Packing to study abroad in Milan was nothing short of traumatic. How does one pack four months worth of clothing into a maximum of two suitcases? Well, if youâre me, you bring five. Whether youâre a chronic over-packer or not, below is a list of 10 packing essentials for studying abroad in Italy that you will be thankful for everyday.
1. Rolling carry-on suitcase:Â If you plan on traveling during the weekends, this item is perhaps the most important one on this list. The overhead bins on European local airlines are much smaller than the ones we are used to in âmerica and weâre all too impatient to waste our time hanging around baggage claim. And, unless you want to permanently damage the muscles in one side of your body, I suggest you make sure that bag is on WHEELS!Â
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2. MINI EVERYTHING:Â Iâm talking EVERYTHING. Mini shampoo, mini conditioner, mini face wash, mini lotion, mini toothpaste, mini Purell â MINI EVERYTHING! P.S. you really will want a mini Purell with Ebola being a non-discriminating virus that loves planes. Minis make traveling so much easier and you can easily refill the bottles with your stay-at-home products when you run out. Plus, theyâre freakinâ adorable.Â
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3. Cross-body bag:Â We all need to get over looking like tourists with our cross-body bags because letâs face it, we ARE all tourists. Thereâs a reason our moms have been encouraging us to wear our bags cross-body for years now and itâs time that we submit and simply do it. Pickpocketing is a harsh reality of being abroad, so keep your beloved belongings as close to you as possible. If someone does try to steal your purse, I hope you react like this:
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4. Advil/Tylenol/DayQuil/NyQuil/Sudafed:Â Unlike America, there is no such thing as a âsuperstoreâ here in Italy, or maybe Europe in general. Standard American medications are nearly impossible to find and I highly doubt that you will not be able to find a store that sells both household products and pharmaceuticals. Stock up on everything you could ever need from Walgreens because you will have to do a full tour of your Italian city to gather all of those things in one place once you are abroad.Â
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5. Lint roller:Â This one, though rather random, holds the key to my heart. With your wardrobe being smaller than usual, your clothes wear down quicker. In order to keep them looking fresh and even the slightest bit cleaner, you will want to bring a lint roller or something along those lines.Â
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6. CONVERTERS: This one is a big âDUH,” but you can never bring too many converters. It will shock you how many of your things require a charge. Tumi’s all-purpose adapter can adjust to work in pretty much every European country plus the US.Â
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7. Sneakers or boots to walk around entire cities: I feel like this one is pretty self-explanatory, but just to reiterate: abroad is all about walking. Make sure your shoes are the most comfortable shoes youâve ever owned and can take some wear and tear. By the way, Europeans are really into wearing Nikes with an everyday, non-exercise outfit. I know sneakers with jeans are a usual fashion faux pas, but Europe is loving this trend and you want to be on board. Plus, theyâre hella comfy.Â
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8. Small notebook or journal: If youâre like me and want to remember every single minor minute of being abroad, bring a notebook that can fit in even the smallest bag. This one is important especially if you do not plan on carrying your iPhone around with you. Write down every restaurant, cafĂ©, store, street, or building that you fall in love with and that way you can not only remember it clearly, but you can also give amazing recommendations to those who travel after you do!
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9. Resuable water bottle:Â ALCOHOL IS CHEAPER THAN WATER IN ITALY! This is also the case in several other European countries. Â Iâm sorry, but this is one thing that is simply outrageous to me. As a water addict, I can safely say that a resuable water bottle is a necessity. Itâs bizarrely difficult to stay hydrated in Europe because they donât serve tap water at restaurants (thatâs right, you must always buy a full 4 to 8 euro bottle) and there really are no such things as water fountains. If you have a water bottle with you, you will be so thankful!
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10. Ziploc bags: These are a must. European airlines are sticklers about all your liquids and toiletries fitting perfectly into a single quart-size plastic bag. They donât have Ziploc bags here in Italy and they are plastic gold, so just bring them!
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Article cover photo via Eventprophire.com