Besides getting accepted onto the course, the most exciting part of stating a degree is.. stationary shopping!
Not only is stationary fun to get, so is the endless list of things the Uni advise you to purchase. Although it can be quite expensive to purchase all that is needed, it's a great investment and I wouldn't be without all of the things I have to make my uni journey that bit easier.
Here is a list of the things I use daily both in University and on placement:
- Macbook/laptop: This one is the most expensive one but I wouldn't be without mine. Most Universities offer grants or loans if you are not in a position to buy one.
- Ipad/Tablet: This isn't necessarily a 'must have', but I use mine all the time for making notes during lectures, watching lectures or watching Netflix whilst I do work.
- Apple pencil: As I have an Ipad, I find the apple pencil so helpful for drawing out anatomy diagrams and for jotting down things in lectures.
- Goodnotes app: There is a small upfront fee of £3.49 but it is by far the best app for making notes throughout your degree. I will do another blog post soon on this app alone as it has so many features that are helpful.
- Medical dictionary: I don't think I will ever stop referring to this dictionary. To make things easier, I have an illustrated one too. Here is a link below to the one I have
- Pens, Pencils and all that's in-between: I hold my hand up, I am a sucker for a cute pen.. or 5. Paperchase and Typo are my holy grails or stationary shops but you can never have too many pens. That is a law.
- Cute notebooks: Again, this is something I have a slight addiction to. I use notebooks for medical abbreviations, placement notes, uni notes, assignment notes and more. My dear friend Jemma has her own shop and sells so many cute notebooks, I will put the link below :)
- A decent student planner: there are so many planners out there which range from a basic academic one to a military style planning bible. It all depends on what you would prefer. I get my planners from The Happy Student Company as they do planners specifically for nursing students. They also now do online planners which I also have on my ipad and are so handy! They also do many more things like pins, milestone cards and cute bundles too.
- Sketchers: These are the only thing I would wear on placement (not literally of course). These shoes are so comfortable when working a 13 hour shift, my feet don't ache at all!
- Fob watch, stethoscope, manual blood pressure kit: You might get these free from your uni but I bought my own stethoscope as they are an investment for life and much better than the free ones you get from uni. I got a manual blood pressure kit for free from my university and it was helpful to be able to practise taking manual BP before going onto placement. As for fob watches, I have a cheap silicone one from Amazon and also a lovely engraved metal one that a friend gifted me for Christmas.
- A decent rucksack: When I am on placement I need to take my uniform, my laptop, my pencil case, my notebook, my make up bag (lip balm, hand sanitiser, painkillers), water bottle, stethoscope, purse, tissues and more I cant think of. I have one from amazon which has a laptop compartment, will link below.
There are many more things I use daily but it is down to personal preference. I would advise not buying many books as all I ever use is the online library except for my dictionary. Make sure you have plenty of notebooks, pens, and chargers and you will smash your degree!
Is there anything you cannot be without?
♡
No comments