Don't forget the traffic cone

Your new home needs basic cooking equipment, some electronic gizmos, a bike and some stuff off the streets – just remember to leave room for yourself

1College starts in autumn, and ends before summer, and aside from the study weeks and exams, the sun might not shine. A good coat and a hat are a good investment – and could come in handy when the heat breaks down in your flat.

2A bike to keep the public transport costs down. The bi-annual Garda sales at Naas-based Merlin Auctions (045-988700, www.merlincarauctions.ie) can offer particularly good value.

3Your mother can only send you so many packed dinners, so you'll need some pots and pans. Dunnes Stores (www.dunnesstores.ie) is good for pots, frying pans and woks. And no, you don't use a wok to boil an egg.

4A sandwich toaster is good for hot snacks and is easy to clean. Currys has a good deal on a stainless-steel Breville sandwich toaster, €39.99.

5If you're going to drink cheap cider from something classy, think about breakage. These melamine margarita glasses do the trick from Urban Outfitters, €6 each (www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk).

6Che Guevara is no longer the poster boy of disaffected youth, but posters hide the wall's damp spots. Trinity students with rooms can borrow art for the term, but really there's nothing wrong with good old Albert acting daft while being clever – like you.

7 Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundyis the comedy of choice for the modern student. Its star Will Ferrell visited UCD recently, and was greeted like a god.

8Recipes are useful. Some of the better cookbooks include How to Boil an Egg and 184 Other Simple Recipes for One by Jan Arkless(Right Way, €7.91); Delia Smith's How to Cheat at Cooking(Ebury, €26.40), and Cooking For Beginnersby John Burton Race and Angela Harnett (Quadrille, €17.15). Cook With Jamieby Jamie Oliver (Michael Joseph, €22.43) is good once you've mastered the basics.

9Laptop: The days of hand-writer's cramp are gone; the days of repetitive strain injuries caused by laptop use are in. This is a Dell Latitude 2100, functional and €404 (www.ireland.dell.com).

10A bottle opener – because there are only so many times you can show off your ability to open a beer bottle with your teeth.

11A guitar is another essential ingredient, but only if you can play it. Otherwise, try the more portable, less look-at-me harmonica, €7 from Urban Outfitters.

12Games console: When the studying becomes too exhausting, Halo 3and the Fifa Soccerare your friends.

13A decent mug to drink your tea or coffee and eat your soup from is essential. You will spend a lot of time looking at this humble piece of design – make sure it's something you can live with. I heart tea, €12, from Urban Outfitters and Penguin Classic, €11.95, from Avoca (www.avoca.ie).

14Nothing screams "fresher" like road signs and traffic cones but just try to stop yourself dragging one home on the way back from the best party ever.

15Most old-school-style flats are very lean on storage. Air-tight boxes and under-the-bed storage are smart ways to find a home for duvets and woollies. This one is from Muji.

16The lava lamp might have gone the way of the dodo but student flat decor still requires low-level lighting to mask the (usually) grim interior. Fairy lights add washes of colour and create a boho ambience.

17A good satchel is the unisex bag of choice. This one is the stylist's own but a similar vinyl one is available in Topshop for €48.

18Getting up on time every morning is a challenge for first years. A bedside alarm clock, €24.99 from Avoca, should help.