Departing for an international vacation always brings some form of stress to your life. Knowing what to pack can be difficult, but here is a list of things that are must-haves that sometimes may be easy to forget.
1. Water Bottle
Other countries have different cultural standards on water. If you order water at a restaurant, it is not unlikely that it won’t be free. In addition to that, drinking fountains are also less common in other countries in comparison to the United States. A water bottle is something great to have around- it keeps you hydrated and with more money in your pocket!
2. All my money exchanged into the local currency.
I arrived in Europe with another $300 of American dollars and I could not have regretted it more. It was hard to find a bank to exchange them for Euros or Pounds and I got killed on the exchange rate.
3. Airboune Packets
Getting sick is something that is inevitable in life. Travelling leaves you exposed to a lot of germs and Airbourne powdered packets are the perfect thing to try and keep you healthy before you get sick.
4. Toliet Paper
This one may seem strange, but when you are doing your business in a public bathroom or even a hotel and there is no toilet paper – this is not uncommon in foreign countries – you will be so happy you brought some. Enough said.
5. Ibuprofen
Similar to the Airbourne Packets, sometimes when you are travelling you hurt yourself and need a little something to pick you up. If you have Ibuprofen, you won’t have to waste time trying to find some and pay an even more expensive price.
6. Toms (or any other shoes good for walking that are also attractive)
When you are travelling it is not uncommon to walk 5+ miles a day and because of that, you’ll want to make sure that you can walk lots in whatever shoes you bring. Unfortunately though, not all running shoes are super cute and match with every outfit, so you’ll also want to bring some that look cute with any outfit. I think that Toms are a good fit for both!
7. Long Black Sweater
This is a quintessential item for any trip. It is the perfect layer for a day that starts out not warm enough for a tank and then ends up being too hot for a long sleeve shirt. Plus, it goes with everything!
8. University of Utah Logo wear
University of Utah wear, or whatever logo gear for your school is, may seem weird at first, but there is nothing more fun than wearing your school with pride. It also gives you an excuse to brag when asked by locals.
9. Baseball hat
Despite the fact that this will make you immediately stick out as the American, a baseball hat is a great thing to have for all your adventures. It keeps the sun out of your eyes and also prevents you from getting sunburnt. It also is an opportunity for you to show off your favorite sports team, sorority letters, or anything else you enjoy!
10. A Purse with a place to zip your wallet inside
This last one is very important, especially if you are going somewhere were pickpocketing is very common. Keeping your wallet in a zipped pocket is the absolute minimum you should do to protect from having it stolen. I would also suggest that purse having a strap you can put over your shoulder and in more vulnerable situations, putting it on the front side of your hip.
With these ten items, you should be very prepared for any situation going abroad throws at you! Be safe and have a blast collegiettes.