Your Study Abroad Packing Guide

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No matter the destination, packing to study abroad can be overwhelming. Pack too much, and you’ll end up lugging around three suitcases. Leave out the essentials and you might miss critical seasonal pieces. Each destination is different depending on climate, how often you plan to travel and your personal needs. However, we at The Edge want to offer some guidelines to help you pack for your upcoming adventure.

Let's start with the boring but mandatory items. Double check for your passport, a secondary form of ID and a copy of your visa. While this seems obvious, it could easily slip your mind while planning all your outfits. Missing any of these items could send you right back to the United States. We suggest investing in a travel wallet or organizer so you can keep all of your basics together and easily accessible!

Now the exciting stuff: what are you going to wear? We know that you don’t want to stick out as a tourist, but do not bring your whole closet. A capsule wardrobe is the way to go! Focus on clothes that you can wear for different occasions. Maxi skirts can be styled in so many different ways. Perfect for a day in town, an internship or even a night out. Another helpful tip is packing cubes or vacuum-seal bags. Neutral colors and light layers are your best friend. Add a few fun pieces, and your wardrobe will be complete.

Let's talk electricity—and we’re not talking about your future electric abroad Instagram feed. Outlets come in many different variations, a lot of which are not going to be compatible with your phone charger or hairdryer. We suggest a universal adapter, but don’t let this fool you!

Before you short-circuit your Dyson Airwarp, let's discuss voltage. Adapters allow your appliances to plug into different types of outlets, but depending on the country, these outlets may have a different voltage. Plugging in a 120-volt hair dryer, with an adapter, to a 240-volt outlet could break your beloved hair tool and even start a small fire! A converter allows you to alter the voltage, making it a must-have pack. Your phone and laptop charger should be just fine with an adapter, but to keep you and your hairdryer safe, you'll need a converter as well. An alternative to this is buying new hair tools upon arrival, leaving your real ones safely tucked away at home.

Our biggest tip of all is to leave yourself some space. No matter the destination, you're going to end up shopping. Whether you love trinkets, clothes or gift-giving, you’re going to need some space in that suitcase! As a general rule of thumb, leave about a quarter of one suitcase empty.

We hope that this inspired your packing plan before going abroad. But at the end of the day, it's not about what you bring, it’s about the intangible memories you bring back with you.

What are your favorite packing tips? Let us know by tagging us @theedgemag on Instagram!