My new friends and I in Venice!

Hi everyone! My name is Madison Carnahan and this May I had the privilege of studying all over Italy with the Art & Art History Department. After studying abroad, here are some things that you definitely need to bring with you abroad to ensure you have the most stress-free time!

  1. A portable charger: When walking around Italy, I was constantly taking pictures, admiring sites, and calling my friends and family on our break times. Being out and about all day without the need to stop at the hotel to charge up is a necessity- you want to make the best of your time while abroad. A portable charger will have your phone up and running all hours of the day!
  2. A belt bag/small bag of choice: You do not want to, ideally, be lugging all your smaller items with you all day, so having a small bag with you will make your long walks (walking is how we got around 97% of time) much easier. It is also an easier way to make sure you aren’t forgetting or dropping anything on your travels for the day!
  3. Cash: Before I left, I made sure to give myself some Euros in case there was not an option to pay by Apple Pay or credit card. Turns out, cash in Italy was way easier to manage than using a credit card, in my opinion. People use cash a lot more in Italy than in the USA, and some small shops did not have other options to pay than cash! Not needing to go find the nearest ATM while abroad is definitely ideal!
  4. A positive attitude! Enjoy every single second abroad and soak it all in! Every day is a new adventure waiting to be had!