This is a list of what I wish I had known before I left my home and family for four months. Hopefully it will be a help to anyone else who is planning on studying abroad!
How to pack
You really want to get a head start on this. This site is helpful on basics about how to pack, make sure you sit down and write out how many different outfits you can wear with the clothes you bring! It's also helpful to go to a place like J Crew's outlet and stock up on some basic essentials (with color schemes that can be mixed and matched): t-shirts, scarves (big in Europe!), cardigans, and colored shorts. You want to maximize your suitcase space. By having things you can mix and match, you automatically increase your space to outfit ratio. And just a tip- you should probably leave the t-shirts with "ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH" at home...
Also- pack a LOT less than you think you need! There are great cheap shops all around the city (as well as more expensive malls), and I can assure you that you will be purchasing more clothes to keep up with the incredible fashion of Europe. After only 1 month I'm positive all of my belongings won't fit back into the 2 suitcases I came here with. Food for thought.
Invest in Dr. Scholl's inserts. If you want to look like a European, they're wearing cute sandals and flats. Not tennis shoes. Or sandals with socks. Fashion is the norm over there, not the exception. But that doesn't mean you can't be comfortable in cute shoes! Definitely get the inserts.
What you can't get over there
What you take for granted at home may not be available overseas. When you get sick, you'll want the medicine you always take when you get sick (Nyquil, Sudafed), and the cough drops you always have. Don't forget to take things like this! Being sick is bad enough, but trying to find a pharmacy can make your sick days even worse.
Do you have a weak stomach? Bring Pepto Bismol chewables! Stuff your suitcase with them. You won't regret it, but you will be kicking yourself if you forget them.
What you should buy over there
A cellphone. You can always Skype with your family, but bringing an American phone to Europe and paying the insane fees is never worth it. You want to get a European phone so you can communicate with your friends in the same country (meeting up at night, texting, short phone calls), it's much cheaper to buy a small flip phone here (mine was 9 euros) than pay for an international plan.
And speaking of Skyping with your family, make sure they've downloaded Skype and you've all added each other before you leave the US. You don't want to deal with that when you're overseas!
