Packing is a HUGE part of going abroad. How are you going to fit four to five months' worth of clothing, shoes, and everything else you need into two suitcases?
Being abroad for almost a whole month now, I learned the things I'm so happy I brought with me, and the things I wish I would've jammed into my suitcase.
To help future studying abroad-ers out, here are the things I wish I brought, or wish I brought more of.
1. Any makeup or hair products you need.
I guess I thought there would be a Sephora close or a place that would sell all my essentials. And while there are many options, some things you can't get here. My moisturizer and dry shampoo are not sold in the UK, and let me tell you running out of those was not pretty for me. I'm thankful for dupes but nothing beats your favorites, so leave some extra room for your beauty must-haves.
2. Comfortable clothes.
I underestimated how much time I would be spending in my flat. After a long day of three-hour classes, all I wanted to do was lie in my bed and watch British Netflix (which is so much better than the U.S. version; they have "Friends"!).
You'll want to have comfy clothes that are also nice enough to let you run errands and hang out in your apartment. You don't want to have to wear jeans and a sweater all the time!
3. An umbrella.
The weather in Europe is unpredictable and it rains (or sprinkles) A LOT. Instead of having to buy an umbrella when you get there, fit some space in your suitcase for the one you use while you are at college. Who knows it might even be useful on the first day and you'll save some money.
4. A multi-country adapter.
While this won't take up too much space, I think its really important to have an adapter you can use wherever you go. And even better if it has USB ports built into it. I spent 15 pounds on a converter for Budapest that didn't even fit into the outlets there, so be proactive and get a good one that works at a lot of places before you go abroad.
