Having trouble packing for your first year at Teddy Hall? Here are our suggestions for what you need (and don't need!) to bring to Oxford!
In first year you won't get any storage over the vacations between terms, unless you're an international student. This means you have to move out after every term, so it's recommended that you pack light!
CLOTHES
2 weeks worth of clothes - you honestly won't wear more clothes than this, as the terms are short and you can do laundry as often as you like! We recommend bringing what you're comfiest in - if you don't wear it at home, you probably won't choose to wear it at uni either.
Plenty of face coverings/masks - you will all be provided with a college mask when you arrive, but you'll be wearing them a lot of the time so definitely bring more!
A formal outfit - Teddy Hall is still holding socially distanced formals this term! This is usually a dress or a suit and tie. Your suit can also be worn for sub fusc (the academic dress students wear for matriculation and exams), and it's usually useful to bring a dress that can double up as an everyday outfit to save on space!
Sub fusc - you can buy your sub fusc once you arrive in Oxford, from the Oxford University Shop or Shepherd and Woodward. Details of what it consists of can be found here.
Hangers - first year wardrobes have a few shelves and a couple of old hangers hanging around in them, but it can be useful to bring more from home if you have lots of stuff to hang up.
Things which you do not need:
Unfortunately, BOPs and clubbing events aren't happening this term due to the pandemic, so you won't need to bring fancy dress or clothes for these events.
BATHROOM
Towels - bring a nice big towel/towelling dressing gown.
Flip flops/waterproof sliders/sandals - it's nice to have something to wear to the showers when you're sharing a bathroom in first year. Not a necessity!
Shower caddy/similar - it's sometimes useful to have something waterproof to carry shampoo to the shower in! This is totally optional though.
LAUNDRY AND BED LINEN
Pillow
Duvet
Single bed linen (duvet cover, bottom sheet, pillowcase) - Teddy Hall will only provide linen and bedding for international students (who get two sets of sheets, duvet and pillow), so you need to bring your own.
Laundry basket - it's useful to have something to store and carry your washing in, even if it's just a big bag! Ikea bags or bags for life are useful for this as they pack away small and mean you don't need to buy anything new. You can buy detergent from the local supermarkets once you arrive so don't worry about bringing any!
Laundry airer - although Teddy Hall has plenty of tumble driers it can be useful to have a small laundry airer in your room in case you don't want to use the drier or put your stuff in the drying room.
TOP LAUNDRY TIP - Teddy Hall uses Circuit Laundry, so download the Circuit app before you arrive! If you don't have a phone which supports it, you can get a laundry card when you arrive.
Things which you do not need:
Mattress protector - these are provided
Mattress topper - our beds are all super comfy without!
Iron - these are a fire risk and there is an iron in the laundry room for everyone to use!
STUDY SUPPLIES
Stationery - you'll need all your usual stationery, including pens, pencils and paper, for studying during term!
Diary/Planner - some kind of diary/planner (virtual or paper) is useful to keep track of your classes, deadlines and events throughout the year. Being able to see when everything is is essential for good time management!
Laptop - you'll probably need a laptop for your studies, but definitely nothing fancy. You just need basic word processing and googling abilities; the JCR and uni departments also have computer rooms you can use.
Device chargers - you don't want to run out of battery!
Alarm clock - to wake you up for those 9ams.
Extension leads - plugs are always in slightly weird places in student rooms. Who even knows why.
Things which you do not need:
Printer - you can print things out in the library very easily if you need to.
KITCHEN
Teddy Hall food is brilliant, and in first year you pre-pay for all your dinners and breakfasts in advance, so most first years don't choose to cook for themselves very often, if at all. However, it can be useful to have a few things to quickly make something for lunch. Our kitchenettes are well stocked with a hob, kettle, microwave and fridge! Here are some suggestions for things you might want:
Small saucepan - useful for quick pasta/soup/noodle meals!
Plate, bowl, spoon, knife, fork - to eat the quick pasta/soup/noodle meals!
Mugs - an absolute student essential. You can drink anything out of a mug. People tend to bring more than one so they can make tea/coffee for a friend too! Mugs also make useful pen pots for decoration.
It can be useful to have a travel mug - the Bodleian libraries only allow KeepCup brand ones, which can be purchased cheaply from the libraries, or you can order a Teddy Hall one here. To reduce our waste and help the environment, our free JCR coffee machine also doesn't dispense paper cups anymore, so you might want one to drink your chocomilk from.
Sharp kitchen knife, chopping board - can be useful for chopping things in the kitchen.
Wooden spoon
Tin opener
Things which you do not need:
Kettle - these present a fire risk in rooms and are not allowed. Every kitchenette has its own kettle.
Fridge - there's more than enough fridge space in the kitchenettes, so generally people don't bring mini fridges! They are allowed, for an £80 deposit fee, but it's recommended that you don't bring one unless necessary.
EXTRA
None of these things are essential, but will make your room a nice space to spend time in next term.
Photos - it can be nice to decorate your room with photos from home.
Fairy lights - these are a nice touch to add to a pinboard!
Throw/cushions - these can make your bed look pretty and make your room even more nice and comfy!
Desk lamp - all rooms already have desk lamps in them, but you may want to bring your own to add a personal touch to your room.
Books - if you want, you can bring a couple of books for recreational reading outside of your subject! You can also borrow a huge variety books from our library or the Bodleian libraries so this is absolutely not a necessity.
Hot water bottle