The night before my son got his GCSE results this summer I reflected that this would be his last day ‘without any qualifications’ and that (hopefully!) from the next morning he would start on the next step of his adventure through life with an official certificate of qualifications in his metaphorical pocket.
Sitting exams and waiting for the results is a pretty stressful time for most young adults, and those who received their A level/ BTEC or other results this summer will also be thinking about their next steps.
I have previously written about the brilliant opportunities a Gap Year presents, but for those who are off to university or leaving home imminently, I thought I would share my advice, honed from decades as a GP in a university, and hopefully help them to be as prepared as they can be for living away from home for the first time.
For those commuting to uni from home, some of this advice may also be helpful, but hopefully they won’t be so in need of their own shower shoes! (*adds ‘shower shoes’ to list)
There are some brilliant YouTube videos out there from other students about what to take to uni, and what not to pack, so whilst a mattress topper is top of my list (I have stayed at multiple university staff conferences, sleeping in student bedrooms and the beds are almost always too hard or too soft), you might also want to consider safety gadgets like drinkprotectors to reduce the risks of being spiked. University life is not overly risky, please don’t be too worried, but there may be risks that have not previously been encountered or managed, so it’s great when there is a gadget to help with that.
If your student is heading back to their own accommodation, such as a rented house/ flat then maybe they could take an air fryer as I am told these have transformed the options for cooking healthy foods for many students.
For more ideas take a look at the amazing UCAS list of things to take to uni.
My own key pieces of advice would include registering with the local GP (because if you need urgent support they are easy to access and they are usually clued up about uni processes, if that is necessary), and taking 2 months of any prescription medication with you, to allow for sorting out NHS admin when they get settled in.
You might like to look at my free PDFs for my health related checklist for new students here.
Finally, I would love you to take a look at my refreshed and updated Kindle books for students, supporting them with Anxiety, Depression, Surviving the First Year, Managing Workload/ Friendships and Money, and Avoiding Risky Behaviours.
I have just relaunched them on Amazon for 2026, and very much want them to be indispensable to students, sharing all my expertise from years of supporting and looking after students to help them achieve their potential.
Please do share the Student Wellbeing Series eBook info and link with anyone you think might find them useful. They are written to be very short, practical, and chatty, with real (anonymised) stories of students who have gone through difficult times and recovered.
Good luck to all the new students this year, and don’t forget to have fun (but also SLEEP!)!