As you start preparing to study abroad, it can be a daunting task to think about all of the things that you are going to experience. You will have to tackle many problems head-on and in a foreign country. However, before this happens, you will have to overcome the first hurdle of packing for a study abroad trip.
When it comes to thinking about the things that you will want to bring with you to a foreign country, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. One of the best resources available that I found helpful was premade packing lists provided to me by my affiliate program and online. Although I did not follow these lists word for word, I was able to get an idea of the kinds of things that people packed and the items that they bought when they arrived. It is also important to think about the things that you will or will not have access to abroad. For example, in Italy, the outlets have a different voltage than those in the US. Because of this, it was suggested that we buy any hairstyling tools that require a specific voltage when we arrive, versus packing them and any adaptors they would need.
Although this process can get overwhelming, it is also important to think realistically about what you will be doing for a majority of your time: sitting in class, going to an internship, being outside, etc, and packing for that activity. Although it is nice to have a few fancy outfits, it is not necessary to pack like you are going to attend the Met Gala. Additionally, I recommend finding items of clothing that can be worn with a majority of things in your closet. For example, get a solid colored shirt that you can wear with multiple pairs of pants, skirts, or shorts. This allows you to get the most usage out of your sometimes limited packing space.
At the end of the day, it is important to pack clothes that you know you will feel comfortable in and things that you know you will use each day. Your study abroad experience will not be ruined if you do not pack perfectly, just try to do your best and you will succeed!
(A nice outfit composed of two solid-colored articles of clothing that can both be worn with lots of items in my closet!!)