Home comforts at university - practical electrical appliances every student needs
It’s a momentous change for youngsters embarking on their undergraduate degrees. Moving into student accommodation for the first time is quite a feat when you’re only 18 or 19 and you’ve never lived away from home before.
However, the transition can be managed with the help of a carefully crafted list. We’d like to concentrate here on those practical electrical appliances that can bring you home comforts and even that crucial video link to the folks back home whenever you feel in need of some TLC. Aside from all those clothing items, documents, kitchen utensils, toiletries and so on (don’t forget your passport and driving licence if you have one), here are the electrical items that will rapidly help you feel at home in the new and exciting world you’re entering.
Smartphone and laptop/computer chargers
There are few things worse than arriving at your new accommodation after a wearying journey only to find that you’ve left those vital chargers at home. No one wants to be desperate to phone home to say that they’ve arrived safely, only to find that their Android or iPhone is out of juice and the charger is beside their bed 100 miles away. Put them on your list in bold letters without delay.
Hairdryers and hair-styling equipment
Probably more crucial for young women – though some young men with impressive but unruly heads of hair might feel similarly – these simple items will be felt acutely by their absence. Don’t fall into the trap of overlooking them. Make sure that they’re on your list.
Headphones
Everyone knows that these are a ‘must’ for listening to music or your favourite podcasts, but they’re also great for studying online learning materials in video or audio format. Again, don’t end up in the predicament where you have to buy another set when there’s a perfectly good (and expensive) set of AirPods or noise-cancelling headphones sitting on your bedside table at home.
Ethernet and HDMI cables
You might think that Wi-Fi will be all you need, but if you’re sharing accommodation with a lot of students all needing to access the internet at the same time, and especially if you’re a serious gamer using data-hungry consoles and games, think again. Wired connections remain the best choice for those who are likely to need lots of data, either for their field of study and/or because they maintain their sanity by immersing themselves in compelling online games.
Sound is a crucial accompaniment to HD images, so you would be well advised to ensure that you’ve taken a supply of HDMI cables to convey the data fast enough and in sufficient volume to suit your needs. Ethernet cables will also spare you the infuriating delays and glitches you might encounter if you rely solely on wireless connectivity. In short, it won’t take long to install a wired network alongside Wi-Fi to keep you glitch-free.
Check out the range of HDMI and Ethernet cables available from the UK’s premier producer and vendor of cables, EuroNetwork.
Adapter plugs
These are crucial and easily overlooked items for overseas students coming to study in the UK. Don’t be taken by surprise upon arrival at your UK student accommodation to find that none of your electrical appliances can be plugged into the mains electricity supply because their power connectors are incompatible with the British three-pin socket format. Make sure that you’ve brought a supply of Type G travel adapters with you to overcome this hurdle.
Also, bear in mind that if you’re using appliances with a currency rating above 1 amp (such as a kettle, a hair-dryer or a toaster), you’ll need a 3-5 amp, two-pin to three-pin European converter plug to make your appliance safe for use in the UK. There’s an excellent choice of easy-to-assemble European converter plug options available from EuroNetwork – well worth an online visit before you set off on your physical journey.
Extension leads
Don’t think of these as an afterthought. Extension leads may be a lot more useful than you imagine, especially if your accommodation has a limited number of mains outlets for the devices you need. One caveat, though: don’t overload a multiple socket extension cable with too many devices, and never ‘daisy chain’ extension cables as you can cause them to overheat and even catch fire. Again, EuroNetwork supplies an impressive range of extension leads.
All cables, adapters and converter plugs from EuroNetwork are rigorously PAT-tested before dispatch to assure electrical safety and optimal, fault-free functioning.