Packing for Study Abroad

You can’t bring your entire life overseas when you study abroad, so you have to decide which items are worth taking up valuable luggage space. I was impressed that all my personal belongings for Freiburg fit in one Walmart suitcase and a backpack... and yeah, it was a little too good to be true. I ended up forgetting some items that I needed to purchase in Freiburg. But more on that later. First, I’ll talk about some of the items I brought with me that I could not live without.

Things I’ve used the most in Freiburg:

Headphones: I often say that my headphones are my most cherished possession. Whenever I’m on any form of public transportation, going for a solo walk, doing homework, cooking, cleaning, or doing laundry, I put my headphones on. Listening to music is a form of escape for me, as it is for many people, and there was no question whatsoever that my headphones would be accompanying me to Germany.

Reusable water bottle: Another staple! I always carry my water bottle around in my school bag and try to remember to hydrate throughout the day. Also, water isn’t free at most restaurants in Germany! While it is definitely frowned upon, I have smuggled my water bottle into several restaurants as a way to save money on drinks. 

Charger adapter: US sockets are Type A and B, and plugs designed for these do not work in European sockets. Before you leave for study abroad, check the most common socket type and buy an adapter so you can charge your devices! My adapter is designed for Types C, E, and F, and has both USB and lightning cable ports.

Toiletry bag for travel: It’s really useful to have a toiletry bag and travel containers of toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, etc. Not only will you likely be taking personal travel days, but many programs have IES Abroad-sponsored field trips. My toiletry bag is pre-packed and ready for weekend trips.

Credit and debit card: It goes without saying that you will be making purchases while you are studying abroad. From weekly groceries and local entertainment to more expensive travel, you will need a reliable way to pay for expenses. Ideally, you should have a credit card without foreign transaction fees. A couple months before studying abroad, I only had a Discover student credit card which typically isn’t accepted in Europe. I applied for a different credit card a few months early so I would be able to use it in Freiburg, which I’m glad I did. A few of my friends here also use their parents’ credit cards and pay the statement back to them, which works well if you discuss with your guardians in advance. I also made sure to check my debit card’s out-of-network fees so that when I withdraw money from an ATM I know how much extra I’m being charged. And you will likely be using ATM's more in Europe, because cash-only stores are more common.

What I wish I brought:

Now I’ll talk about some items I needed to buy once I got to Freiburg, or things I wish I had here.

Portable charger/power bank: When I'm traveling to different countries I’m sometimes away from an outlet for an entire day. It adds extra stress while traveling to keep my phone alive, because it’s my main form of communication and navigation in foreign places. I wish I had brought a compact portable charger with me.

Hiking shoes: I actually brought a pair of hiking shoes from home, but I hadn’t broken them in yet. After one hike they turned out to be super uncomfortable, so I bought new ones. Depending on your program, you may need hiking boots, hats, gloves, jackets, and rain gear for class excursions. For the purpose of these field trips I wish I had brought more layers and weather resistant clothing.

Small backpack: Another thing I wish I brought was a small hiking backpack. I bought one at Decathlon recently for under 7 Euros and it’s been really useful to carry snacks and water on field trips.

Keychain/Lanyard: In college so far, I have never needed to keep track of a physical key to get into my room. I used a key card to get into my dorm, and I used a code to get into my apartment. So it’s been a bit difficult for me to remember my keys when I leave the WG in Freiburg. I also had a scary moment one time when I thought I lost my keys at the climbing gym. I looked everywhere but couldn’t find them, so I assumed they were fully lost. I got a new set of keys from the Hausmeister, but the very same day I found the old set of keys buried in my purse. If I had the keys attached to a keychain in the first place, I wouldn’t have lost track of them so easily. Now I have a bracelet and a leather band attached to the keys, so hopefully no more incidents!