I am thrilled to be in London and am so excited to share my experiences and adventures with you! Although I spoke to several friends who have studied abroad, there were quite a few I wish I knew before studying abroad. This video covers some very basic pieces of information you’ll need to know before embarking on your study abroad journey to the UK. 1. Write out your packing list at least 1 month in advance: Several people told me to just bring 1 check-in suitcase, 1 carry on, and 1 personal item. However, I knew that if I was packing my life into just 1 carry-on and 1 check-in bag, it wouldn’t be enough, especially if I wanted to bring back omiyage for friends and family. After careful consideration, I decided to bring 2 check-in bags, 1 carry-on bag, and 1 personal item (backpack). I packed 1 check-in bag and 1 carry-on bag with my clothes, toiletries, and other necessities. After packing both suitcases, I packed my carry-on in my second check-in bag so that I wouldn’t be carrying 3 bags all by myself. When packing, I placed all of my clothes in vacuum-sealed bags and packing cubes to save as much space as possible Tip: You can purchase affordable vacuum-sealed bags from DAISO I have included my packing list below for reference. Link to my international adapter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078S3M2NX/ref=twister_B078S54S8Z?_encoding=UTF8&th=1 Note: This adapter is perfect if you plan on travelling to other countries. 2. Get a credit card with NO international fees and exchange your money before leaving the US: If you are a student with little to no credit yet, I recommend checking out a student credit card (preferably a Visa or Mastercard as these are widely accepted here in the UK) or a travel credit card. Most student and travel credit cards don’t have international fees! 3. Don’t pack too many clothing items! There will be plenty of opportunities to shop in the UK and in other countries. If you plan on studying abroad during the late Fall, Winter, or early Spring, definitely buy your coats and heavy jackets in the UK. Not only will it be cheaper than in Hawaii/the US, they will also have a wider selection of clothing that’s made specifically for the weather here. 4. Plan your trips ahead of time: If you plan on travelling to the surrounding countries during your study abroad period, be sure to plan out/have an idea of where you’d like to visit before departing the US. Keep in mind that the earlier you plan out your trips/purchase your tickets, the cheaper it will be. I recommend planning out:
Tip: Save money by purchasing groceries when you arrive in the city you’re visiting so that you can prepare your own breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you plan on eating out, eat out during dinner! 5. Unlock your phone before your arrive in the UK: Be sure to meet with your phone provider to unlock your phone at least 2 weeks before your departure. Don’t wait until the last minute! From what I remember: In order for AT&T to unlock my phone, my phone had to be paid off. If you pay off your phone right away, it will take 24 hours after payment to unlock your phone. Once I arrived in the UK, Roehampton University provided me with a SIM card called Giffgaff with 5G of data on it. Each month, you will need to pay for a new plan to add more data onto the SIM card. I used the SIM card Roehampton provided me for a few days but ended up using the SIM card I originally had and worked out a plan with my phone provider. If you are not satisfied with the SIM card the university provides you, you can always check out other SIM cards from places like O2 in the UK. 6. Bring all the medication you think you’ll need while you’re abroad: Even if you don’t think you’ll need a certain type of medication or product, bring it anyway! If you’re like me and have sensitive skin, take the weather into account. I usually use Cereve’s lotion because I know my skin won’t react poorly to it no matter what type of weather I’m in. I originally had it packed in my suitcase but decided not to bring it (among other things) because I needed to lighten my suitcase. Once I arrived in the UK, my skin started to get dry. I didn’t have my trusty Cereve lotion, so I used a different brand that resulted in a horrible and unbearable rash that I had to go to the hospital for. 7. Get used to drinking tap water! Do you drink filtered water at home? Here at Roehampton University, all you’ll have access to in your flat is tap water. Warm tap water. People in the UK aren’t big on having ice in their drinks. If you prefer filtered and ice water, consider purchasing a Brita as well as an ice tray upon arrival. You can purchase a Brita from stores such as Robert Dyas. Tip: If you want cold filtered water on campus, head to Roehampton University’s library. Go to the elevators (near the bathrooms) and you will see a water dispenser
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AuthorHi, I'm Kaycee Nakashima. Follow my blogs as I share my journeys across Europe! Archives
December 2022
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