Student Bloggers

With the end of this semester coming up, it means a new semester is drawing near. While thinking back on the past few months, I’ve realized that there are things that I wish I knew coming into my semester abroad (and some things that I’m glad I did know). Here are my tips! 

• Make sure you leave extra space in at least one bag. I packed my two suitcases to the brim before coming because I (for a reason likely caused by lack of sleep) thought it would seem cooler to arrive with smaller pieces of luggage. I thought to myself, This won’t matter by next week, anyway—you never buy much during the semester. I am here to tell you that if you think this, you are probably incorrect, especially if you plan on traveling and definitely if you forget anything at home. I am now in a mad scramble to figure out a way of creating an extra jacket’s worth of space (in my defense, it was very cute and cheap and something I’ve been looking for for a while).
• Be practical with your packing list. While I misjudged the correct suitcase dimensions, I do think I packed well. I usually find a way to bring most of my wardrobe up to college with me thanks to my dad’s fabulous ability to fit an insane amount of luggage in his car, but I would caution against that for a semester abroad. Not only will you have limited storage space (from what I can tell, most Dublin student apartments have no dresser and one closet containing two drawers, though they have varying amounts of above-desk shelving), you won’t need everything you own. Will you really wear that sweater you bought three years ago in case you ever have a business casual brunch? Pinpoint what you wear most frequently, consider how often you’ll realistically—and not optimistically—do laundry, and do the math from there. 

My mostly-empty closet, as I’ve already started packing to go home this weekend!

• Think about what you’ll need to buy upon arrival. Everyone is given bedding, so don’t worry about that, but some things, like pots and pans, will only be provided to you depending on where you’re living. You’ll also want to consider whether you want to bring hangers or buy them while abroad, and the same goes for toiletries (but these are two things I’d strongly suggest bringing with you for a smoother transition period and unpacking process). Plan in advance where you might be able to quickly purchase necessities during free time on the first day. Most grocery stores sell fairly good pre-prepared meals, and I’d recommend buying some even if you don’t need to wait a day or so to buy pans and cook something from scratch! If you’re anything like me, sometimes you’ll just be too tired to attempt homemade garlic bread. 
• Go to sleep EARLY the night before you leave. You might be different, but I’m cursed to sleep like a rock on every plane ride except for overnights. I can solidly say that I managed maybe an hour and a half at maximum. Don’t even get me started on the fact that the man in front of me got the flight attendant to shine a flashlight in my face at midnight while I was trying to sleep on my tray-table because my head was stopping him from reclining his seat to watch his movie. There may be obstacles to contend with on the plane, and you’ll have a half day of orientation upon arrival that is definitely worth being alert and present for! 
• Attend orientation through whichever university you’re attending while abroad. I can’t stress this enough. I’ll sure you’ll love the students in your Arcadia cohort, but I met some really wonderful people through Trinity College Dublin’s orientation. It’s a great way to expand your social circle. Keep in mind that Trinity does add times and events pretty regularly once the schedule is released, so make sure you regularly check their website. 

As you’ve already gathered, these are my top tips for preparing for a semester abroad. I hope you found them useful!