Students Urged to Avoid Packing Panic – Almost Half Leave it too Late

Students who celebrated their A-level results last week – and their parents – are being urged to avoid packing panic and start getting ready now to make the leap to university next month.

A Youthsight poll has found that almost half (46%) of students moving away from home leave the packing to the last two weeks, with as many as 16% starting to pack with less than a week to go.

Lads are the most likely to cram their packing in late, with well over half (56%) leaving it to the last two weeks, compared to 37% for female students.

And although most students do their own packing, male students are more likely to need help, with almost one in six (16%) leaving the bulk of the packing to their mums, compared to 12% of female students. In contrast, only 1% of students leave the packing mostly to their dads.

With Fresher’s Week now less than a month away for most, Unite Students is urging students to start planning the big move now. The UK’s biggest student accommodation provider has teamed up with psychologist Donna Dawson to identify four personality types that most students fall into when it comes to packing.

The poll found that:

• 55% of students are ‘Over-Packers’ – people who, despite best intentions, find it impossible to edit down their packing lists as they imagine every possible scenario they need to prepare for in their new home.

• 22% are ‘Sentimental Packers’ – people for whom packing becomes a drawn out affair as they get lost wallowing in nostalgia.

• 20% are last minute ‘Minimalist’ packers – people who refuse to write lists when packing for a big move and often later regret it.

• 3% are ‘Insta Packers’ – people who can only see their boxes of stuff through an Instagram filter and what their contents say about their personal brand.

The poll also found that male students are almost three times as likely to be ‘Minimalist’ packers than female students (28% vs 11%), whereas female students are far more likely to be ‘Over-Packers’ than male students (62% vs 48%).

Donna Dawson, Psychologist specialising in personality and behaviour says:

“Most students seem to struggle to contain their urge to over-pack. This is a common challenge, as people of this personality type find their vivid imaginations take over, conjuring up dozens of potential situations they need to be ready for.

“This is all the more reason to get started early. This way you can make a list and start to assemble the essentials, but still have time to pause to consider if you really, really need that pasta making machine”

Ed Goldring, Unite Students City Manager says:

“Every year, we welcome 50,000 students to university and help them move into our accommodation and we’ve seen it all: from the students who come armed with everything but the kitchen sink to those who seem to bring little more than a toothbrush and their mobile phone charger.

“The good news is after the initial hubbub of the big move, most students are fine and settle in well – but planning ahead certainly reduces the stress levels so we’d urge students and their parents to avoid packing panic and get started now.”

Weird things parents insist children take to university…

• Apple Corer
• Every Kitchen Utensil…Ever’
• Furniture Polish
• GPS Tracker
• Bath Mat
• Tea Strainer
• Pictures of when I was younger
• Butter Dish
• Medals
• Shoe Polish Kit
• And…’my hamster I didn’t want’
• Cuddly Toys