Study abroad student guide

So, you’re going study abroad. The files have been filed, the plane tickets are purchased and now you’re staring at your empty suitcase, packing list in one hand. A bit flummoxed? So was I when I was getting ready to leave for my semester abroad last fall. Packing for such a long stint away can be a bit overwhelming and those packing lists are sometimes more of a pain than a help. Pack light AND pack for all possibilities? Is that even possible? Well, no, it’s not, but there are a few things no student should be without. Here are five of them:

An extra phone Your cell phone is your major line of communication; most programs require that you have a fully-charged, functional phone with you at all times. My father made me take a second phone his old Nokia, to be exact despite my protests that my brand new phone would do just fine. His order turned out to be justified Three days after I arrived, my Samsung took a dive into a toilet. Backup phone to the rescue! Not only was the darn thing practically indestructible (I dropped it many times), but it saved me time, money and stress. Even if you don’t lose your first cell phone, having a spare on hand will earn you major kudos with those among your peers whose phones are lost/stolen/dropped into a canal.

A pair of good slippers Yes, gentlemen, I’m talking to you too. Whether on an 8+ hour flight, spending a weekend in a hostel or just kicking around your room, a good pair of slippers can go a long way to improve your comfort level, particularly if you’re dealing with cold or dusty floors. They are also washer and dryer safe! Flip-flops, especially in the cold/rainy season just don’t cut it for indoor footwear now, when it comes to public showers: Bring. The. Flip-flops.A carry on bag that can fit everything including other bags! In light of the Christmas Day attempted bombing, airport security in and out of the U.S. has gotten more stringent than ever. Some airlines will not let you carry on ANY baggage, but most have just limited you to one bag which will be checked about 10,000 times. Ladies, if you have a carry-on bag and a purse, make sure that purse can fit inside your carry on bag, or you’ll be asked to check one of them.

Many photocopies of your passport When you’re abroad and need to provide identification­ whether for a bar, the embassy or because you get pulled over for not having both of your bike lights on after dark yes, it happens an American driver’s license or state ID are not the preferred mode of identification for foreigners. Keep a photocopy of your passport picture page on your person, in your backpack or your suitcase. Not only is it a good means of ID, but if the real thing gets taken or lost, you can bring those copies to the embassy for a new passport.

A sense of humor Possibly the most vital thing you can bring with you on your epic journey is the ability to not take yourself too seriously. Things will go wrong: your luggage will get lost, YOU will get lost, you will be confused by your host country’s traditions and distressed about the lack of peanut butter. Every time something like that happens, you’ll have two choices: cry about it, or laugh about it. Choose the latter. Having a sense of humor is key to relaxing and enjoying your time abroad don’t get hung up on whether or not you’re dressed European enough or whether your American accent makes your Japanese sound silly. You’re there to learn and to discover another part of the world, and those things will seem all the more beautiful when you have a smile on your face.