1. Band-Aid

Moving house seems impossible without accidents, so this might be one of those things you might need not long after you’ve left your parents’ house. Grazed skin from the nasty roughcast in the hallway (why on earth are sofas always bigger than the space available to get them out of the house???) or cuts from the now-shattered mirror are only some of the wounds that might better be treated with a Band-Aid or plaster. However, don’t think you’re safe once you’ve settled in. Be especially wary of the journal articles required for your study programme. They tend to inflict painful paper cuts!

2. Detergent

This might be news to you, but dirty laundry doesn’t wash itself. Until now, your mum might have been the kind soul who patiently washed your piles of laundry, but now it’s your turn. I’m sure you’ll discover the secrets of washing machines and how much washing powder is needed if your favourite T-shirt for Thursday night is all sweaty, but it might be a good idea to have some of your mother’s favourite detergent to hand. If you get homesick, the smell of it might even make you think of home.

3. Toilet paper

One of the last mysteries humanity still has to unravel is the disappearance of toilet paper in student houses. No matter how often you see students with huge family packs of it, as soon as you’re in need of some, it has vanished. Everybody uses it, but replacing it is not your roommates’ job (at least that’s how they see it). So be prepared and take some from your parents’ house.

4. Can opener

Have you ever tried to open a can of soup or corn without a can opener? Then you know how ridiculous it feels to attack the can with a fork or knife. You end up frustrated, maybe even hurt, and the can is still unopened. A can opener is one of those items that is so taken for granted that you only realize it’s missing when you decide at the last minute that you want some soup.

5. Bicycle pump

It’s 8.45 a.m. and you’re already late for your classes. You jump on your bike and you’ve not even ridden five metres when you realize that your back tyre is as flat as a pancake. Of course, this wouldn’t be a problem if only the bicycle pump wasn’t back at home in dad’s garage. You still remember his advice to take the pump with you, but you didn’t see the need for any extra luggage. Only at 9.15 a.m., after jogging to the Academy Building, standing in front of the class gasping for air and mumbling some weird excuse to the lecturer do you realize that maybe your dad was right.