It's officially reached that time- time to go back to the States. By this time next week, I'll be back into my usual Southern Illinois routine, but until then, I have a few more days in Spain to enjoy all that Barcelona has to offer. Through these four months, I've learned a thing or two about packing for extensive trips. While packing up my suitcase to go back home, I've been reviewing everything I originally packed... there are some things I haven't even worn- such a waste of space!

My packing list included:

Clothes:

-5 pairs of leggings

-3 pairs of exercise pants (1 pair of shorts, and two leggings)

-7 T-shirts

-4 pairs of jeans (2 blue, 1 white, 1 black)

-2 sweatshirts

-2 scarves

-3 pairs of shorts

-2 coats (1 light, 1 winter)

-8 nice tank tops

-3 nice short-sleeve tops

-8 nice long-sleeve tops

-1 cardigan

-1 jean jacket

-7 dresses

-1 pair of tights

-3 pairs of sandals (1 flip flop, 1 Birkenstock, 1 nice strappy pair)

-1 pair of tennis shoes

-2 pairs of black boots (1 regular, 1 high-heeled)

-1 pair of white Keds

-1 pair of brown boots

-2 small purses

-1 swimsuit

-1 pair of sunglasses

-10 bras (4 regular, 1 strapless, 5 sport)

-enough underwear for 2 weeks

-5 pairs of socks

Toiletries:

-2 sets of travel size shampoo and conditioner

-1 travel size body wash

-1 toothbrush

-3 disposable razors

-4 bottles of contact solution (2 big, 2 travel)

-my usual makeup

-3 chapsticks (I tend to lose them!!)

-1 box of band-aids plus antibacterial gel

-1 travel hand sanitizer

-2 toothpastes (1 regular, 1 travel)

-1 face wash

-2 lotions (1 travel, 1 strictly for the face)

-1 hairbrush and 1 comb

-ponytail holders, bobby pins, tweezers, nail file, and nail clippers

Odds and ends:

-2 converters

-chargers for all of my electronics

-portable charger

-laptop and case

-ipod

-2 books for pleasure

-pens, highlighters, and pencils

-journal

-reusable water bottle

-stuffed animal

All packed into:

-backpack

-duffel bag

-suitcase

-magic vacuum sealed bags

The result?

Although my packing job wasn't perfect, I did pretty well for four months. As far as toiletries go, I wouldn't do anything differently. I felt as if I had enough to keep me going for four months, and if not, I bought more. The first thing I did upon arriving in Spain was buy regular-sized shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. The only toiletry item I had to purchase more of was toothpaste (unfortunately, it is usually more expensive in Europe than in the States, but I had enough toothpaste nonetheless).

Clothing was a bit of an issue for me though. I can't recommend a winter coat enough. I almost didn't bring one because the weather was supposed to be nice enough to wear a light jacket. However, the weather dropped on some days. Also, I spent quite a few weekends traveling up north, so the coat was a necessity. Along with winter gear, I should've brought a hat and more scarves. I ended up wearing scarves every day for at least a month and a half, and therefore, my two scarves got a little boring after a short time. Note to self for next time: bring more cardigans AND cut down on tank tops. I had 8 tank tops that I couldn't wear until my last few weeks here since I didn't pack enough cardigans to pair them with. Bring more cardigans because you can always pair them with long and short sleeves as well. In addition, T-shirts are not necessary. Bring ONE to sleep in and ONE to exercise and leave the others at home. Europeans don't wear t-shirts, so when I sported my shirt with huge Illinois Wesleyan letters, it immediately pegged me as an American. Also, when I mentioned exercise above, I did not mean running or going to the gym because you are almost guaranteed to not do any of that while you're abroad. If I were to pack differently, I would leave all exercise stuff at home and only bring clothes suitable for hikes (because that's basically the only exercise I did). Say goodbye to leggings too. If I were to pack all over again, I would bring ONE pair, and this is coming from a girl who basically lives in leggings in the States. You will never fit in with the European crowd if you walk around in your leggings every single day. That being said, less leggings, and therefore, more jeans. If you bring an absurd amount of dresses like I did, bring a back-up pair of tights. My only pair got a nasty run in them in January, so I was tightless for quite some time.

As far as odds and ends go, bring a portable charger! It was truly a blessing on weekend trips where I couldn't easily access a charger. The rest is up to you. Did I NEED those two books I brought? Probably not, but I read them. Know yourself, if you're not a reader in the States, you won't become one in Europe. The same goes for exercise, art, etc.

Pack smart and be realistic about the weather. I had my hopes up that the weather would be 60 and sunny in January, but that just simply is not true. Think long and hard about each item you throw into the suitcase. If you can't picture yourself using it or wearing it on a daily basis, don't pack it. Four months is a long time, so make sure you pack comfortable clothes you love because your options are limited while you're here.

...and if you're reading this, you might be about to start your packing for your study abroad. Don't panic too much about what to bring because every person's experience is different. Just know that you're about to have one of the most unforgettable experiences of your life!