Get Ready for Your Summer Abroad: Packing List!

by Zainab

As March comes to an end, the time for your summer abroad is approaching! How are you feeling? Excited? Nervous? Impatient? Or are you too busy with the end of semester rush to even feel anything yet?  

Well, if you are feeling nervous or overwhelmed about getting ready for your summer abroad, I hope this article can help you out! Check out part 1 of “Get Ready for Your Summer Abroad” here, if you haven’t already.  

This packing list can be different depending on your particular needs, but I’ve provided a general list that can be helpful to look through in case something slips your mind (and you can always copy and paste this somewhere and use it as an actual list to check off after each thing you’ve packed).  

Other Necessities: 

Clothes  

• Summer clothing items - since your program is taking place in the summer, definitely pack for warm or even very hot weather)  
• Warm clothing - even though it will be hot definitely still pack at least a few articles of warmer clothing (in Oxford last August, the weather was cooler than I had expected, and it helped having a couple of sweaters and warmer clothes, especially in case your rooms are cooler at night)  
• Formal wear - Pack something fancy for the end of the program farewell event! 

Bags/Purses  

• Tote bag 
• Crossbody bag 
• Shoulder bag  
• Purse 

Toiletries  

• Oral hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss) - you can buy these items when you arrive there, but if you have particular products you use, remember to pack them! 
• Hair care items (brush, comb, hair ties, clips, etc.) 
• Skin care items (lotion or moisturizer, face wash, lip balm, sunscreen, etc.) 
• Makeup and makeup remover (if applicable) 
• Deodorant  
• Perfume/cologne 
• Hygiene and health items (hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes, bandages, painkillers, etc.) 
• Travel-sized containers for liquids 

Shoes  

• Comfortable outdoor footwear - Packing comfortable shoes is extremely important especially for course trips that require lots of walking 
• Indoor footwear - Make sure they’re appropriate for the different situations. For instance, if you’re accommodation is not a hotel, you may not have slippers in your room for indoor use, so it’s a good idea to pack this. 

Other Accessories 

• Hats  
• Jewelry – don’t bring any valuables 
• Watch 
• Scarves 
• Umbrella 
• Portable fan 

Living items 

Some of these may not be applicable for all programs, especially if you are in a hotel accommodation or one in which you do not have a private or shared kitchen. So, make sure to check out all the details about your accommodations on your program SharePoint.  

• Fan (for your room, in case your accommodation does not have air conditioning) 
• Dishwashing soap (for the shared kitchens; you can also get this when you’re there if you want to save space or even better everyone can pitch in to just get on bottle so that they don’t go to waste) 
• Water bottle  
• Indoor slippers  
• Cutlery and kitchen supplies – if you plan to cook meals outside of what is provided in by the accommodation, these will be better to take with you rather than to try and buy them when you get there which may be more difficult 

School/ Study Items 

• Folder/binder 
• Notebooks 
• Paper 
• Pencil case: 
  • Pencils 
  • Pens 
  • Eraser 
  • Sharpener 
  • Highlighter  
  • Sticky notes 
  • Ruler 
  • Tape  
  • White out 
  • Stapler 
• Laptop/Tablet 
• Headphones 

In-transit items: 

• Backpack  
• Suitcase(s) 
• Small cross-shoulder bag – these are super useful when travelling to keep your passport and other important items that you want to be easily accessible but also safe; you can also keep other things you will need during the plane ride like a toothbrush, toothpaste, medications, etc. 
• Neck pillow 

So, I hope this list helps you when you start packing for your Summer Abroad program!  

And with that, we’re at the end of this Get Ready for Your Summer Abroad series. I hope my articles these past months have helped you out and with this being my last one, I want to say this: thank you! I’ve really had a great time writing these, sharing my experiences and whatever advice I could offer. Wishing you all safe journeys and a life-changing adventure! 

In the end, I think Dr. Seuss says it best: 

“You're off to Great Places! 
Today is your day! 
Your mountain is waiting, 
So... get on your way!” 

All the best,  

Zainab