A Newbie's Guide To Not Packing Like A Dingbat

Hoooo boy, 2017 is coming in hot.

The new year is looming, and I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to bury 2016 like I did my 2005 bangs. If you’re a fresh-faced high school leaver, you’ve got a few things coming up in the new year, and I’m here to tell you that after NYE, things are going to happen very quickly. You’re going to need to start packing, because you’re about to move your entire life to campus. Here are a few things to keep in mind when jamming everything you hold dear into a hatchback:

You don’t need all that stuff

Before you get ahead of yourself, do you really need a box of birthday cards from the last 10 years? No, you do not. Put the box down. Back out of the room, switch the light off, close the door. Ssshhh… While your room on campus won’t be a miniscule match-box, you’re going to find out very quickly that you will only have room for the essentials – from there you will fill it with new things you gather throughout your time at uni. Stop packing non-essential stuff, you’re going to have to bring it all back home or chuck it out.

Kitchen utensils are important

You might not think of it straight away, but bring your own kitchen utensils. Sure, your roomies might have them already and you can share. But don’t forget to bring at least two or three of these:

• Mugs
• Drinking glasses
• Knives/forks/spoons
• Dinner plate
• Bowl

You might find you don’t need it all if your roomies have a bunch of it, but I can guarantee that stuff will break during the year, and your extra supplies will come in handy. You don’t need a lot, but bring a little.

Linen is kind of essential

I can’t tell you how many friends I had that just slept on their mattress without sheets. This is unhygienic and if you’re not dressing your bed properly then you might be charged for damaging the mattress you were provided. Just do yourself a favour and bring more than one pair of sheets – that way, when you take them off to be washed, you’ve got a clean set ready to go. Simple, I know, but you’d be surprised how many people I’ve met who just sleep on a towel because they can’t be bothered making their bed. Bring linen.

^ u on washing day

There are a lot of things you should be bringing with you when you move out of home, but there are probably just as many that you shouldn’t. Here is a list of things that are going to irritate the hell out of you 6 months down the track when you don’t have room for it:

• The French Thesaurus you bought when you were 16
• A box of memorabilia labelled “year 10”
• Another completely separate box of memorabilia labelled “random stuff”
• Your snowboard
• Your assignments from high school just in case – no. You will likely never ever need to look at these again. Don’t bring them.

Look, everyone packs a little differently. And you might genuinely feel like you need the things listed above – and I want to tell you, from the bottom of my heart, that you don’t need it – leave it at home.

Happy packing!

Amy.