When I was trying to figure out what to bring, I did countless google searches, and looked at things ranging from general travel packing lists, college packing lists, to camping packing lists (I still don't understand this one but I think I was desperate). I even tried searching things like "What to pack for 3 months studying abroad in Scotland". And while I found plenty of packing lists, I never found anything that completely helped me. Either they were too vague, not specific enough for me, or said to bring or not bring something but didn't give reasons. So I am going to give my exact packing list (everything that I actually bought with me), and say if I shouldn't have brought something. There are also a few things that I didn't bring and should have.
A bit of advice first: Definitely make a packing list, and do it a few weeks in advance. I edited the list that I made many many times, and because I had time to really think about what I wanted to bring, there weren't TOO many things that I shouldn't have brought. And it also made it really easy when it came time for packing, because all I had to do was find the things on my list (with a few exceptions).
Ok so here is my packing list (I'm literally listing everything that I brought, along with my notes about each thing):
Various little things:
Small address book (important for sending postcards while traveling)
Mechanical Pencils (I like a specific type of mechanical pencil... what can I say, I'm a nerd)
Towel
Hand Towel
Twisty Hair Towel
Washcloths (I think about 10 but I didn't count)
Mesh Shower Tote
Laundry Bag
A reusable grocery bag thing (used this many times for grocery shopping)
Small Mirror
Jewelry Box
Battery powered Alarm Clock (This is extremely important - even if you use your phone for an alarm, there may not be a place near your bed to plug in the charger or something - is just better to bring one.)
Photo Album
Ethernet Cable (some people got them from Reception in our hall but it was so much easier just to have one)
Adapter (Bring one with you, don't try to buy it there. I got mine from Target - adapters for multiple countries for less than $10)
Electronics Chargers (Iphone, Ipod shuffle, Digital Camera, Laptop)
Toiletries (Travel sized shampoo, conditioner and bodywash, Q-tips, Bandaids, Chapstick, Razor, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Make-Up)
Medicines (Advil, Excedrin, Excedrin PM (small))
Knee support thing (obviously, this is specific to me)
Two small framed photos
Two small knick knacks
Small stuffed elephant
Small stuffed turtle
Three small prints to decorate wall
6 books
Pillow
Oh, and obviously, my laptop, iPhone, Digital Camera, and iPod shuffle
Clothes -
3 pairs of jeans (in addition to the pair I wore there)
1 set of jean shorts
lounge pants
lounge shorts
flannel sleep shirt
lighter sleep shirt
underwear (about 12 pairs), bras (3), socks (I only brought 3 pairs, and I bought some cheap ones there), camis (I wear these everyday, so I brought 5)
6 sweaters - different colors and styles, a couple were thicker
3 button down shirts
7 Long sleeve shirts - once again, various styles, colors
3 short sleeve shirts
UAlbany Hoodie (definitely recommend bringing one if you wear one at home. Don't feel like you'll be made fun of or something)
Thin hoodie
2 Nicer tops
1 Open front cardigan
Black Jacket
Blue jacket (wore)
Green Hooded Jacket
Swimsuit and Cover-up
Shoes (Slippers, Flip flops for shower, 1 pair of flats, 1 pair of boots, wore slip on shoes on plane)
Two small purses
Regular sized purse
Messenger bag (used for classes and traveling)
Laptop sleeve/bag
So there you have it - everything that I brought with me. I know some of it is very specific but I wanted to be clear (and honest) about what I brought with me. Oh, and some of these things went in my carry on, but I just want to say again that everything fit in one 28" bag, with space bags.
Now, here's my list of what I didn't use, didn't need, or shouldn't have brought (sorry if the way this is organized is confusing at all, but the way I had it originally was just way too messy and even more confusing):
Hand Towel (would have been fine without but I still used it a little)
Twisty Hair Towel
Mesh Shower Tote – Tried to use this but it just didn’t work well with the bathroom situation in Cairncross (wasn’t anywhere “clean” to set it, so I had to hang it off of the hook on the back of the door, but then there wasn’t any room for my clothes). However, it packed flat, and if I hadn’t brought it, I may have wanted one.
Toiletries - since I didn't really know where stores would be and how soon I would be able to get to them, I brought enough toiletries to last me a week. While it wound up being unnecessary (I found a grocery store on Day 1), I would still do the same thing again - who knows where stores will be or when you will be able to get there. Also, they can be used if you travel anywhere or near the end of your trip when you're out of shampoo but don't want to buy a big thing of it right before you leave.
Ipod Shuffle – I didn’t use this, but I only brought it because I’ve had problems in the past with my iPhone and I wanted to have a backup for music just in case. They’re so small that it was no big deal to bring it.
Jeans – I brought 4 pairs total, but would have been okay with fewer… 3 or even 2 pairs.
Jean shorts – I never wore these, as it was too cold, even from day one. However, it was good to bring these just in case, and they don’t take up too much room.
Lounge/sleep shorts – Never wore these, but 1) a friend borrowed them on a trip, to save space in her suitcase, and 2) always good to have just in case, and like with the jean shorts, they don’t take up much room.
Two sleep shirts – I never wore these, mostly because I wouldn’t have been comfortable wearing it to go out to the bathroom in the hall. But I definitely overestimated the number of pajamas I would need. In all, I brought 5 things (2 sleep shirts, 2 lounge pants and 1 lounge shorts) – definitely not necessary.
“Nicer” White button down shirt – never wore it, but mainly because I was afraid of the washer ruining it, like it ruined another one of my white shirts. General recommendation – don’t bring white shirts.
“Nicer” tops – I didn’t really wear these much. I think I wore them twice but it was just on days that I felt like dressing up, not because I was going to a formal occasion. Probably still good to have something nicer though, just incase.
Black Jacket – I shouldn’t have brought this. It was intended as a “nicer” light jacket, so it was definitely not something I could wear in the rain, and it took up quite a bit of room.
Green Hooded Jacket – Also shouldn’t have brought this, because I intended it to be my rain jacket but it isn’t waterproof. And once again, took up a lot of room. However, in my defense, this jacket is my rain jacket at home, and I’ve never had issues with it – it’s just that because it rains so often in Scotland it was constantly wet and so it got saturated and soaked through. Still shouldn’t have brought it though. Either invest in a good waterproof jacket before you leave, or plan to buy one as soon as you get there.
Swimsuit and Cover-up – I didn’t use or really need either of these, and when I packed them, I didn’t envision using them, but they didn’t take up much space and they were another one of those “just in case” things. Unless you can easily buy a swimsuit and have it be the right fit for you – bring your bathing suit.
Shoes – Looking back, I shouldn’t have brought the flats, because it wasn’t something I could wear in the rain, and they weren’t good for walking, which are both things that were pretty much constantly happening. But, they didn’t take up too much space, and they would have come in handy if I’d had to go to a formal event. Also, I shouldn’t have brought my boots because they are “suede”. I really really really underestimated exactly how often it rains in Scotland. And suede doesn’t like rain. So I never wore these. And they did take up some space. And there was no real purpose to bringing them other than the fact that I like them. So no suede boots. Even if they’re really cute.
Things I should have brought but didn't:
You may have gotten the point about this by now but - a waterproof jacket! The essential point is, to actually be prepared for the weather you are about to live in. I mean, I knew it rained but I figured that what I had would be fine.
Also, if I could re-do it, I would buy good walking shoes before I left, but only for vanity. Because I got my walking shoes in the UK, which is apparently unaccustomed to my big feet, I could "only" (I say "only" because I only went to one store, who knows what I would have found at other stores) get men's shoes. I would have liked shoes for women. Even if the shoes from Glasgow were only 8 pounds.
Thats it! I can't think of anything else that I didn't have but wanted or needed.
A side note on something I read a lot in packing lists (and hear a lot from study abroad websites, including the one from my school)... they always say to bring gifts from the US (or whatever your home country is), to give to the people in your host country. Personally, I disagree that this is necessary. If you are going to be living in a dorm or on your own in an apartment, I don't think it is necessary to bring gifts. This may be a necessity (of politeness) if you are going to be staying with a host family - but otherwise, I would say don't bother. On the flip side, I guess it would have been cool (?) to give something that I had brought from the US to my friend from Scotland, but only for the novelty of giving her something from the US, not because of politeness or anything. Just my opinion. This always bugs me because I see it everywhere.
Ok thats it! Hopefully this wasn't confusing and that this helps someone (fingers crossed)!
And, if you're currently in the process of applying for study abroad, maybe for fall 2012, good luck! I found out first from my school that they had accepted me, on April 8th, and then from the University of Glasgow, that they had accepted me, in the second or third week of May.
I'm shocked that you didn't share on the day of your anniversary of finding out from school that it was the anniversary of you finding out from school that you had been excepted =(
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