I figured now that I have shared with y'all some of the adventures of the summer in Italy and Greece, I would share a rough draft of what I brought with me to last seven weeks away. There were definitely some items I wish I had brought and other that I honestly did not use as much as I thought I would, but overall, it was a pretty good list that lasted through the summer!
For the seven weeks abroad, this was the best plan of action. Seven weeks = 49 days = approx. 25 outfits. That helped me figure out what exactly I needed to bring. On a side note, around week six, I was wishing I had a few more things, as were most of the girls. And during week seven (in Greece) I was wearing t-shirts that I had bought over the course of the summer, to be comfy and relaxed, because I was over trying to look cute. So take this list and add in two-three extras, plus at the bottom I have added a section of items I wish I had brought with me.
Clothes:
- Swimsuit - My packing mantra is and always will be - never ever leave your swimsuit at home, regardless of where or when you are going... bring it. Every single time I forget mine, I could have used it. Even in the dead of winter up in Colorado, should have brought it...
- Pjs
- Jeans - two pairs - blue and white
- Jean Shorts - two pairs - blue and white
- Botton-down Jean skirt
- Four dresses
- Stitch Fix
- Stitch Fix
- Maxi
- Orange Sundress
- Denim Jacket - (used it multiple times - but what was I thinking?) - similar here
- White Cardigan - should have brought more cardigans instead of the jacket above...
- Fleece Jacket - used this on campus and down in the catacombs
- Plain shirts - three
- Nicer shirts - four - two tanks and two with cap sleeves
- Exercise outfit - shorts, leggings, sports bra and tank.
Shoes:
- Tennis Shoes - Vans
- Running Shoes - hiking and around campus
- Flats
- Sandals
- Flip Flops - swimming, around campus and the beach
Accessories:
- Scarf - used this with multiple outfits
- Jewelry - super glad I brought some! It added something different to the exact same outfit.
- Hats - Ended up buying a couple hats in different cities - one did end up getting smashed and thrown out... But super glad about these purchases - should have brought a baseball cap from home.
- Full-sized shampoo and conditioner
- three-four mini toothpastes or just bring a full sized one
- toothbrush
- Razor
- shower gel - mini - should have brought two or three or a full sized one
- MK skin care - Cleanser and Moisturizer (ended up hiding them, as they kept getting used by a roommate and hey I usually don't mind, but not asking and leaving the tube super messy [I'm a little OCD about that] umm no, they are expensive and did not want to run out before I got home).
- Basic Makeup -
- CC Cream - Glad I brought this, as it has a very lightweight coverage (perfect for being out in the heat) and has SPF 15, so even if I forgot to put sunscreen on I would have a little extra protection!
- Concealer - Lost it the first free weekend...
- Mascara
- Cream Eye Color - Wish I brought more colors!
- Eyeliner
- Makeup Remover
- Brought more, but do not remember what they were as I ended up not using them! The list above was my go-to routine all summer.
- Perfume - Because it was so hot and everyone was sweating all the time, this was a must!
- Deodorant - Always a must, everyday.
- Sunscreen
School Supplies:
- Laptop - I absolutely hated that I needed to bring this - I had been hoping for a rather electronic free time, and even though it was annoying to travel with, I am glad I did because the homework assignments would have been 10x harder to do without it.
- Notebook - just brought one for the two classes.
- Pens and Pencils - two of each, more if you easily lose them.
- Books - This was the most frustrating part about packing - having to bring roughly six giant books all the way over to Rome, wish they had planned it better. Even though they were good books, I am glad they let me donate them at the end. Packing for the way home would have been a nightmare if I had to include them, on top of the cool souvenirs I got.
- Chargers and adaptor- computer, phone, camera....
Random:
- Camera - Canon
- Water bottle - Never go on any kind of trip without some kind of reusable water bottle. You can find fairly cheap ones in case they get lost or broken. I ended up throwing mine away in Greece, because it had gotten rather nasty (even though I had washed it multiple times!).
- Backpack - got a small one last minute at Target and it worked perfectly, unfortunately I overstuffed it a couple times too many and it didn't make it home, but it did last up till the end so it was worth the money spent.
- Sunglasses - I actually brought two pairs and glad I did because between Rome and Greece I managed to lose one of them.
- Mary Kay Travel Roll Up Bag - This was seriously useful, I was able to just hang it up near the restroom and not clutter the shared counter. Plus on the shorter travel weekends, I took one of the pockets off and put enough stuff in it to last the few days, instead of over packing with stuff I really could live without for a day.
- Checked Bag
- Duffle Bag - I stuffed this inside my checked bag and used the tote bag and backpack going to Rome and then used the duffle and backpack on the way to Greece and then on the way home I threw out the backpack and used this and the tote bag.
- Tote Bag - My friend had given this to me for my birthday and obviously I could not not bring it. It was perfect for my second bag on the airplane.
Things I brought that should have stayed home...
Wish I had brought...
- Bracelets - there a few that I never wore, could have but just didn't. Earrings and necklaces were my go to on the trip.
- Makeup - I ended up not bringing everything in my makeup bag, but I still brought some that I never used, such as some of the mineral eye shadows.
- Books - Why would they not provide the books?? Luckily it worked out bringing them and then leaving them on campus. If books are a must, try your hardest to find them in a portable format (kindle, tablet or apple iBooks version).
Wish I had brought...
- Purse - I figured between the four bags I had brought I really did not need to bring a purse and a small backpack. Well in the end it would have been nice to have a small one. Especially when all I wanted to bring was my wallet and water bottle.
- T-Shirts - I realized that I had completely failed to pack any just plain ol t-shirts. And while I did end up buying some, that was not until the last two and a half weeks of the trip. They would have been much appreciated. Although talking to one of the girls on the trip, she ended up doing the opposite - brought too many comfy leisure outfits and not enough nicer ones.
- Jewelry - I know most people would say don't bring any on a trip abroad, but I was super glad I had some to wear and wish I had brought a couple more to mix it up a bit. They helped add a little something else to the same outfit during the seven weeks.
- More Sunscreen - I bought a brand new one for the trip, but because I was using it so much and sharing, two would have been nice and they are three times the price in Italy! But luckily it all worked out, even after I managed to lose it!
Over the course of the seven week, I was lucky as to the very few items I lost. (J ended up losing a couple of shirts.) I only lost my concealer, a pair of sunglass and my sunscreen - they were lost because I did not double check the rooms before we checked out.
Hope this helps, it is certainly lengthy enough! It worked out as almost the perfect packing list, only a few things I would change. What essential could you just not live without during a study abroad program?
XOXO,
Suzanne Marie
XOXO,
Suzanne Marie
No comments:
Post a Comment