The Times recently published its annual “Posh Students’ Packing List,” featuring £80 designer oven gloves and a £600 smart kettle. While a self-heating, app-controlled kettle sounds fab, most students are far more focused on figuring out how to balance budget grocery runs, make new friends, and adjust to life away from home.
As CEO of University Jewish Chaplaincy, I spend my year visiting campuses across the UK. I can assure you that while luxury kitchenware is entirely optional, a strong support network is not. Our dedicated chaplaincy couples are stationed at universities nationwide, offering students a home-away-from-home, regular home-cooked meals, pastoral guidance, religious support and yes – a fresh cup of tea or coffee that won’t cost you a single penny.
To help our freshers hit the ground running, here is our ultimate, accessible Jewish student packing and survival guide:
Save the chaplain’s number
Save your local chaplaincy couple’s phone number on day one. Whether you need a supportive ear, advice on local kosher options, or just a chat, we are always a quick message away.
Stock up on Jewish comforts
Pack a few home comforts, some herring (!), a few pots of home-made gefilte fish or chicken soup and a tub of rogelach… When freshers’ flu strikes in week three, having a taste of home on hand can make a world of difference.
Connect with your JSoc
Join your local Jewish society during freshers’ week. It’s the easiest route to meeting like-minded friends, finding a network of support and discovering social events happening throughout the year.
Find your kitchen ecosystem
If you are keeping kosher, double-check your hall’s fridge space before moving in. Invest in a set of bright, colour-coded silicone food containers – a cheap, efficient way to keep your milk and meat prep separate in a shared kitchen.
Locate your free hot drink network
Forget high-end appliances. Your local chaplain has a kettle on the boil, an open door, a comfortable sofa and someone ready to listen whenever campus life feels overwhelming.
Master the Shabbat meal hack
You don’t need to cook a five-course feast in a chaotic student kitchen every Friday. Chaplaincy hosts warm, lively Shabbat meals every week, giving you instant community and a proper Shabbat experience without the washing up.
Know your academic calendar
Term times occasionally overlap with Jewish holidays and, inevitably, with early Friday Shabbat times. Download your exam schedule early and get in touch with your chaplains right away if you need advice or assistance dealing with a Friday-afternoon lecture clash or an exam on a festival.
Learn the art of budget kosher cooking
You don’t need expensive speciality shops for every meal. KLBD has been working hard to make sure that increasing supplies of kosher staples, such as Hovis bread or Ramona’s hummus, are available in your local supermarket.
Be prepared for all eventualities
Knowing who to contact when things go wrong is an important part of being uni-ready. If you experience antisemitism on campus, contact your chaplain and/or the CST student helpline 07578 201 999.
Embrace the identity journey
University is a space to explore who you are. Whether you are deeply observant or culturally connected, Chaplaincy is here to support every Jewish student, exactly as they are, without judgement.
Bring an open mind
On arrival, bring an open mind, sign up for societies that interest you, contact your chaplains and JSoc, attend the freshers BBQ and take advantage of all the Jewish provision available to you on campus. Moving to university is a major milestone, but you never have to navigate it alone.
From logistics and meals to personal support, Chaplaincy is in your corner every step of the way, thankfully no luxury kettle required.
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