I am writing this from the Netherlands where I will be living, studying, and travelling in for the next three months. Now that I’m here, I’m ready and excited for the adventures to come, but there was a lot of stress leading up to this point. Preparing and even just thinking about all you need to do before the plane takes off can be a stressful process. Here are some tips to help ease some of your stress and to help you be as ready as possible for an amazing semester.
1. Start saving your money as early as possible.
With the competitive programs and the likelihood of being placed on a waitlist, it’s good to start saving as if you’re definitely going abroad. This way, you won’t be stuck scrounging for money if you’re taken off of the waitlist only a month before the trip. Giving yourself enough time to save a decent amount of money will help you get the most out of your trip and will reduce your stress.
2. Visualize.
In regards to packing, there’s not much that can be done in the months leading up to your trip since you’re likely to be using the same things you will need to pack. If you’re like me, this can add to your stress because there’s not much you can do until, essentially, the last minute. This is where visualizing can be very helpful. If you repeatedly think about exactly what you’re going to bring, you’ll have a pretty solid mental list to check off when it’s finally time to physically pack. Visualizing will help ease your anxiety and will make the packing process much easier and faster.
3. Minimize, minimize, minimize.
Now, no one is saying you have to be a minimalist (but if you want to be, go for it!), but there are smart ways to condense the amount of stuff you want to bring. For example, if you’re an avid reader like myself, instead of filling your suitcase with heavy books, consider dusting off your old Kindle, or even using iBooks. Or if you have two pairs of shoes that each serve a small purpose, try to find a cheap pair that combines those functions into one shoe. Essentially, try to consolidate your needs into a smaller amount of items, so you have less to bring over!
4. The boring stuff.
While planning your travel weekends will be on the forefront of your mind, you can’t forget about the logistics, or the boring stuff. You need to figure out what you’re going to do with your phone plan, find a credit card that is accepted overseas with no foreign transaction fee, get Euros, buy adaptors and converters, make sure your passport is in order, etc. These things aren’t necessarily fun to do, but they need to be done if you want to fully enjoy your experience abroad. It can feel daunting at first, but the sooner you get them done, the sooner you can focus on the fun stuff!
5. Familiarize yourself with where you’ll be staying.
If you can, try to find out what will be provided to you where you’ll be staying— will they have have hangers, sheets, laundry bins, towels, etc.? The last thing you want to do is take up room in your suitcase with something that you’ll end up being given anyway.
6. Look for fun travel items!
If your budget allows, try looking into some of the products specifically made for you as a traveler. Things like anti-theft purses, mini dual voltage straighteners, scarves with hidden pockets, and expandable backpacks are all things made specifically to make a life of travel easier, safer, and more comfortable. Looking into these might help you with consolidating and will make your semester abroad that much easier.