There are all sorts of student life hacks that will help you to get from fresher’s week to graduation without a hitch, but what about the stuff you need to buy to make things easier? A student budget is always a toughie to negotiate, but with a bit of smart saving and investing, your life will be made much, much easier.
Image Credit: Pixabay
A Sandwich Press
No student should ever have to go through university without a sandwich press. In fact, it should be right up there at the top of your list as it is here. The sandwich press is a lifesaver; it has prevented student starvation for many years and will continue to do so well into the future.The true beauty of the sandwich press is not the fact that you can have a hot meal within 5 minutes placed between two perfectly toasted slices, but actually the surprising versatility of such a machine. From caramelised bananas (just add peanut butter and toast) to a thin cut steak, you can do it all with the sandwich press. And if you can’t cook it in the sandwich press, did you really want to eat it in the first place?
Printer, Paper and Ink
Sure, you could queue in the library for a printer, but when you need to print off your essay with 30 minutes before the deadline, having your own printer will be a real bonus. It will also make printing off resources a lot easier and you can print off earlier versions of your essays to edit too.It might seem like a luxury item, and, okay, it kind of is. However, if you are smart and buy your inks from somewhere like 123inkjets and use cheap paper, it won’t end up costing way over what you would otherwise pay in the library.
A Really Good Frying Pan
Cooking for one is a challenging process. Why is every recipe intended for a family of four? Where are all the cheap student recipes for one?The good news is that the cooking implements should be exactly the same. Don’t be tempted to get a tiny frying pan because there’s only one of you. Get the best one you can afford, preferably non-stick unless you want to spend hours soaking it in the sink.
Plus, if you have the good stuff, you might be able to use its loan as leverage for other things. The student kitchen is a real mish mash of what everyone has brought so if you have the good pan at your disposal, you could get a good deal on being able to use all sorts of other stuff too.
Image Credit: Pexels
Fairy Lights
Yes, indeed. Dorm rooms are anything but romantic with their on or off main lights and bright LEDs and yet a few fairy lights can really make a difference. Something in their gentle glow and all round loveliness makes any dorm room feel a little more like home.You should also consider bringing a bedside light to make reading more comfortable and, once you are friendly with your flatmates, you could choose some nicer lights for your social spaces as well. Don’t underestimate the power of good lighting. Seriously. Even guys should think about this stuff.
More than One Bed Set (3 is Ideal)
So you choose the first bed set and that’s great, but what happens when you need to put all your bedding in the wash? You have a naked bed. This is where the second set comes in really handy. While one set is in the wash, you can just pop the other one on and have a nap to recover from such crazy exertion.The third bed set is really the clincher though, as it means that should you delay your washing in favour of more fun activities - like basically anything else - you still have a backup set. It is for this reason that you should keep a fund just in case you run out of clean socks and pants. Your mum won’t approve, but she also doesn’t have to know.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Noise Cancelling Headphones
In a student dorm building, there are, unsurprisingly, a lot of students all hanging around and being noisy and annoying. This is fine when it’s you being noisy and annoying, but if you have deadlines and a desperate need to concentrate, you are going to need some peace and quiet.Short of going to the library, where you will be obliged to wear clothes other than the pair of pjs and jumper you’ve been wearing since you started the assignment, noise cancelling headphones should do the trick. You don’t need to put any music on, though film music is pretty good for working to. Just stick them over your ears and pretend that you aren’t missing out on any fun. This assignment is fun.
Going to uni for the first time and moving out of your parent’s home is a really strange feeling. You are at once so much older and yet still so young as well. Though this list is by no means exhaustive, hopefully if you choose to invest in these things, they will help you to have the time of your life.
University is about more than just getting a degree. It’s about making new friends and finding things that you wouldn’t have come across before. This is a time for having a lot of fun, doing some of the crazy things you’ve always wanted to do and working hard as well.
Enjoy it. Have fun. Do it all. And when you run out of pants - buy more pants.
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