What's in my bag? Maisa's travel essentials

Packing for University is difficult.

Personally, I believe packing grows more difficult the further away from home you are due to move.

My first two years of Uni have been mostly online, however, I am transferring from the Dubai Campus to the Edinburgh Campus for the next two years and I have checked so many guides and read so many posts…most have been helpful, however, some have lead to endless scrolling and trying to find what is recommended when everything seems so contradictory.

I have summed up what I believe to be the essentials for moving away, including some sentimental items that I've included. 

The basics:

• Soft socks
• A travel sized perfume
• A lip balm
• Tissues
• Sunglasses
• University ID (this is pretty self explanatory but it is important to carry around with you!)

More specialised items:

• A reusable bottle or cup - the one I enjoy using is a cup which won’t tip over and spill if hit accidentally, I find this helpful for keeping my notes and electronics safe…too many close calls😅
• A pair of noise-cancelling headphones, because if you are anything like me and get distracted easily…noise cancellation is the way to go
• A keychain that is memorable so you want to look after it, you don’t want to lose your keys - you don’t need to know how inconvenient it is!
• A portable power bank and wire, all things considered battery life is easy to forget that you need, a portable charger helps me keep on track with my studies without needing to charge my phone at in-convenient times, bonus points if you get one that can charge multiple devices
• A notebook and a pen, everything may be digital but there is a beauty in writing things down…plus it helps me remember things better
• A claw clip, because those of us with long hair don’t want it to act like a pillow while we study!

Sentimental items:

A watch, during my school days I used to time myself on a watch since using technology was a no-no, so using a timer on my phone doesn't appeal to me as much as an analogue watch does. 

A coffee maker, my trusty Moka Express coffee maker has been with me since high school. Having something you're comfortable and confident using can make a difference when settling in. 

For more student packing essentials, visit our 'what's in my bag?' page.