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• Tea towels: Bring more than you think – these things get grotty quickly in a uni kitchen and there’s nothing worse than drying your freshly cleaned plates with a dirty towel.
• Scissors, tape, Blu Tac and drawing pins: As above, these are the sorts of things you’d never think you’d need, but that you inevitably do. Bring spares from home or pick some up from Union Shop, located in the LUU building.
• Bin bags: Properly boring, but properly essential.
• Mattress protector: It’s just sensible in a uni room, isn’t it?
• Oven gloves: Chances are there’ll be more than a few oven pizzas being cooked this year, so oven gloves are essential.
• Washing up bowl: The theme continues, but uni kitchens aren’t always the cleanest. If you’re dirt-averse, bring a washing up bowl so you can clean your things without having to touch the sink itself.
• Laundry basket: Chances are you’ll be lugging your washing to and from a launderette, so you’ll need a suitable container to do this with – multiple tote bags probably aren’t going to cut it. If you’re planning to air-dry your clothes to save money and energy, this will need to be waterproof too – a sturdy plastic shopping bag like an IKEA bag or bag for life will do the trick nicely if you want to save space on a purpose-made basket.
• Bottle opener and corkscrew: A bottle opener or corkscrew is an easy thing to forget but an essential for many. Bring one along and be a halls hero (but remember to drink responsibly!).

• Umbrella: Let’s be honest, you’re moving to Yorkshire. Don’t get caught out.
• Tweezers and nail scissors: Again, everyone’s going to need these at some point, but they won’t exactly be a priority when packing. You can grab great little kits with everything you need from shops like Boots.
• First aid kit and medicine: A kit with things like plasters and painkillers is a really good shout. Freshers’ flu is a thing: even if you’ve not had too much to drink, the long hours, excessive socialising and junk food meals that often characterise the first few weeks at uni can take a toll on your health. It makes sense to have everything you need to tackle this at hand from the beginning – particularly when there’s a risk of having to self-isolate and not being able to nip out to get some paracetamol. Bring a box of tissues too.
• Handheld bathroom caddy: If you’re sharing a bathroom, a little caddy to bring your toiletries to and from the bathroom is a great idea to keep everything together and easy to carry. No one wants to be juggling four slippery bottles while dashing down the hallway in a towel…
• Flip flops or sliders: In a similar vein, shared bathrooms aren’t always the cleanest, so if you’re concerned about hygiene, consider bringing some sliders, flip flops or other waterproof shoes to wear to the showers.
• Clothes hangers: When you’re packing up your clothes, bring your hangers too! They’re super easy to forget, but so important for making good use of your space. Opt for slimline ones so you can fit more in your wardrobe – Primark usually have cheap packs of these in a non-slip finish – or even look into contraptions which enable you to double up your hangers and get more in yet. It also doesn’t hurt to bring more than you need – chances are some of that student loan will go on a spot of clothes shopping during your time in Leeds.

• Wavey garms: What was that we said about clothes shopping? Leeds students are often easily identifiable from their vintage clothes, and we’re treating you to an exclusive 20% off code at Headlock vintage to help you get the look. Vintage is an excellent way to shop sustainably too.
• Leeds merch: If you’re more about preppy comfort then how about some Uni of Leeds merch? Our merchandise shop, Gear, is your place to grab hoodies, t-shirts, tote bags and more, to show the world where you study. Order online before you arrive, or pick something up in store once you’re here – and to make it even better, all the profits are reinvested into improving your Union.
• Discounts for days: As a student you’re entitled to loads of great discounts. Don’t delay getting your hands on a TOTUM card for discounts galore, including 10% off at Co-op, our on-campus supermarket. At just £24.99 for three years of discounts, it’s a real no-brainer. For more great deals, make sure to keep an eye on the LUU Deals website. This page is regularly updated with exclusive deals and discounts just for LUU members – including some excellent food and drink deals on right now – half price Dominos pizza anyone?

Hopefully this will be a handy list to consult as you’re packing to move to Leeds, and will give you some insight into the lesser-expected things you’ll need to bring to University. But if you forget anything or can’t quite squeeze it into the car, no worries – there’s a number of shops right on campus carrying essentials, and Leeds is a fantastic shopping city for all the other bits and bobs you’ll need. Happy packing!

Want to discover more of your LUU Welcome experience? Visit our Welcome webpage for events, advice and more.