Before I left for my exchange, one thing that was very nerve racking was packing. There were just so many variables that it was nearly impossible to pack for end of summer, fall, and beginning of winter... All under 50 pounds!
I am not going to go through every single t-shirt and bra I packed, but I will give anybody that is going on exchange a couple of tips that I wish someone had told me! Obviously, every student on exchange isn't going to be studying in France, or even in Europe but here's what I learned!
1. Blundstones
I got these boots right before I left for my adventure and they were my favourite item. So comfortable and supportive, yet I got many many compliments on them! I wore them on dry days as much as I wore them on days that were raining cats and dogs. They looked especially cute with cuffed pants and patterned socks peeking out #mysisterismystyleicon.
2. Socks and Underwear
Bring lots of them!!! Lots of socks and underwear means that you can stretch out the time between laundry loads. And if the laundry costs as much as it did for me, then you will want to do the least amount of laundry as possible (without being too stinky).
3. Backpack/carry on hybrid
I borrowed a carry-on that had backpack straps and it was sooooo useful throughout my exchange. I brought it on almost all my trips, so it was good for trips ranging from a weekend to a 9 day trip. The straps were key for running to catch a train and handy for when I needed two free hands #parismetro.
4. Don't overpack
I know this is so classic, but honestly when you're carrying your bags around town at the beginning and end of your trip, your back and hands will thank you for your light packing. Also, extra luggage fees will creep up on you like a rabid dog! My roommate paid hundreds of dollars extra because she packed too much. The bright side of that is that there will always be that person on your exchange, so they're the perfect people to borrow clothes from. Thanks Kate ;)
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| Not my blouse :) |
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| Not my dress! |
5. Pack ahead of time
Pack your suitcase a little bit ahead of time to be able to test out if you can actually carry your packed suitcase. Make sure you'll be able to carry it around without breaking every bone in your body. Also, check handles, and straps to make sure all systems are go.
6. Buy things there
Do your research and read blogs about your host city, and make sure that you can buy basics there. If not, bring it with you, but ONLY if you are certain you won't be able to find it there. If you have a special type of shampoo, I'd say bring it, but know that you'll be able to get some sort of substitute wherever you are!
7. Leave room
I can't stress this enough: LEAVE SPACE in your suitcase for shopping, souvenirs, and other random things you'll pick up along the way. I packed an empty backpack and used it the whole time for school and day trips, but the best part was I used it as my "personal item" on my flight home. That extra space, and the fact that I didn't use the expandable part of my suitcase on the way there, gave me just the right amount of space to fit the goodies I acquired while in Europe.
8. Don't pack stuff you don't wear at home
If you don't wear something at home, don't think you're style or preferences will change because you are in a different country!
9. Things to bring
Don't forget: lock for hostels, room decorations, pictures from home, flip flops, sunglasses, nail clippers, every charger you need, chapstick, a USB stick and slippers (or birkenstocks!). One thing to note is that in France they don't have lined paper note books, only graph paper, so I brought my own notebooks and I was really happy I did, because I think I would have gone crazy writing between little squares.
I'll be adding things to this list as time passes and I remember other items that were super useful during my time abroad.
Lots of love,
Gaby
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