you have a look on our local Instagram accounts to check out which events societies are throwing this year to be prepared. But here are my top items that I think everyone should have stored in their bedroom for when the time comes…
- Formal wear: Now, if someone had told me I’d be attending a summer ball, a winter ball and two different boat parties in first year, then I’d probably had thrown more than one dress in my suitcase! While some do dress more casual, absolutely do not be afraid to bring a black suit and tie, a formal dress or anything in-between.
- A neon outfit: In my Freshers’ Week last year, we had a neon party within about three days of moving in – thank god I was prepared! Even if it’s just glow sticks, I promise you that you’ll use them.
- A white top: A “white lies” party is extremely common with societies. The sailing society last year threw an amazing one in Freshers’ Week. It’s basically where you have to wear a white top and write on it a funny lie about yourself, and you’d never know how much of a pain it is to find a basic white top in such short notice!
- A Halloween outfit: Our Halloween parties really are a night to remember but come on, don’t be the one to ruin the fun by claiming you’re too old for Halloween costumes! There isn’t a fancy dress shop in Falmouth High Street, so stuff can be hard to find – make sure you’re extra prepared.
- Walking boots: Cornwall gets a lot of rain, and a lot of mud, and you will be walking a lot of places. It never hurts to bring some sturdy shoes!
Secret strategies for budget-friendly packing
Between IKEA trips and gathering as much as you can from family, all the stuff listed on this blog can get expensive quick! So here are a few ways in which I’ve found are the best to save money…
Number 1. The Swap Shop. In Penryn, at various times of the year, The Swap Shop will reopen on campus! Usually found outside the Stannary or in the Sustainability Café, it’s a way to encourage students and staff to donate and receive preloved clothing, kitchen equipment and house decorations to avoid buying new. This shop has done exceedingly well in the past, I personally have found a few amazing finds in there saving me (a broke uni student) tonnes of hassle. So when you’ve all moved into your halls, go to make breakfast and realise you never brought a frying pan to make your eggs, have a stroll down to The Swap Shop and you might just find what you need!
No.2. Charity shops. Now one thing that Falmouth is famously known for, is having a billion cute vintage charity shops and kilo sales. Down the High Street there are some really good quality places for some amazing finds, a day out charity shopping in Fal is one of my favs! Although when Fives (the Cyderhouse at the end of the High Street) do their termly vintage kilo sales, there are queues down the roads to get into there! There are so many gems to be found here and for sooo cheap too, so any clothes you manage to miss whilst packing can easily be acquired here.
No. 3. Make the most of your shared space in the flat and decorate it with your flatmates! In a Glasney kitchen, I’m not going to lie to you, the kitchens are a little plain… But for us, that made decorating for Halloween, Christmas and each other’s birthdays such a fun flat bonding experience. By splitting the cost with 7 other people, stuff becomes so cheap- use that to your advantage! And I even know people who have found a cheap sofa and/ or TV off Facebook Market Place!
No. 4. And speaking of Facebook… The amount of students here who scroll through the Marketplace on a daily searching for second hand surfboards is insane. Many quickly realise when they get here just how big the surfing culture is. While FalSurf is the biggest society on campus, people also use their boards as decoration in kitchens/ rooms (my friends actually had 12 surfboards stacked in their kitchen at one point!). Facebook Marketplace is perfect for these finds, for either free or very discounted items, there is always tonnes of stuff around in Cornwall. The only issue with this one is that you have to collect the items yourself- so make friends with someone with a car quick!
My top 5 essentials
And you’ve done it, you’ve made it to the end! So to reward you, here is my absolute top 5, must-have essentials that you have just got to pack when starting at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in September! (Honestly, I don’t think you could live without these) …
- A wetsuit and a beach towel. A uni in Cornwall really only means one thing, you will end up having a sea swim at least once in your Freshers’ Week (I got pulled there on the second morning we’d moved in, in the wind and torrential rain!) And we are in England, the waters are not warm, but that’s kinda all part of the fun. Also, clubbing in a wetsuit might be more common than you’d imagine… yes, you read that right, I have actually witnessed more than one individual, on different occasions, in our local club in a wetsuit due to a social dress-up night (honestly don’t ask what they were thinking).
- Photos and pins for your pinboard. In the Sidings you actually have two pinboards and in Glasney double rooms you have one huge board above your desk (although unfortunately if you’re in a shared room you don’t have one, but there’s still space to stick photos by your bed). I must have brought over 40 photos with me, yet it still wasn’t enough to outline my pinboard! Although, it did quickly become my favourite feature in my room, filling it with old wristbands, cards from home and various other memories.
- A mattress topper. The mattresses provided are not the comfiest things in the world. I suggest you bring a mattress topper, it will immensely help your sleeping.
- Slippers!! The kitchen floor in halls can get pretty grubby at times. Slippers absolutely saved my life, I don’t think I ever went into the kitchen without them. No one ever has the effort to put on full-on shoes just to go make a cup of tea, trust me, don’t forget them!
- A dehumidifier. Every room in Glasney and the Sidings has an ensuite… and a not-so-great bathroom fan, so things can get pretty steamy! Once again, this is uni accommodation, nothing is brand-spanking new, and that’s okay…but a dehumidifier will help immensely and save you a lot of trouble.
So that’s all from me today, good luck packing Freshers’! See you in September! – SJ 🙂