Going abroad to continue your semester is one hell of a ride, especially when it comes to preparing stuff. From booking flights down to finding a boarding house, there’s plenty of things that need to be done before you can fly away. All of these responsibilities piling up makes you forget one of the most important things when traveling – packing your stuff.
When it comes to packing for travel, most people just throw in a bunch of stuff into their bags without knowing if those are important or not. That’s why packing needs to be carefully treated with attention. There’s no denying that packing can be stressful, but in this article, we are going to guide you on how to pack your things wisely before saying ciao. Let’s go!
The Right Gear for The Right Weather
- The weather can vary depending on the country you are on. What looks sunny today can be gloomy abroad. The usual “summer means hot and winter means cold” can’t be true for some countries. So take a look at your bad and see what kind of gear should you bring abroad to survive the semester. A quick Google search will let you see how the weather is like for the country you’re going into, and then you’re good to go.
Google is Your Friend
- About 332,727 have chosen to study abroad during the years 2016-2017, based on a survey conducted by the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors. Among these numbers, there’s a tiny percentage of these students who have encountered problems because of improper packing.
- The best thing to avoid being one of these small percentages of students is to do your research first before you fly. Google is filled with safety tips for college students, packing tips, and myriads of other guides to help you survive the semester abroad. You can also search on how to keep your bags safe and what to wear in certain cities as well to avoid trouble.
Bags? Check!
- Predators always have their eyes on into their prey. When you’re abroad, thieves are most likely eyeing on you, especially if you have a lot of bags. What you can do is to limit the number of bags you have to bring for your semester abroad. Always keep your valuables out of sight as well and secure them inside your bag.
- Keep your luggage minimal. At least two suitcases are enough to bring all you need for your abroad semester. And also, when it comes to your “everyday bag” that you bring at school, make sure that it is theft proof and has a built-in padlock to avoid being opened without notice. You know what they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Companies such as Pacsafe has bags with lockable zippers and is made from cut-proof material. It’s an ideal bag to prevent thieves from cutting your bag open, which is prominent in European countries.
Research Your Extra Travel Plans
- Since you will be going abroad, you will most likely spend your money on other things such as traveling to neighboring countries during your spare time or rest days. The freedom you have outside your home country can be overwhelming, but safety first should still be your top priority.
- Before you get wild and travel wherever you are in abroad, always do your research first from public transportation down to packing safety tips. You don’t want to go to Japan without bringing an extra coat, right?
- Lastly, make sure that you have extra cash with you. Unexpected situations are inevitable, and it’s always a good thing that you have an emergency backup such as additional funds for you to spend on.
Summing it Up
- Taking your semester abroad can be scary, but it isn’t when you’re properly prepared. Not only when it comes to packing, but also physically and mentally prepare as well since you’re going to a place that’s vastly different to your home country.
- You will gain new experiences, meet new people, discover a new culture that you only see on textbooks before. The adventure of studying abroad is not only limited to jotting down notes, take classes, and call it a day just like what you do in your college/university. There are plenty of things that lies ahead waiting to be discovered. Will you be ready for it?