What to Pack
Packing for studying abroad is difficult because most students feel as though they will need to bring everything they might need.
- Corkscrew/bottle opener
- One or two travel guides
- A notebook, some tape, and a rubber band (This is the best way to keep a journal that we found. We would just tape tickets, coasters, maps, etc into the journal as we went and strap it all together with the rubber band. For less than $5 it was the easies way to keep memories together. Especially since it wasn’t likely that we’d make scrapbooks when we got home.)
- A sturdy backpack for weekend trips
- International Student Identity Card
- Peanut Butter (seriously, many countries don’t have peanut butter. Find out if yours does. If it doesn’t, throw a jar in your suitcase)
- money belt
- Guidebooks
- Books in general
- Copies of your passport
- Prescriptions
What Not to Pack
- Extra shampoo, toothpaste, face wash, etc. (They have common US brands almost anywhere you’ll–even in rural Russia!)
- Extra batteries
- An umbrella
- Social security card
- Valuables
