Editorials

Bronjour: Packing

Avatar photo

4 September 2018

By Bronwen

I only have a few days left in the UK before I head off to Montpellier and I’ve only just decided to think about packing. Honestly, it’s been a bit of a nightmare. Once again, I’ve scoured the internet to try and find extensive lists of things to pack (I’ll copy my own Year Abroad Packing List further down).

Last week, I noticed there was a suitcase offer from Sports Direct so I smugly bought myself a massive case that was allegedly worth nearly a hundred quid for about £25. I was ready to start filling it when I had a sudden wave of doubt over whether or not it was too big. I checked on the airline’s website and realised my case would be 2 inches too wide. It’s already £60 to take a case so I really didn’t fancy incurring a baggage fine. Long story short I returned that case and found myself a different one from TJ Hughes that’s within the size allowance but still a fair size.

As for the contents of the suitcase, I’ve only got as far as making quite a long list of things I think I’ll need. I’ve colour coded my list into ‘things to take’ and ‘things to buy there’ so depending on your own baggage allowance, I would suggest doing the same.

Bedroom list:
Duvet, duvet cover, sheets, mattress protector (take a few of each)
Pillows, pillowcase
Photos
Blu-tac/Sellotape
Scissors
Phone/laptop chargers
Speaker
Headphones
Handbag/Backpack
Perfume/body spray
Water bottle
Coathangers
Sunglasses
Notebook and pens (keep a small notepad to jot down any new vocab)
Bags for life (I’ve heard supermarkets abroad are very stingy with bags)
Paracetamol, ibuprofen, cough medicine etc
Important documents- passport, visa, plane tickets, student card, insurance policy, list of addresses/phone numbers, EHIC card
A year abroad folder (acceptance letters, guides, receipts etc)
Enough cash to tide you over until you open a bank account
Planner
Bathroom list-
Shampoo and conditioner
Razers
Shower gel
Toothbrush and paste
Towels (including hand towels)
Menstrual products
Hairbrush
Nail clippers
Tweezers
Make-up
Contraception/pill
Tissues
Deodorant
Face Wash
Sun cream
Hair dryer
Straighteners
Hairpins/bobbles
Kitchen list-
Cups/mugs
Pans
Chopping board
Tin opener
Sharp knives
Cutlery
Plates, bowels
Tea towels
Fish slice
Wooden spoon
Baking trays
Tupperware (SO handy)
Clothes list-
Underwear
Socks
Clothes- shorts, jeans, T-shirts, vests, hoodies, jackets, cardigans, gym clothes, pyjamas, swimwear
Thin raincoat
Sunhat
Flip flops
Shoes- smart shoes, trainers
Jewellery

Top tips-

  • Buy one adapter and an extension lead- that way you won’t need separate adapters for everything.
  • If you have a bog standard black/blue/red case, tie some ribbon or stick some stickers on your case to make it easier to spot on the carousel.

Important- Check the weight and size allowance for your suitcase before buying a case- size and weight limits vary from airline to airline!

 

 

Like this article? Please share!

  •
    Books Book Review: Things a Bright Girl Can Do
    1914. The world stands on the edge of change. But women still have no vote. Evelyn is rich and clever, but she isn’t allowed to go to university. Life is set out for her, but Evelyn wants freedom and choice, even if it means paying the highest price alongside her fellow Suffragettes. Meanwhile, May campaigns […]
    Read Full Article
  • Editorials Will you miss anything about lockdown life?
    Every cloud has a silver lining. And in this pandemic era, that silver lining has arguably been the copious amount of time we’ve all had for self reflection. Lockdown life has given a lot of us time to focus on things we’ve always wanted to do, but never had the time to get around to.  […]
    Read Full Article
  • News Trump acquitted in impeachment trial
    Former president Donald Trump has been found not guilty of incitement of insurrection by the US Senate tonight as the short but historic impeachment trial comes to a close. Following the Capitol Hill riots earlier this year, Democrats in Congress moved quickly to try and impeach Mr Trump before he left office. Their efforts were […]
    Read Full Article
  • Books Book Review: Normal People
    5/5 If you’ve ever read a book review by yours truly before, you’ll know it’s rare I award five stars. They are reserved for special works of art – and Sally Rooney’s Normal People is exactly that. In fact, Normal People is a masterpiece. I first heard of the book when it was broadcast as […]
    Read Full Article
  • Reviews TV Review: Bridgerton
    4/5 Dearest reader, I give you my sincere gratitude for joining me in this reviewing endeavour. I am sure it will be most revealing indeed. * Now, if you haven’t seen or read Bridgerton, you’ll be wondering what on earth is going on with me! Netflix’s latest fantastic original, based on the novel series by […]
    Read Full Article
  • News Study finds North East has lost out due to Brexit
    BY FLAMINIA LUCK A report published by the University of Warwick, has calculated which areas of the country have won or lost out economically as a result of the Brexit vote. The report, titled Measuring the Regional Economic Cost of Brexit, has used data and statistics from 2018 to construct a predictive modelling which estimates […]
    Read Full Article