Sending Off To Study Abroad

​My Process of Planning, Preparing, Packing for Ireland

Before I even applied to go to school anywhere I knew that I wanted to study abroad at some point during my time in college. I was blessed with the opportunity to go on a short-term study abroad trip to Scotland at the end of my freshman year where I hiked, mountain-biked, kayaked, and canoed along The West Highland Way. Now, I am about to embark on a full semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland.

When first exploring my options to study abroad, I was overwhelmed. I wanted to go everywhere + anywhere and had no idea where to begin to narrow it down. Thankfully, my school has an awesome study abroad program and coordinator who helped me through the process. Since I was open to traveling to any type of climate + culture, we began to look at study abroad programs that would offer me the most money through scholarships + that would allow me to complete the courses that I need in order to complete my degree (two very important aspects when deciding on where to attend school abroad, by the way).

Once I narrowed down my options + discovered Dublin, Ireland to best fit my needs, I began working out the details of how to make it all come together. I obviously first rushed over to the program’s website to fill out my application, which I completed two months before the deadline (excited, or?). Then, I met with my academic advisor + student services coordinator on campus to discuss which classes I would need to take abroad + how those would transfer back as course credit here at my university. I also got into contact with a couple of students I knew that had attended the same program in Ireland before to get answers to some of my initial questions + advice on study abroad in general. The study abroad office on my campus hosted an orientation meeting discussing what to expect, financial aid, culture shock, packing, etc. which was extremely helpful!

Now the initial details, logistics, paperwork are all out of the way + I am gearing up the last stages before heading off! I am a huge fan of clothing + putting together new outfits for every single day of the year. However, when packing to live abroad for 3-4 months in a single suitcase, this tendency is just not possible. So, here is a bit about how I went about packing for my study abroad:

Pick a color scheme
Once you choose a color scheme to follow for your outfits, you can limit the number of individual pieces that you bring by mixing + matching items to create different outfits! I recommend going for neutral color palettes such as black, white, gray, navy, army green, or beige.
Pack only the basics + essentials
I always end up packing things that I never end up using or wearing. In order to avoid this, I made a list of only the essentials that I could not live without. As for clothing and shoes, I made sure to pick basic pieces that I could wear in multiple ways, in multiple locations + weather situations. It is important to take clothing that can be layered since the weather is variable!
Packing cubes
    I recently discovered packing cubes and I’m glad I did! They are perfect for keeping all of your things that you want to pack organized + compact. I recommend rolling each piece of clothing and then placing them in the cubes to maximize space. They can be used to separate clean + dirty clothes, clothing + souvenirs, warm weather clothes + colder weather gear, etc. I also plan on using one of the larger cubes to take with me on quick weekend trips rather than taking my large luggage! Check out some great options below.

Lastly, before I set off I wanted to jot down some goals for my time abroad. I wrote them on two little post-it notes so that I could carry one around with me in my bag while traveling + hang the other up in my bedroom. These are things that I hope to accomplish while I am in Ireland such as travel destinations + personal development, as well as little reminders + words of encouragement to keep me going as I come into contact with culture shock + challenges.

I am beyond stoked to begin this new experience ahead of me + I hope to keep you updated so as to take you along the journey with me!

Slán go fóill (goodbye for now)!​