CL’s Guide to Preparing Your Wardrobe for Studying Abroad!

When it comes to studying abroad, it seems as if there are a million things on your ‘to-do’ list. When is the application due? How do I obtain a visa? Where will I live? And of course, how will I fit my life into a suitcase? As I prepare for my semester in Italy next spring I can’t help but contemplate which tops, dresses, jeans, and jackets should I bring? And lets not forget about my collection of shoes… So I turned to the savvy travel experts I like to call my friends, for the dos and don’ts of how to prepare my wardrobe for the semester ahead of me and many other co-eds!

“Bring your favorite tops because they don’t take up too much space and can be switched around to give different outfits! I brought way too many heels- girls don’t really wear them when they go out which is totally different than Boston. But every city is different! Buy a cheap comforter, sheets, towel and toiletries when you get abroad. And don’t bring your hair dryer and hair straightener, you can get cheap ones and they have different plugs in Europe. Don’t bring too much jewelry or valuables- you can survive 3-4 months without every single pair of earrings! Bring travel sized toiletries for the first night, if you don’t have a chance to purchase them on arrival and don’t bring full size anything you can buy it all when you get there and that stuff weighs your suitcase down.”  -Sophie Fen, Boston University, studied in Germany

Alloy always has great deals on basic shirts, like this classic V-neck Ruched Dolman

“I suggest not bringing bulky hooded sweatshirts or sweatpants. You are studying abroad, this is your excuse to dress up and look cute everyday! So you don’t even need the lounge clothes.” -Kelsey Curfman, University of North Dakota, studied in New Zealand

“I walked a TON and really wore out shoes so I had to buy more there. I wore boots almost every day, so get a good pair of boots! I wish I had more cardigans to make tops more versatile. I brought a formal dress and never wore it.  I was trying to decide if I should bring a winter jacket, but so glad I didn’t, so it definitely helps to know what the weather will be like!”        -Sarah Lauber, University of Wisconsin- Madison, studied in Spain

Candence Boots by Steve Madden

“When packing for Paris I was tres nervous! I stuck with the bare essentials: black skinnies, boots, black trench, a few of dark hats and scarves, a handful of saucy dresses, and heels that matched. I would recommend sticking with the basics when traveling to Europe to so that you save room in your suitcase and give yourself an excuse to stock up on European accessories and chic clothes!”  -Ayla Benjamin, University of Minnesota, studied in France

Cheap Monday Jeans by Urban Outfitters

“Bring a backpack big enough for weekend trips, I would recommend one small enough so you can carry it on flights if you have to fly. Also, bring extra adaptors and convertors (one will most likely blow out if used the whole time) and an external memory drive or extra SD cards to back up your computer periodically, you dont want to risk losing all your pictures! Bring back up credit cards for emergencies- also make sure to let your bank know what countries you will going to before you leave so your cards dont get deactivated.”                                              -Nikki Olson, University of North Dakota, studied in Australia

Spree Backpack by Quicksilver

“Bring essentials, plain tanks, leggings, long sleeves, things that you can layer and add to. When you go on day trips sometimes you’ll walk and get warm and then end up on a boat and it’ll be windy, layers help with the temperature changes. I know in India a scarf is super necessary, and I ended up using it so much more than I thought I would, so I would definitely recommend a nice scarf. Also one thing that was important that some people forget is to bring adequate amounts of your prescriptions: whether it’s birth control pills, malaria pills, or even allergy medicine, bring extra since in a lot of places you’ll go it’s really hard to find.”                      -Jillian Stockmo, Amherst College, studied in India

Pieces Scarf Hilja Green by WELIKEFASHION.com

With these new tips I hope you feel more at ease about traveling to a new country! There will be so many new things to explore and new experiences to be had- you might as well do it in style. How will you prepare your suitcase for studying abroad?

Chelsea Hay is a junior at the University of North Dakota majoring in Communications. She is a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega, and loves hanging out with friends, reading, laughing, and going to hockey games!