I am a chronic over-packer. Someone says a weekend at the lake and my thoughts are: two duffels or three? I once even packed my own Keurig to go to a friend’s lake house. Needless to say, when I found out I would be coming to Italy, I knew that packing to live for three months in another country would be a challenge. 

To combat my usual tendency of over-packing, I pared down my wardrobe, shoes, and cosmetics to the bare minimum, envisioning myself living a much simpler life in a quaint Italian town. What I didn’t envision was how much all of those little things could amount to when I was living away from home for three months. 

I share this story as a reminder that 1) it is okay have a lot of little things you like to have, and 2) these little things can make a big difference when you are living out of your comfort zone for an entire semester. When I left behind my favorite hair oil, my extra pair of sneakers, and that cute but less practical sweater, I thought I was doing myself and my suitcase a big favor. However, when I got to Italy and the water made my hair dry, and I wanted a cute outfit to wear to dinner on Valentine’s, I realized that bringing those few extra comforts from home would have made a big difference in helping me to feel more comfortable and confident in my new environment. 

Luckily for me, Italy has all of the things I left behind at home, so I have been able to improvise. I encourage any future study abroad students to consider what things help them to feel at home and also to feel their best in a new environment, and to make space in their suitcase for these simple comforts. 

Happy packing!

-Virginia Stanley