Moving away from home to study is a major step in life – the start of adulthood, the first independent flat often very far from home. Every freshman is excited, but probably also a little nervous about the prospect of living on their own. In order to be well prepared for your new phase and dormitory living, a few things from your family home are essential – what to take with you and what to leave behind? How do you furnish a cosy and welcoming environment in a new place that is, on the one hand, something completely new and, on the other, reminiscent of the family home and familiar places?
New surroundings in student accommodation
No matter where you live at university, it will be a very different place from your family home. You need to prepare for change, but also not be afraid of it – university is a wonderful new chapter in your life, and you can create the new space the way you want. Your own place at university can be similar to your room in the family home or totally different. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable there.
A good basis for building your own place are modern student flats that are well furnished. That way you won’t have to focus on taking care of mundane things like taking cutlery, plates, kitchen and bathroom equipment. Your personal items are enough to add cosiness to the interior.
Such well-appointed, modern student accommodation is offered by BaseCamp. Fully furnished, designer rooms with private bathrooms and kitchenettes. The BaseCamp facilities include a gym, study areas, laundry facilities and a cinema for residents to use. Bicycles can also be hired and support is available 24/7. The only things you need to bring from your family home are your clothes, toiletries and private keepsakes – everything else is already at Basecamp.
Learn more about BaseCamp Copenhagen student apartments.
Preparations for relocation
How do you prepare for a move to university? Start by making a list of the things you need. That way you won’t forget anything. It may be a trivial idea, but it is a tried and tested one. After all, there’s nothing worse than going to university, far from home, and realising you’ve forgotten your favorite blouse, comfy pillow or phone charger. Put everything you can think of on the list, even things as small as hair shampoo or your favorite tea. In the hustle and bustle of packing, it’s easy to forget these little things.
Useful stuff for university: what to take?
Let’s assume for a start a scenario where you have a room in a private dormitory with a fitted kitchen and bathroom. In this situation, take only:
- Clothes – for everyday, for university, for parties, for sports.
- Electronic equipment such as laptops, phones, e-readers and more, and necessarily the right chargers.
- Other gadgets used, e.g. hair straighteners, razors, etc.
- Cosmetics, although you can also buy them locally and you don’t have to take supplies from home.
- Towels and bedding, as well as your favorite blanket, for example.
- Books, if you enjoy reading.
- Documents necessary for studies (proof of graduation), passport if you wish to travel.
- Favourite items and souvenirs – more on this below.
- Favourite coffee, tea, treats.
- Medication you are taking, e.g. for allergies.
If you will be living in the BaseCamp dormitory, you won’t need anything else because the kitchen will already be equipped and there is a laundry room on site. When renting a flat, you need to make sure what is in place and what is not. In this case, you will certainly need extra washing powder, a dryer, for example, and even bowls, cutlery and plates if the kitchen is not fitted with them. Here, the list of items is already significantly longer and you may have problems taking everything without using a private car. This is why private, equipped, modern dormitories work better, as the list of items you need to pack is significantly reduced.
Souvenirs, photos, favorite items
Souvenirs, photos and other favorite items are often overlooked when packing for college because we focus on essentials like clothes. Meanwhile, these favorite items are extremely important. Don’t give up your favorite things, taking them with you will help you adjust more smoothly to the new place. They will soothe the initial homesickness and give you a boost in the difficult beginnings in a new place and among new people. They create a cosy atmosphere in your dormitory that you will love to return to after classes. It is such small items that influence the atmosphere of a room.
Elephant for good luck and other charms
Do you have a lucky charm, such as an elephant with its trunk up, a seashell from your first visit to the beach or a favorite pendant from your grandmother? Be sure to take such good luck charms with you. There is no shame in this – everyone has an item that they are very sentimental about and believe helps them through difficult times. May good energy go with you to university!
Photos of friends and family
Often, going away to university involves separation from family and friends. If you travel far from your hometown, you may see your loved ones quite rarely. Of course, at university you will meet new people and make new friends, but that doesn’t mean you should forget your childhood friends! Take your favorite shots with you, they will decorate your walls perfectly and accompany you every day, reminding you of your loved ones.
Favourite items
Despite the comfortable bed in your room, your rest and sleep can be improved by a favorite pillow brought from home or a blanket that has always been in your family home. Or perhaps you have a favorite painting or board game? A book that accompanies you all your life? The mug you’ve been drinking tea from every day for years? Comfortable slippers for walking around the room? Whatever it is, take it with you. This will make you feel at home from day one!
