Packing for your year abroad

By Emma Pitcher, University of Western Australia Perth, Australia

Now that I am approaching the end of my year abroad and am faced with the daunting task of packing… Here’s what you should and shouldn’t bring.

Clothes

I brought too much. In all fairness, when I was packing, I did have to consider if I would have enough for the whole year. But don’t overcomplicate it. Only bring what you need and actually wear. None of that “I’ll definitely wear this *insert item you’ve kept in the back of your wardrobe and never worn*.”

And in terms what you need, make sure to include a coat, i.e., a raincoat (it doesn’t rain much in Perth compared to the UK, but in the winter when it rains, it rains). Also 20 degrees back home it pretty warm, but here in Perth, that is considered cold, so pack a jumper. Bring what you need (mainly summer clothes) but don’t forget some long-sleeved stuff to keep you going when it gets colder.

Obviously bring swimwear. Beachwear, like flipflops (or thongs as they call those here), beach towel, sunglasses, hat.

My residence provided towels, bed sheets etc, so don’t bother stuffing those in your suitcase. However, my residence also hosted galas/balls once a semester with a formal dress code so bring a couple dresses. I didn’t bring heels (I ended up buying them out here) but worst case you can get away with trainers or borrow from someone else. I also brought too many shoes, so try not to get carried away with that.

Lastly, factor in the shopping you’ll do here. Summer stuff over here is on another level compared to back home. Here you have brands like CottonOn, Supre, Glassons, Ghanda, WhiteFox, and Kookaii, so make sure to leave some suitcase space.

Toiletries

Maybe this should have been more obvious, but in the stress of packing for Australia, I overpacked massively on stuff I easily could have bought myself over here. Australia really isn’t that different to the UK. Instead of Superdrug or Boots, they have the Chemist Warehouse or Priceline with similar brands.

As you settle in, it might be useful to have a few in your suitcase but don’t go overboard like I did… Instead consider something to carry your shower stuff in (e.g., a portable shower caddy) as you’ll likely be sharing showers. Also those flipflops will come in handy as footwear for showering.

Everything else

University: I personally use a laptop for the majority of my lectures/labs but I did bring an A4 notebook and a pencil case (bring scissors for general use). I carry these in a bag that I brought.

Bags: I have a bag for university and a backpack that I used as my under-seat carryon. I did also bring another bag, which I love, but now serves mostly as extra weight. In my time travelling, I bought a Uniqlo crossbody bag – very useful and lightweight.

Books: Unfortunately, I love books (especially physical ones), but I managed to restrict myself to bringing two. Books in Australia are generally more expensive compared to back home so maybe try survive off kindle while you’re here if you are a bookworm.

Pictures: Lightweight and make good room decor. I’ve also accumulated postcards etc from travelling which make nice mementos.

Electronics: Apart from my laptop, phone etc, I use a lot of audio devices (headphones and earbuds) so charging ports was pretty essential. I brought an extension lead that I got off Amazon in the UK that plugs into Aussie sockets but you can use UK plugs on it which has been super useful (brand Traveldapter).

Misc: Kmart or Target are useful places to buy generic stuff from. For example, washing baskets, washing powder, blankets, etc. Grabbing a water bottle is a good idea, I found that since being in Australia, I’ve drank way more water on a more regular basis.

In short, do not go overboard. You will end up spending money in Australia, so just determine what’s worth bringing and keeping. I brought two suitcases, a carryon suitcase and my backpack. Now I need to get everything back home… (and under the weight limit??)