What to carry to university in Kenya: a first-year packing list that skips the junk

Lose your clothes and you buy new ones at Gikomba prices. Lose your admission letter and you spend your first week in queues instead of orientation.

Print and carry physical copies of:

• Admission letter (two copies)
• National ID (original plus two photocopies)
• KCSE certificate or result slip
• Passport-size photos (at least six, coloured, white background)
• HELB or scholarship documentation, if applicable
• Birth certificate (some universities ask for it during registration)

Put the originals in a clear folder. Keep photocopies in a separate bag. If you lose one set, you still have the other.

Save digital copies on your phone and email them to yourself. You will need them more than once in your first semester.

Your room will be smaller than you expect. If you are in a hostel, you are sharing it. Pack for two weeks, not two semesters.

Bedding: one bedsheet, one blanket or duvet, one pillow. Hostels do not provide these. If you are going somewhere cold (Eldoret, Njoro, Nyeri), bring a heavier blanket.

Clothes: ten to fourteen days of regular clothes, one set of smart clothes for presentations, comfortable shoes, flip-flops for the shower. Laundry is cheap near every campus.

Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, towel, tissue, sanitary supplies if needed. Buy in bulk near campus after you settle.

Tech: your phone, charger, and earphones. If you have a laptop, bring it. If not, do not stress. You can do a lot on a phone in first semester.

Security: a padlock for your room or locker. This is not optional.

Kitchen basics: one plate, one cup, one spoon, one fork. Campus and nearby kibandas handle most meals.

Stationery: two pens, one notebook. You will figure out what else you need after the first week of classes.

First-years overpack. Here is what you do not need:

• Iron: there is always someone on your floor with one, or a pressing shop within walking distance.
• Cooking appliances: most hostels ban them, and you will eat out for the first month anyway while you figure out routines.
• Excess suitcases: you have no storage. One bag, one backpack. If it does not fit in those, you do not need it yet.
• Expensive jewellery or electronics: theft happens in shared spaces. Leave valuables at home until you know your environment.
• Textbooks: do not buy any before the first lecture. Most content is available digitally, and lecturers often recommend different editions than the prospectus lists.

Buy what you need locally once you see your room and your campus. This saves you from dragging a full house across the country on a matatu.

Most campuses have a secondhand market in the first two weeks. Outgoing students sell bedding, curtains, and kitchenware at a fraction of the price. Ask around your hostel block.

For clothes, the mitumba stalls near campus are better value than buying new before you leave home. Prices are lower, and you can pick what suits the local weather.

If you do not have a padlock yet, buy one on arrival. Hardware shops near the gate sell them for less than town prices. Do not leave your room open while you shop for one.

If you are the first in your family to go to university, your relatives may want to buy you things. Give them specific items from this list instead of letting them guess. A padlock and bedding are more useful than a new shirt.