I am one month into my semester abroad and I already regret bringing some things and not bringing some others. Packing for a semester abroad can be really intimidating and the truth is that you never really know what you will need and what you don’t until you get to your host country and get settled in. As someone who has been through that process already I hope that my experiences can help whomever is reading this pack smarter and stress less. It is important to research the weather of your host country before starting to pack. This is something that I wish I had researched more thoroughly than just checking my weather app a few days before leaving. Galway is an extremely rainy city (luckily I did know this in advance), and its temperatures remain in the 40-60 ºF range (I did NOT know this). Because I was expecting Galway’s constant rain I invested in a high quality raincoat. Anyone living in Galway needs a raincoat! It is also important to invest in waterproof shoes because rain makes puddles…big puddles, and your canvas shoes will be ruined after just a few strolls through those puddles. (See below me at the Cliffs of Moher in my waterproof shoes and raincoat 😉) Being prepared for the rain is something that I’m grateful for; however, I definitely did not need to bring my heavy winter jacket. I have only worn my winter coat twice in the whole month that I’ve been here. If I had researched the average temperature in Galway I would have known that is usually doesn’t get any colder than 40 ºF and when you’ve lived through numerous Pennsylvania winters 40 ºF feels like summertime. So, something not to bring is a big winter jacket. Opt for your lighter jacket and a good raincoat.
Another mistake I made while packing was that I did not bring enough shirts and pants that could be mixed and matched to create different outfits. Four months is a long time to be wearing the same ten or so shirts so its important to bring pieces of clothing that can go with many different looks. On the other hand, something that I am very happy that I brought with me is reusable bags. In the European Union there are no plastic bags used in any stores (I love this. I hope this is true of America soon.) and this came as a surprise to most other international students who I know. As I went out on my first shopping trip with a few friends I found myself sharing my ample supply of reusable bags with my friends who had their arms full of random items. Even if you don’t bring a lot, I would recommend sneaking at least one or two reusable bags into your suitcase if you are studying abroad in the EU because it is something that I’m sure you won’t regret. It is also important to remember that you will have to buy a lot of everyday items once you get to your host country, so don’t pack them. When packing for your semesters at SU you probably pack all of the essentials like laundry detergent, soap, dishes & Tupperware, towels, bed sheets, etc. It might feel odd not to pack any of these very important items, but they are all things that you can buy once you arrive. Packing these items will take up extra room in your suitcase and weigh you down. One last tip about packing is to make sure you bring lots of mementos and pictures from home. The first couple days, and even weeks, away from home will be tough and having little things that are comforting to you will help with feelings of homesickness.
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