The university essentials freshers actually need, recommended by graduates

"I didn't realise how hard the water in university halls would be and how gross it would make all the kettles! This Brita water filter jug changed my tea game forever."

"This would have been perfect for cleaning my tiny room in uni halls. It's also super compact, so it would take up barely any storage - a really useful feature considering how I could barely store anything else in my room!"

"I was a shy kid, so my mum left me with a box of chocolates to help me integrate with my flatmates. During that awkward first Freshers Week, it genuinely helped break the ice and made my room very popular."

"I wish I had a easy to carry laundry bag - there was nothing worse than lugging my wash basket across campus to the laundry room and back again."

"I did a lot of cooking as a student, and this was really useful for making sure any meat was cooked through completely and avoiding dreaded food poisoning."

"A shopping trolley like this one would've been such a huge help with the big grocery shop when I was at uni, especially with all the hills I had to climb!"

"My uni essential was honestly a thick mattress protector, as so many people have used the same mattress before you!"

"This would have made getting up for early morning classes a little bit more luxe, compared to my Asda own brand instant coffee."

"A toastie maker was incredibly useful, especially living in halls with filthy communal kitchens and dreadful canteen meals."

"I think a mini private fridge for my own room would have been great. The kitchen was horrible with dirty plates and mouldy food festering everywhere!"

"A really simple but useful item I brought was a wall calendar. It helped me stay organised with my classes and made it easy to schedule events."

“I wish I had brought more bed sheet sets with me. I didn’t realise there would be so much waiting between washing my sheets and drying them.”

"The communal showers aren't always the most pristine (shall we say) and wearing flip flops while in the shower meant my feet weren't at risk of touching other people's hair and/or verrucas."

Now, I can't go anywhere without my YETI vacuum flask that keeps tea warm and wine cold - and it really works. It would have really helped at uni keeping the coffee/tea hot all day while I worked on essays in the library or at my desk."