Before studying abroad, I spent weeks debating what to pack. I watched nearly every study abroad packing video and made at least three separate packing lists. Honestly, I am super proud of how strategically I packed, but there are definitely some things I didn’t need and some things I wish I had brought with me. In the spirit of helping future study abroad students, here are some of my packing tips.
Things I Am Glad I Brought:
A Tote Bag!!!: Trust me, everyone uses tote bags. IES Abroad did provide my study abroad program with one, but I would highly recommend getting one with a zipper to carry your items in for school. Not to mention, you will (probably) need more than one tote bag when you go grocery shopping and have to haul everything you bought with you back to your housing.
Silk Pillowcase: This is kind of extra, but I always use silk pillowcases back home, and I would have felt so out of place without it. Plus, it's great for your hair and skin, and much softer than the pillowcases that are provided.
A Good Travel Adapter (with multiple ports): You NEED a travel adapter that has more than one port. There are only so many outlets in our housing, and one outlet is simply not enough when you have a laptop, Apple Watch, iPhone, AirPods, and iPad that all need to be charged overnight for school.
Cold Medication from Home: You can’t easily buy cold medications over the counter here like you can in the U.S., and when I got sick, I was super grateful to have packed both NyQuil and DayQuil. Plus, I had some extra in case someone else needed some.
My Full Self-Care Routine: Having my familiar products has helped me stay grounded and has made my study abroad experience feel a little more like home so far. Sticking to my routine has really helped me stay motivated.
What I Wished I Packed:
A Normal Water Bottle: I brought a Brita water bottle, and now I really miss my Stanley back home. The tap water is just fine to drink, and my Brita water bottle gives it a weird taste. Just bring your favorite water bottle if you’re coming to Amsterdam, and you’re good.
More Clothes Than Everyone Told Me To: Everyone says to pack light, but I wish I had more options to choose from. Whatever you end up leaving behind, you will have to rebuy when you arrive. To save money and prevent repetitive outfits, I wish I had packed more. However, make sure you only pack what you will actually wear, and don’t forget to bring items that you can layer!
An Extension Cord or Power Strip: Luckily for me, IES Abroad Amsterdam had a few power strips and a bunch of other items that we could choose from. The plugs in our rooms ended up being far away from the bed, and having an extension cord came in handy!
Bring the practical items, but also pack with personal comforts in mind as well. After all, this will be your home for a few weeks!
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Brigette Zamor
Hi! I'm Brigette, and I am at the University of Michigan majoring in Public Health and minoring in Business. In my free time I like to read, bake, and watch some of my favorite TV shows like Stranger Things and Pretty Little Liars!
