Thursday, June 23, 2011

College-Style

College-Style

Study Abroad: What to Pack

Posted: 22 Jun 2011 08:01 AM PDT

By: Brittany, UGA Alum. Follow me @brittanyareed.

The Big Predicament: What to Pack

Take it from me, the worst thing you can do is overpack.
A) You don't want to pay weight fees
B) You're going to need space for the things you'll buy
So, what are you going to pack? Be sure you're packing appropriately for the culture,
climate and tasks you will be doing. For example, I spent almost every Saturday of
my summer in a cathedral. In order to respect Roman Catholic traditions, our skirts/
shorts needed to be long enough to touch the knee and our shoulders needed to be covered. It would be a good idea to do a little research to prevent looking ignorant or foolish. Although these recommendations are geared toward a summer study abroad, the concepts can be applied to any season.
I am an outfit snob. I've come to terms with this reality and at this point I am aware that I
really only like to wear an outfit once every few months, but I'll wear any single article
of clothing numerous times. So, when packing for your summer, bring lots of flexible
pieces that can be mixed and matched.

This is a great template for your wardrobe- loose top, cardigan, secure bag close to body, and jazzy accessories

Shorts/Skirts
I brought three pairs of shorts (one jean, one khaki, one checkered), and several skirts that
could be paired with any t-shirt or tank top.
T's/Tanks
I recommend mostly solid T's and tanks to prevent over-wearing and eventual loathing
of your favorite printed top. But do bring a couple "different" pieces to throw in when
you're tired of looking like a cartoon character.
Dresses
Be sure to bring several sundresses; light and airy is key when roaming museums with
minimal air conditioning. Plus, they’re adorable!
Jeans
You're also going to want one, single, fabulous, flexible pair of jeans. You don't want
to bring too many pairs abroad because they take up so much suitcase space and, I
guarantee, you're barely going to wear them. Promise.
Shoes
Here's another category where restraint is essential. Stick to the rule of three: one pair
of sandals, one pair of tennis shoes, one pair of heels. Personally, I loved my black t-
strap Burberry jellies, navy Keds, and nude platforms. Jellies are weightless, minimal and
chic, and go with everything. The Keds were great when I hiked Mt. Vesuvius —
although, they did get dusty. And nude heels also go with pretty much everything! So,
we've got super-chic and super-savvy, all in three pairs of shoes.

This is me and the ugly scarf I had to buy due to an unforeseen cold front.

Climate
I'm from Atlanta. In Atlanta, the summers are hot — like really, stinking hot. Evidently,
other places in the world have cool spells in summer (who knew?). So, I would definitely
bring a warm sweater and scarf — the scarf you can use to accessorize even when it's
warm, and it will definitely come in handy when a cold front comes through.
Jewelry/Precious Items
On my 16th birthday, my mom gave me a necklace with a pendant of tiny diamonds in
the shape of a "B." It is one of my most cherished items, and I never take it off. I did not
bring my "B" with me to Italy. It was hard to imagine 10 weeks without it, but I knew
I'd rather leave it safe at home than something accidentally happen to it. Don't get me
wrong, I had many friends who brought their nice watches, favorite earrings, etc. with
them, and their items all made it back safely. It's your decision, but to me it wasn't worth the risk.
Purses
Everyone has their preference; I typically wear over-sized purses,however, I brought a
small cross-body bag to minimize my chances of being pick-pocketed. I recommend one
with several pockets that are zip-sealed. As a wallet, I used a Coach wristlet as opposed
to my typical full-sized wallet.
Miscellaneous
Here's a short list of random stuff you shouldn't forget:
  • Umbrella: because it will rain
  • Sewing kit: assume that what you bring is all you'll have, so you'll want to sew that button back on if it falls off.
  • Stain Remover: I brought a container of oxi-clean because I knew we would be hand-washing our clothes. Not only did it get the red wine spill that had set for two days out of some khakis, but also it came in handy to several people on the trip. Couldn't have survived without it.
  • Comfort Food: depending on how long you're abroad, and how picky of an eater you are, it might be a good idea to bring a box or two of mac and cheese or oreos. It feels so good to have that little bit of comfort. As for me, I brought granola bars to bring on field trips as snacks and also to eat if I overslept.
  • Other Items: If there is something that is part of your daily routine that you can't live without, bring enough of it to last the trip. For example, my dear friend Catherine does not — I mean it — does NOT leave the house without applying hairspray to her locks. Had she known beforehand how difficult it would be to find hairspray of her liking (reading Italian is difficult when all you really know is "vino bianco, per favore"), she definitely would have packed more.
  • A Hat- Naturally, I brought a fedora with me to Italy, however, I think everyone should bring a hat abroad with them for 2 reasons: a) hats should never have been phased out of everyday fashion because they are fabulous. b) They hide bad hair days. What is better than a low, messy bun topped off by a cute hat? You'll be happy about the easy hair-do, and your mother will love the beautiful pictures!

Like my hat?? It always made me look fabulous... even when my hair really wasn't!

Thoughts?

Is there anything you guys simply can’t live without while traveling? Also, read my post about choosing a study abroad trip and my next post about organizing all the items you have decided to pack!

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