15 Things everyone needs to have before studying abroad

Now that you’re committed to studying abroad, it’s important to start getting your things in order before you leave. Here is a quick list of 15 essential things everyone should have before studying abroad.

1. Passport: DUH! Your passport is your lifeline when abroad. It is your identity and you should never leave it unattended…ever! You’ll use it to travel so make sure you have a good cover for it as well. You also want to make sure that your passport doesn’t expire for at least 12 months once you leave to go abroad!
2. Large Backpack: You and your backpack will become inseperable. You will live out of it for almost every weekend so make sure that it’s large enough to fit a weekend’s worth of stuff yet small enough that it doesn’t bother you to carry it around all day.
3. Sturdy boots: For both men and women, boots are an essential piece of clothing. You can dress them up or wear them hiking. Versatility is key whe packing a wardrobe for abroad. Make sure you wear them in first so that you don’t get blisters on your first week there!
4. Rain jacket: Rain is inevitable and umbrellas can be a hassle to carry around. Investing in a good rain jacket will allow you to continue touring with the freedom to use both of your hands.
5. Debit Card: More often than not, we use cards instead of cash to pay for things. A debit card is great because you can control how much you have to spend ahead of time. Make sure you contact your bank and credit card company to let them know you’ll be aborad so that they don’t flag it and shut down your access when you need it most.
6. Chargers: This is a no brainer. Technology is our lives, stay chraged.
7. Converters: This can be a wildly overlooked necessity, but do NOT forget to get converters- it’ll save your life. Pro-Tip — get a universal one so it will work in all the countries you visit.
8. First Aid Essentials: Blisters and small cuts are inevitable. Make sure you have a small first aid kit packed. It doesn’t have to be huge and take up a bunch of space, but make sure you are prepared in case of emergency.
9. Printed photos of family: You’re phone is a great way to capture special moments, but when your living in a new place by yourself, having a physical object like apicture to hang in your room might help with the homesickess.
10. Medicine: Filling perscriptions aborad isn’t really possible, so make sure you are able to get as much of your perscription as you will need before you leave the US.

11. $300 local currency: It’s entirely possible that your debit card might get declined while abroad. Banks and credit card companies might freeze your account unexpectedly and because of the time change, you might not be able to get ahold of them to unfreeze it. Never be caught off guard andhave about $300 local currency for these situations.

12. Earbuds: A part of studying abroad means you often travel to other countries in the area. This means long flights and airport times, so come prepared with earbuds to help you pass the time with the comforts of home.

13. Student visa: Depending on where you study, a student visa may be necessary to obtain. Make sure you fill out the proper paperwork and have it with you at all time- you never know when the unexpected might arise.

14. Playing cards: Want to kill the time at an airport or teach your new friends a drinking game you play back at home? Cards are a great way to be interactive and learn about other’s cultures!

15. Pocketbook translator: There’s nothing worse than being in a small town that doesn’t speak English and your phone doesn't get reception. Come prepared with a small pocket-sized translation book to help you out in these situat