What to pack for studying abroad: packing for 5 months in Europe

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Alternative title: a guide to not overpacking by a shopaholic that can’t manage to get online orders to under 3 per week.

As someone who travels FREQUENTLY, you would think I would be an expert on packing by now. After all, once upon a time I did manage to pack for a summer in South America in only a backpack.

But things slowly started to deteriorate. I realized that maybe I enjoyed fashion just as much as I enjoyed travel — and sometimes planning the right outfit for the photo I planned to take in front of each individual landmark was just as exciting as the prospect of traveling somewhere new.

As a result, the next trip I managed barely (barelyyy) to pack for three weeks in Europe during the summer in the same backpack I used for multi-climate extended travel through South America, which, when compared, is mildly embarrassing.

Queue a throwback picture of me on this first Europe trip back in 2016:

Not bad, but also not my finest moment.

And I definitely overpacked and didn’t have any concept of how to optimize limited space with an arsenal of clothes that all work well together. Sure, I good at the physical act of packing, (I’m fully convinced I could fit 100 pounds of things into a suitcase with no issues) but when it comes to planning and limiting the things I need to just 50 pounds, I could definitely improve.

So, learn from my mistakes. If I had to go back and do it again, this is what I would pack for my study abroad trip that took me all over Europe, through 103 degree heat and 15 degree winter nights, through crazy nights out and grinding out homework in a cozy coffee shop, through hiking in the snow and through lounging on mediterranean beaches.

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Let’s start with a few tips that will help you decide what to pack when studying abroad in Europe.

1. People in Europe are probably more fashionable than you

   And it’s so intimidating LOL. As a general rule, Europe is always a little bit ahead of everyone when it comes to fashion, so I would suggest bringing less clothes than you think necessary and doing lots of shopping there! I made the mistake of trying to buy new cute, trendy clothes before I left, but when I got there i regretted everything; I MUCH would rather have spent my money there. My host mom owned her own clothing boutique and was a fashion QUEEN so in addition to all the clothes I brought that I thought were fashionable, she also insisted that I come with her to her boutique events and tried to get me to “overhaul” (her words not mine) my wardrobe, like I hadn’t just tried to do that exact thing before coming. Unfortunately i didn’t have any more money. So learn from my mistakes.

• Read More: 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Studying Abroad

2. Layers will be your best friend!

When it comes to packing for multiple seasons, layers are KEY. I only packed one sweater, which was one of my only packing successes. Sweaters can only be used for cold weather, but T-shirts can be worn year round — in the summer by themselves, in the fall with a light jacket or cardigan, in the winter with a cardigan and a wool coat. I also brought a lot of skirts, and transitioned those with tights. In the fall, sheer black tights were just fine, but in the winter, sheer black tights over nude fleece leggings kept me warm and tricked everyone into thinking I was immune to the cold simultaneously.

Seriously - In my nude fleece leggings and sheer black tights, I was warmer than anyone, and more fashionable. And people thought I was an absolute animal for braving the cold like that LOL.

• Read More: How to be a Boss at Study Abroad Weekend Trips

3. WATERPROOF SHOES

In all caps because this is VITAL. When I studied abroad, I brought adidas sneakers, black vans, a pair of stilettos, flip flops, sandals, platform sandals, and a pair of what I thought were going to be my winter boots.

First of all, what in the world.

Second of all, I promise, I read all the study abroad packing guides and they all said not to bring heels. I am a GIRLY GIRL and thought I was just built different. Do you know whats not built different? European COBBLE STONES. They will literally strip the leather, plastic, paint, etc off your heels in 30 minutes flat.

I wore my stilettos twice, so I would recommend not bringing any nice shoes from home and instead buying a cheap pair when you get there if you ever come across an instance where you would desperately need a pair. If you love wearing heels and are convinced that you’ll need a pair, I hear you. I AM you. But chances are you won’t. Save the half pound in your suitcase.

Third of all, my vans leaked?? There was absolutely no shot I could wear them if there was even a chance of rain that day. My sneakers had a nylon top that also got my socks wet, GROSS. My sandals were out of the question October-December, and that left my winter boots to save the day. (They actually had a small heel so they looked amazing with everything and i think they’re in every picture in this post). They had a THICCCC rubber sole with massive treads. I wore them in clubs, I wore them hiking up an icy mountain. They truly saved my life. I wore them so much one of the zippers broke and I tore a ligament in my toe from wearing heels every single day as I walked an hour both ways to class and trekked marathons through new cities on the weekends. Worth it.

Was I in a boot two days after I got home because of those shoes? Absolutely I was. No regrets.

(but maybe learn from my mistakes and bring more than one pair of waterproof shoes so you can avoid family Christmas photos with a CAST on lmao)

• Read more: How Studying Abroad will Change your Life

4. Accessories will spice up any basic outfit

My best piece of advice when it comes to packing is bring neutral basics, but also bring lots of accessories. Jewelry takes little to no room in a suitcase, and statement belts are a really easy way to wear the same exact outfit but achieve a different look. I brought a cheetah print belt as well as a fake gucci belt from amazon (I’m a fraud, I KNOW). I love big, extra earrings and fake eyelashes that can make you look more expensive than you are. different lipstick colors can spice up a neutral outfit, and different purses add personality.

I never regretted having three white shirts and three black shirts all with different necklines and sleeve lengths that I could pair with different jeans or skirts. Europeans also tend to stick to neutrals, so if you’re ever in doubt that you’ll stick out like a sore thumb, throw on some basics and call it a day.

• Read More: Best Weekend trips to take while studying abroad in Europe

5. Invest in some good luggage!

I recently just bought a luggage set from Shay Mitchell’s line, Béis. They are the most gorgeous pieces of luggage ever, and they have such amazing features. The handle has a scale in it that keeps you from overpacking, the compartments inside are to die for, and the built in locks will keep your possessions safe. The wheels are SO SMOOTH; the suitcase I took to study abroad got a broken wheel halfway through and I was forced to CARRY it through all the airports on the way back. It seemed like a good suitcase at first but the price point definitely exposed itself as time went on. Béis’ carry-on size is PERFECT for quick weekend trips, which you’ll hopefully be doing a lot of. Having nice luggage gets me so excited to travel and is definitely worth the money!

If you’re interested in getting a new piece of luggage or even a work bag from Béis, drop your email in the comments and I can get you 15 dollars off:)

OKAY! So without further ado, heres everything I would pack for 5 months in Europe if I had to do it all over again:

What to Pack When Studying Abroad in Europe:

Clothes:

• 10 neutral shirts — with different necklines and sleeve lengths (I added a few band tees for variety!

• 3 bodysuits — I brought a fun cheetah one, a plain black one, and another to go out in

• 4 tube tops — they go with everything and I wore them out at night even in the winter months

• 1 sweater

• 2 sweatshirts

• 1 pair of sweatpants

• 5 layering pieces — a jean jacket, a corduroy jacket, a grey cardigan, an olive utility jacket, and a blazer

• 1 dress for clubs with dress codes

• 1 winter coat — i got a wool coat off of boohoo for pretty cheap!

• 1 light rain coat + travel sized umbrella

• 3 pairs of jeans

• 1 pair of jean shorts

• 1 pair of biker shorts

• 3 shirts to sleep in

• 2 belts

• 3 mini skirts

• two pairs of tights — one sheer, one nude opaque fleece-lined pair

• 4 sports bras and 5 pairs of leggings (less if you don’t plan on working out frequently!

• 1 pair of boots

• 1 hat and 1 scarf!

• 1 pair of street shoes

• 1 pair of gym shoes

• flip flops!

• tons of underwear

• three bras

• 3 bathing suits

• SO MANY SOCKS — my host mom graciously did my laundry but all my socks went missing within 3 weeks

• wool socks

• 3 sunglasses

Other:

• makeup

• razor + blades

• Flat Iron — I use this to curl my hair as well!

• skincare

• hair items - hairbrush, hair oil, hair ties, etc.

• deodorant + perfume

• journal + pens

• backpack for school

• converters/adapters

• chargers + headphones

• Jewelry

• Passport and documents!!

• a gift for your host family — I brought my city’s famous tea blend! my host mom loved it so much she asked me to ship her more when I got home.

Notes

• Don’t bring full sized toiletries! they are SO HEAVY and waste space - just buy them when you get there.

• Things such as notebooks and school folders can be bought there!

• You might think you need more than ten shirts, but you’ll get more when you get there I promise!

• Research the climate, and if you’re studying abroad in the spring, chances are you wont need shorts or sandals; Europe doesn’t warm up until after the semester is over!

And that about wraps it up! I hope this was helpful in your process of deciding what to pack when studying abroad in Europe! If you’re having any packing dilemmas, drop a comment below

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