Packing can become a tough process if you don’t make smart decisions and this article will tell you all about how you can make this tough process easy for you!
1. Essentials
- Paperwork: Passport, visa and important documents deserve a folder to be stored safely. Make sure to keep photocopies of the same.
- Medications: keeping healthy is the first and foremost thing, so if you are taking any medication or supplements vital to your health, then those should be packed amongst the first items along with their prescriptions.
- Local Currency: while traveling abroad, you will definitely need their local Currency when you land, so carry a safe amount, not a lot, but not too little. You can very well withdraw more money once you have settled in
- Basic Toiletries: pack your toothbrush, travel size paste, soap shampoo etc., anything you need to be prepared to freshen up for at least 3-4 days. Because while you can buy other toiletries when you go there, you should be able to manage for a week, because as you land you might not have time to buy these things, you will be settling in, and in that case, it is better to be prepared
- Electronics: make sure to pack your charges, power banks, laptop accessories.
2. Clothes
- Do your research well because the climate is the deciding factor for this section. Sometimes in cold-weather places, you can carry 1-2 heavy jackets to help you survive for the initial period, and then you can buy more items from the local shops. This is important to note for cold weather as jackets/sweaters/ socks all take up a lot of packing space, and you wouldn’t want to fill your entire suitcase with just these.
- Irrespective of the weather, you should keep a mix of time like: long and short sleeves t-shirts/tops, jeans, track pants.
- Underwear is a crucial decision. Make sure to keep enough for you to survive 8 to 10 days. This is because you still have to figure out your laundry facility in your student accommodation in Glasgow. It will also take time to find the stores you can buy more from, till then you need to have back up.
- Shoes: this item takes space, so decide wisely. Keep one of each kind, to begin with. So keep one pair of sports shoes, two pairs of slippers, slip-on, and boots depending on the weather.
3. Miscellaneous
- These are the items you need for your comfort, safety and sometimes sheer want to take them with you because they can make you feel at home in a new place.
- For safety, make sure to carry 2-3 small locks. For comfort: you might want to carry a blanket that you like, a travel cushion, maybe your favourite bed sheets etc.
- You also might want to carry some basic school supplies, like a pen, paper, notebook, journal, etc.
4. Don’t indulge in overpacking.
- Make sure to cover essential items in each category. Make a checklist to keep yourself in control of the number of items being carried.
- Avoid carrying bulky items. Also, avoid unnecessary items that you think you will buy in your new city. After all, you are moving to another city and not an uncivilized area where you will not find the everyday items you are looking for. Also, keep in mind your baggage allowance and what items you are getting transported besides that. Check the weight and keep any bulky items with the items to be transported.
- Keep in mind that you will have a return trip, so there is anything you want from home only, but it is not essential for the time being, then do not pack it.
5. What not to pack
- Do not pack lots of snacks. Keep the only items you think you won’t find in your new city; these may be things local to your culture. But even in that, do not get overboard because these times may often get spoiled on the way. Also, keep in mind what your airline allows to be carried in food items.
- Books: if you are a book lover, you should also know the amount of space and weight they will need if you decide to take more than 3 or 4. Instead of wanting to take them with you, you can find libraries in your college or city and use them to fulfil your reading needs. Or even better, consider ebooks and online reading services!
- Culturally inappropriate clothes: every culture has it’s own unsaid do and don’ts, so if you are moving to a culture you have no idea about, then read up on it.
- Try not to pack costly items. You will be living in a new house/hostel, and you might not know anyone there initially, so it will become challenging to keep track of costly items you own without worrying that they will be safe.
With that, we reach the end of our list that we hope will give you clarity and tips on how you can pack smartly while traveling abroad! Once you reach your accommodation, say a student flat in Birmingham, you will need to unpack, and that process is time-consuming and will require you to do it smartly! But don’t fret if you packed well, then unpacking won’t be a problem!
Once you decide which college you wish to go to, your accommodation is the next thing to finalize. And for that, amber has your back! We assist students in getting houses around the world that are updated with the latest covid policies. So check out our website, Instagram and Facebook pages to get yourself a lovely home away from home!
Writer: Riya Rohatgi is a graduate of Communication and Media studies. She has worked in fields like marketing, filmmaking, and designing. She loves exploring new things in life and is an adventurous person.
