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How-to: A Packing Guide for Your Spring Semester Abroad

By Lauren Lewis (she/her/hers) – Umbra Rep Spring ’20 and UConn student

I was three days away from my abroad adventure in Perugia, Italy. I had already fully packed three suitcases and my carry-on and was anxiously counting down the seconds until I could hop on the plane and start my life-changing spring semester abroad. My sister had then come into my room and stared at all my bags. “Unpack everything, we need to start over,” is what she said, and that’s exactly what I did.

I consider myself lucky that I had a sister who had studied abroad the year before I was going to, as she was able to give me insight on what I would need when living out of suitcases for four months. However, realizing that many people may not have siblings who have studied abroad, and most people have not had the unique experience of living out of a suitcase for four months, I decided to provide all the tricks and tips on how to successfully pack for your spring semester abroad.

The first and more important rule for packing is: Do not overpack! You do not need your entire wardrobe when traveling abroad- in fact, you don’t even need half of your wardrobe. Here are two questions to ask yourself when trying to figure out if you have over packed or not.

1. Can I carry my bags? If you have too many bags, to the point where you will need someone else’s help carrying them, chances are you have over packed. When you get off the plane, you will need to be able to carry your luggage with you to meet the Umbra staff. In addition to this, you will also have to carry them around the cobblestone streets of Perugia when finding your apartment. Therefore, it is important to be able to carry your luggage. When I studied abroad I brought a large suitcase, a smaller suitcase, and a carry-on. I had more than enough room for all of my belongings and was able to carry my luggage wherever I went. If you are someone who has yet to purchase your suitcases for your study abroad experience, I recommend getting a suitcase set that has rotating wheels and comes with a smaller carry-on bag. The rotating wheels make it easy to move, and the carry-on bag can be used to travel on the weekends.
2. Do I have room in my suitcase? You will end up buying things when you are in Italy, whether they be souvenirs for your family members or loved ones, or if you are like me- more clothes. Therefore, you must have ample room in your suitcases to bring back things from your study abroad experience.

When packing for your study abroad experience, there are four important items that you should make sure you have packed.

1. Prescription Medicine: It is vital to bring all medications that you will need with you for the duration of your time abroad. Italy may not have the same type of prescription and therefore, if you do not bring it with you, you may not have it for the entirety of your trip.

2. Hygiene Products: I went to Italy, only knowing two to three words in Italian. If you are like me, the language barrier will make it hard to know what products are good for you. Therefore, I recommend bringing your own. It is also important to note that personal hygene items in Italy may be slightly different than what we are accostumed to or, when they are the same, may come under different brand names and packaging. You may have to visit more than one store in Perugia before you find an exact match for your favorite products. Therefore, it is best to stay safe and bring a starter pack of whatever you are comfortable using and don’t want to find yourself missing.

3. An adaptor: All of Europe has different adaptors than we do here in the United States. Therefore, it is best to just pack one before you leave that you can use if you have a layover.

4. Euro: I recommend taking at least 200 to 300 Euros with you at the beginning of your trip because some food places and shops will not take credit cards. If you decide not to bring Euro, DO NOT buy it at the airport. The fees are jacked up and sometimes you may even get counterfeit bills. Therefore, wait until you get into Perugia before you take money out. Despite the Euro, be sure to plan ahead of time how you will access money. Check your bank to see if they have a credit card to use in foreign countries and have multiple ways to access money.

Now it is time to share what most people probably came to this article; to figure out what types of clothing to bring with you for your four-month abroad experience in Italy. Before giving you my recommendations on what types of clothes you should bring, I think it is important to note some important aspects of packing. First off, do not pack outfits. You will be in Italy between 110-120 days unless you decide to stay longer. Your suitcase will not be able to fit 122 different outfits. Therefore, I recommend bringing clothing items that can be interchanged with one another. In addition to this, remember that you are going to Italy, which is one of the biggest fashion capitals in the world. So, don’t be afraid to take a break from your sweatpants and try new clothes that you may have been too scared to wear here in the United States. I encourage you to take advantage of your creativity and to get out of your comfort zone with your fashion pieces!

1. Warm Coat. A common misconception that people have when going to Italy is that it is warm all year round. Although it does not generally snow in Perugia and is warmer than a lot of places in the United States, it is still cold. Therefore, you should bring a warm coat. I brought a Peacoat, which worked on most days. However, there are a lot of alleyways in Perugia specifically, which serve as wind tunnels. Therefore, I would recommend bringing a puffy coat, or a thicker coat if at all possible.
2. Undergarments. Be sure to pack at least two weeks of different undergarments to wear. This will provide you with the flexibility to choose how often you want to do laundry.
3. Pants. I would pack a variety of different kinds of pants that you could wear while abroad including jeans, sweatpants, leggings, and shorts. Ultimately, I would try to pack between 7-9 pairs of pants as this will provide you with some variety, and provide you to dress with the seasons. It is important to note that I did not see many Italian women wearing shorts. However, as I said before going abroad is the perfect opportunity to express yourself in a different way than you have before, so if you are going to wear them, wear them with confidence.
4. Sweaters. I will reiterate: it will be cold during your first two months abroad. I would plan to bring at least five to seven different kinds of sweaters. I promise you that you will use them!
5. Shirts. I would bring a variety of long sleeve shirts, short sleeve shirts, and tank tops. I brought between 12-20 different pairs, as some of my tank tops took up virtually no space in my suitcase. Bringing a variety of treats provides you with the ability to mix and match outfits!
6. Light Jacket. It will eventually start to warm up. However, there will be a moment where it is too hot to wear a thick coat but too cold to not wear a coat at all. Therefore, I would recommend bringing a light jacket that you can use when you travel and also if you are going to go out at night.
7. Dresses and Skirts. I do not wear dresses as often which is why I only brought between 1-4 pairs. However, they are useful when going out to a fancy dinner with friends, and even to wear on a day to day basis. Depending on who you are feel free to bring more dresses and skirts in exchange for pants!
8. Shoes. You should also plan on packing three to four pairs of shoes. I recommend bringing a walking shoe or sneaker, a pair of boots, and a pair of flip flops. If you like to work out I would recommend also bringing a pair of running shoes. I would not recommend bringing a pair of heels, as the streets of Perugia are cobblestone and you will have a hard time walking. Just remember, you will be walking a lot more in Italy than you do in America. Therefore, it is important to make sure all of the shoes you are bringing are comfortable!
9. Pajamas. I included this for the people who are like me and may forget the most basic items to bring when traveling. Be sure to bring warm pajamas for the winter and lighter pajamas for when it gets warmer.

Now that I have gotten through the main clothing items you will need to last your time abroad, I thought I should mention some miscellaneous items that you should think about before starting your journey. If there are any little snacks that you love, I highly recommend looking up to see if Italy will have them. As mentioned before, Italian shops do not carry the same products that we have in the United States. Henceforth, if you can’t survive without a certain food or condiment, I would pack it in your bag. Another item I recommend looking into microfiber travel towels to bring with you. I packed them in my carry on and I was able to use them in the airports and bring them with me when I traveled. The last item that you should think about bringing is a rain jacket or an umbrella. Although it most likely will not snow while you are in Perugia, it will rain. As my mom always says, “It’s better to be overprepared than underprepared!”

But the most important items are…

By this point I have mentioned almost every tangible item you will need to bring with you for your semester abroad. However, I have not mentioned some of the most important things you will need as you embark on your overseas adventure. Be sure to bring an open mind, as you are in a new country and some of their customs and ideologies are different than the ones we see here in the United States. Make sure to also bring patience. Oftentimes when traveling things do not go as planned. Remain calm in these situations because most often everything will work out. Be sure to bring your resilience. Sometimes people get homesick while abroad. In those moments take time to call your family members, friends, and always make sure to make your mental health a priority. Lastly, bring your spirit of adventure. You will have one of the best times of your life while traveling abroad. You will meet new people, learn a new language, and be exposed to a completely new lifestyle. Be sure to take it all in and make every moment count!

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Umbra Institute note for Spring 22 students: for an extensive list of items to bring for your Spring Semester in Perugia, please make sure to read your pre-departure handbook.