Nomads! Welcome back for another weekly dose of study abroad tips and tricks! As the title mentions, I want to focus on what exactly is necessary when packing for weekend trips abroad.
First and foremost, the main piece you’ll need before actually packing everything is luggage of some sort. I am adamant in saying that packing everything into your backpack is going to be the most convenient option for weekend travel. I found this to be more multi-purposeful as well considering I just used my school backpack during the week and then converted it into a travel backpack on the weekends! I will say off the bat too, if you’re flying, most “cheaper” airlines charge you for anything that does not fit under your seat, therefore if you’re thinking about bringing a carry-on on the weekends, I’d personally advise not to. I’ll go into more detail about carry-ons toward the end of this post though.
Back to backpacks. With my study abroad experience, we spent most of our time traveling to other countries on the weekends, specifically Thursday night through Sunday. Now I know that packing enough clothes and toiletries and such to last you a weekend sounds especially difficult, whether you’re a souvenir shopper or not, but trust me, it isn’t as bad as it seems. Sure I overpacked the first few trips—as will you likely—but once you get into the swing of things, packing light will be of such ease.
When packing for a weekend trip, I find it best to limit the amount of clothes you bring. As I mentioned earlier, I was typically traveling for about four days at a time. Although it may sound ideal, don’t expect to pack four days worth of outfits. I, myself, tried to stick with a minimalistic approach when packing for such a short period of time. That said, how much you pack will definitely be determined by the weather of the country you’re visiting. If you’re visiting a colder country, such as Norway, chances are good you’re going to have to pack more sweaters and bulkier items as opposed to visiting a place like Italy where the weather is typically in the 70s. That said, the packing-less approach is particularly important for the colder climate places. Stay up-to-date on the weather forecast of the place you’re visiting the few days leading up to your departure. Are they anticipating rain in the forecast? You’ll need your rain jacket. Is it supposed to be in the upper 80s while you’re there? Pack some shorts! This is all to say that it is highly unlikely that the weather is going to be the same as your host country’s, so plan accordingly and be prepared!
Now you’re probably interested in hearing more about what to pack in these weekend backpacks, right? Well it’s difficult to say what types of clothes specifically to pack since each place fluctuates in temperature, but if you’re traveling similarly to what I did, you’ll only be in this other city for a couple days. That said, I recommend packing about two pairs of pants. I stuck with jeans throughout my time abroad since they seemed more versatile. Then for shirts, f it’s a warmer climate, you can probably pack enough to last your stay, otherwise my advice is to stick to bringing one or two less than what you think you’ll need. Example: if you’re going for four days, you might think to bring four shirts, but you can get away with bringing two or three shirts and rewearing them. As awkward as it may sound to rewear shirts, it’s quite normal for the typical study abroad student (at least on my trip). It’s important to note that you’re likely not going to see the people you pass on the street, and if you’re traveling with friends, chances are good they’re doing the same as you to conserve space. Plus, the less you pack, the more room you have to shop for cute clothes on your trip 😉.
Aside from clothes, you’ll be needing to bring toiletries as well. I had a hanging organizer from Vera Bradley that worked wonders in dividing all my makeup and toiletries for weekend travels. Sadly though, toiletries are one of those things that can’t be left behind (at least toothbrushes, toothpaste, and deodorant), so they automatically take up a chunk of your bag. Thankfully though, if you can fit most of your toiletries in some sort of hanging organizer it will be a lot easier for you to not only find what you’ve brought, but I found it also helpful in condensing my makeup and toiletries into one section (the middle compartment) of my backpack.
We’re reaching the point of analyzing what all is now in this backpack for your weekend adventures. I, myself, find it helpful to create a checklist of everything I need, so I’m including all that you need for your trip in this list:
- Backpack (preferably one with multiple compartments; I used this Vera Bradley one)
- A few pairs of pants (like I said, I only brought jeans, but it’s your preference!)
- Two-four shirts depending on the bulkiness of your clothes
- One set of pajamas
- One pair of shoes (that you should just wear to your destination)
- A hanging organizer
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Hair Brush
- Deodorant
- Makeup (if you wear it!)
- Makeup Wipes (I typically packed the full size Neutrogena wipes, but they have smaller, travel packs that will take up less space; or even their single packs)
- Travel-size shampoo, conditioner, and body wash (if your hotel, Airbnb, or hostel does not offer it)
Nomads! Also be mindful of your shopping choices while packing for your weekend trip. If you’re someone who knows that a backpack is not going to be enough for you, see if you and a friend can go in together and share a carry-on suitcase. Most “cheaper” airlines charge you for carry-ons if they go into the overhead compartment. Sharing a carry-on is something I don’t necessarily advise doing for every trip, but for the places that you know you’ll be wanting to buy a lot from, see if this is a possibility. My roommate and I ended up taking our backpacks, and sharing a carry-on suitcase for two or three of our weekend adventures (Paris definitely!) but other than that, we managed to stick with our backpacks solely. And don’t worry, we still managed to bring home plenty of souvenirs!
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