#freshersweek

Some clothing for warm and cold weather.

If you’re anything like me, and come from the tropics, the first few days in London are going to be cold. Bring a few pieces of clothing that you can layer – but don’t pack more than a few days’ worth of cold weather clothing (unless you already have some good quality stuff – the point is not to buy and bring what you need) because you can buy the stuff you need here for reasonable prices: winter coats, scarves, boots – more choice, cheaper prices - at places like Primark.

Versatile shoes

Precious luggage space means that you shouldn’t lug over heavy boots and every pair of trainers you own. Limit yourself to, say, one set of flats, a pair of trainers and get all the boots you need when you get here (I promise there is so. Much. Choice.) – these are all things I wish I’d known before I got here.

Flip flops, one towel, small set of toiletries, bathrobe

Again, the same logic applies: you have limited luggage space and shampoo (plus towels) are easily available here – don’t make my mistake and waste 6 kilos on a big bottle of shampoo (no matter how attached you are to the smell) and three towels! You will need some toiletries and one towel so you can immediately take a shower when you get off the plane and arrive at your accommodation – nothing makes you feel better after long-haul flight than a warm hot shower! Flip-flops and a bathrobe are optional, but worthwhile ideas, if you are in a hall with a shared bathroom… and want to shower ASAP once you land. As mentioned above, check if your hall will be giving you a welcome pack which might have a towel (and soap) in it!

Travel adapter

Bringing an adapter with you, if your plugs are different, will allow you to immediately charge up all your devices when you get here so you can stay in touch with your family and let them know you’ve arrived safely

Electronics

To go with your travel adapter – you’ll need these for staying in touch, listening to music to jolt you out of any homesickness, and of course for taking notes during lectures!

Documents (visa, passport, plane ticket, health records, CAS number, etc)

You’ll most definitely need these when you land at the airport and you are usually asked to produce them. Again – don’t make my mistake and not print out the email with your CAS number, because that is ten minutes you will spend trying to connect to wifi so you can search for the email on your phone…. And will result in one very annoyed Border Officer. Not the best introduction to the UK!

Medical supplies There are pharmacies in the UK where you can refill any prescriptions, but make sure to bring a sizeable supply of any medication you might need in case of emergencies

A smaller backpack (this could be your carry-on instead of a smaller suitcase)

You are coming to London – a major hub and a great way to get to so many places in Europe! For short trips, this smaller backpack will come in very handy when you decide to make any quick getaways – much more convenient than rolling around a suitcase, particularly if you go to really crowded cities like Venice. (I speak from experience)

Cash, debit card and credit card (if you have one)

You’ll need cash for a variety of emergencies, like flight delays, and it’s just useful to have. Don’t carry too much for safety purposes (particularly if you’re taking the tube to your accommodation – the UKBA also imposes a limit on how much you can carry) and bring a debit and credit card for other emergencies. Most taxis in the UK – whether ordered via Uber or you flag a black cab – accept cards.

Things to keep in your carry-on

Separate from say your purse which would have your passport, if you have a carry-on suitcase, keep a photocopy of your visa and your passport photo page in case anything goes wrong or you lose your purse. Have a list of numbers you should call for help if you lose your phone (your parents – and yes, in this age of smartphones, many people don’t have their parents’ numbers memorized – the school’s international office, and a few taxi companies). Also have a change of clothes in here (including the all-important underwear) and some pocket-sized emergency toiletries in case you get stuck in transit or if there is a severe delay or if your luggage simply gets lost. Also bring a warm shawl, scarf or jacket that you might put on if you get cold in the plane (planes do run out of extra blankets), and any medical supplies you will need to take.

Now… if you have extra luggage space after packing everything you need (the key is to always remember you can buy a great deal of the things you need here)… you can bring…

Some local snacks / stuff – but limit yourself!

For me, this ended up being vacuum-packed bags of Chinese jerky and another bag of herbal Chinese medicine that my mom ended up sneakily packing into my bag. The Chinese medicine came in very useful when fresher’s flu hit, and when winter came around because it was primarily for sore throats and coughs. Think about the space you have, and pack your snacks accordingly. See below on bulky foodstuff – you can probably get most of what you want here.

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Things (I promise) you can buy here

• Sheets, blankets, pillows (no, really – you can buy them here and note that UK bed sizes might be different to your country’s bed sizes so any sheets you bring might not even work here! Also…I speak from experience, so please listen to me, sigh.)

• Clothing and boots (see above)

• Everyday items (like big bottles of shampoo or larger-sized tubes of toothpaste)

• BULKY FOOD PRODUCTS AVAILABLE IN THE UK! I cannot emphasize how many students do this (peanut butter for my American friend, humongous herbal tea for my Chinese friend and Mama Instant noodles for my Thai friend)…. You pack food you think you can’t get here, only to find it is available here. Chinatown in London has three supermarkets which stock a great variety of Asian foodstuff, so I promise you can probably find what you want here. Do bring non-bulky items that might not be available here.

• Hangers

• Kitchenware (no, you probably won’t use that Airfryer; yes, you and your new friends can probably share a set and yes there are reasonably priced and nicer frying-pan sets available here so don’t bring them in your luggage)

• Electrical items like a kettle, an alarm clock and a hairdryer (Argos is best – they usually have welcome back to school sales too!)

• Extra towels, floor rugs and a duvet

• Cleaning supplies

• Umbrella or raincoat

• Meat, fruit, vegetables (really. REALLY. You can get these here!)

• School supplies like stationary and textbooks (and for those of you scoffing, I do know someone who packed textbooks that they never used but thought they might need into their luggage!)