Results day has been and gone, so the next challenge before your time at university starts is to pack. I know from experience how tricky it is to know what you're going to need at university, especially if it’s unclear what will be provided by your halls or accommodation. If you need a hand figuring out what belongs in your suitcase and what doesn’t, here’s a rundown of some of the things I found to be essential when starting university.

Whether you’re sat on a long-haul flight about to go on holiday, by the beach in your favorite swimsuit or back at your parents’ house on the sofa, a good book is a must-have summer item. From bloody airport thrillers to riveting non-fiction, salacious romances to extraordinary sci-fi, there’s a book out there for everyone to explore and the endless hours of down-time until term starts again are the perfect opportunity to sink your teeth into something special.

Guest post: Chris Lele

Those who receive an almost perfect GMAT score are spoken about in the same reverential tone reserved for Nobel Peace Prize winners and visiting heads of state. These high scorers are perceived to inhabit a rarefied realm, where complex math calculations are tossed off with aplomb and dense passages read like a Sunday morning comic strip.

1. Research universities in London thoroughly

If you’re going to university for the first time this September, you’re probably going to spend the few weeks leading up to your departure frantically trying to decide what to take to university with you.

If you’ve spent some time exploring our website for information about gap years, you may have come across advice on everything from budgeting and making checklists, to deciding where to go and what to do.