When I was packing for my semester abroad in Cork, Ireland, I challenged myself to only do so with carry-on luggage. Everything that I brought with me from North Carolina fit into an backpack and a messenger back!
Naturally, I knew that I would have to buy some things here in Cork, so it wasn’t exceptionally difficult me to not have any checked luggage. I saw several people at the airport with huge suitcases, even some that needed to get luggage carts and have help with their bags from the taxi drivers. It was a great feeling to be able to just carry everything myself and not have to worry about losing my luggage or finding someone to help me carry things!
My Backpack
My backpack is the IKEA Förenkla Backpack, which has a surprising amount of storage space. There’s an expanding compartment in the bottom that’s marketed for shoes, but I could see myself filling it with snacks at the grocery store, and one of those belts that clips together to put the weight on your hips. All-in-all, it’s a really good backpack and it’s comfortable to carry around.
Anyways, it fits the airline baggage dimensions for Finnair, which is the airline I flew from Montréal to Cork. I managed to cram a lot into it, and I assure you that it did not adhere to the weight maximums for Finnair, but no one weighed it so I made it through without any issues.
My Messenger Bag
In addition to my backpack, I took a messenger bag as my personal item. It fits easily underneath the seat in front of me, which is great because it has a wonderful future of holding my laptop and my snacks ahead of it!
My Packing List
Clothing
⇾ Beanies: blue/purple and fleece
⇾ Bikini: top and bottoms – Maybe I’ll go to the beach one day!
⇾ Blazer
⇾ Bras / bralettes / sports bras: I just brought all of the ones that I own. I don’t have many, but sports bras are quite possibly the best clothing invention ever.
⇾ Button-down shirt: black
⇾ Cardigan: black
⇾ Exercise leggings (3): black – I actually do workout sometimes, and I plan to while I’m abroad, too.
⇾ Flannel (2): one lumberjack-esque flannel from REI and one casual flannel from American Eagle that I use as a housecoat – Thank you, Margaret, for letting me say “housecoat” over and over when it’s not a term that exists in the modern vernacular.
⇾ Gloves: It gets very cold here.
⇾ Hiking boots: Comfortable and warm – always nice to have!
⇾ Jeans (1): I only actually have one pair of jeans, so those made the trip with me.
⇾ Jewelry: a few necklaces, a bracelet, earring studs
⇾ Professional pants: skinny black pants – In case I need to go to any more professional events or want to wear something besides exercise leggings or jeans!
⇾ Professional shoes: flats – They have elastic straps around the ankles so they don’t fall off of my feet, which is a real concern for me.
⇾ Rain / winter coat: black – Dual purposed items are always helpful.
⇾ Shirts (4)
⇾ Sweatshirt: Alex’s – We traded when I visited her and I’m so glad to have something that reminds me of her.
⇾ Thermal leggings (3): black – These things are lifesavers in this chilly environment.
⇾ Thermal shirts (3): various colors – These are nice because they help my underactive thyroid keep my body from slowly freezing to death after it has rained.
⇾ Underwear: I brought all that I owned of these, too. You can never have too many pairs of underwear, I believe. It makes laundry much easier!
Health
⇾ Allergy medication
⇾ Bandaids
⇾ Charcoal pore strips
⇾ Comb: My own comb got lost somewhere on the way between Charlotte and Montréal, so Alex gave me one of hers. Thank you, honey!
⇾ Deodorant: Axe Fiji because I can’t afford an exotic vacation, but I can at least smell like one!
⇾ Eczema cream: Dyshidrotic eczema absolutely sucks, so I figured it would be prudent to bring the medication along with me!
⇾ Facial moisturizer
⇾ Facial soap
⇾ Floss
⇾ Glasses (2): my regular pair and a back-up pair
⇾ Lip balm
⇾ Lip color: Also known as the only make-up I know how to use!
⇾ Motion sickness medication
⇾ Nail clippers
⇾ Nail file
⇾ Prescriptions
⇾ Razor
⇾ Razor heads
⇾ Tongue cleaner
⇾ Toothbrush
⇾ Toothpaste: Travel-sized to tide me over until I dealt with the fun of actually buying full-sized toothpaste!
Miscellaneous
⇾ Backpack
⇾ Book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith – My favorite book of all time!
⇾ Business cards: Yet another of my attempts at being an adult
⇾ Collapsible duffel bag: This has since proven to be useful to hauling my laundry back and forth from my apartment to the laundry room.
⇾ Duct tape: An essential for life, truly!
⇾ Important documents: Everything I’ll need for my immigration meeting and for University College Cork.
⇾ Journal: I run this blog, but it’s nice to be able to write things out by hand sometimes.
⇾ Lanyard: I have a rainbow lanyard to put my keys on, so I wanted to make sure to bring it!
⇾ Laundry bag: I use a reusable bag for a hamper.
⇾ Laundry delicates’ bags: Very useful for washing delicate things!
⇾ Packing cubes and pouches: Useful for organizing my things in my luggage!
⇾ Passport: Kind of important, I think, for traveling around and living on another continent!
⇾ Photos: I printed out a bunch of photos to take with me. I have some of my friends and family, of happy memories… anything I want to be able to remember and look back on easily.
⇾ Reusable bag: Bags are expensive if you get them at the grocery store.
⇾ Small decorative pieces: I needed to bring some things for fun and to remind me of times past. I have a small incense burner, a tiny statue of Ganesh (Lil’ Ganesha), and a miniature Venetian mask (Venice is my favorite city in the world).
⇾ Tennis balls (2): My chiropractor would be proud!
⇾ Tote bag: My usual purse option.
⇾ Travel map: Margaret got me a travel map of Ireland, and I brought it to look over when I plan out my adventures.
⇾ Wristlet / small purse: In case I want a smaller bag that I can keep track of easier for when I go out.
⇾ Sewing kit: Yes, I’ve actually used this during my university career, so I figured it would be useful abroad!
School Supplies
⇾ Binder clips
⇾ Calculator: TI-84 Plus because I’ll be taking some math and science modules!
⇾ Eraser
⇾ Messenger bag: To drag my laptop around in!
⇾ Pencils
⇾ Pens
⇾ Planner
⇾ Sticky notes: Of various sizes for various needs!
Technology
⇾ Fitbit with charger: To track my exercise!
⇾ Flashdrive: I have one for backing up my laptop and a few more for everyday use.
⇾ Headphones with an adapter for my iPhone
⇾ Laptop with charger: For obvious reasons
⇾ Mouse
⇾ Mousepad
⇾ Phone: I figured this would serve for my communication, camera, and Pokemon Go needs!
⇾ Phone charger: A couple charging cords and a USB to wall adapter.
⇾ US to Ireland adapter: Unfortunately, they use different wall ports in Ireland than they do in the US.
⇾ Portable phone battery (2): Useful to keep my phone alive when I’m traveling (or when I’m playing Pokemon Go!).
Things to Buy in Ireland
⇾ Bedding
⇾ Clothes hangers
⇾ Laundry supplies
⇾ Lighter: For the incense
⇾ Pillows
⇾ Tape
⇾ Toiletries
⇾ Towels
Packing Tips
I made a list of everything that I used for a few weeks and then thought of everything that I would need that I couldn’t get in Ireland. When I was packing, I ended up cutting a few more things, but not so much stuff.
My number one piece of advice is to remember that you can buy things in your host country. If I’d packed everything that I’d need for the entire semester, it would’ve taken a checked bag or two! Packing in only carry-on bags saved me from a lot of stress.
Today’s song is this. I know that this post was long and rambling, so I hope it provided some advice for anyone thinking of studying abroad or any sort of long-term travel at all.