FIT Florence: What to (and not to) bring
Knowing what to pack can be one of the hardest parts when studying abroad. How much to bring? What will you REALLY need? Well I asked about 15 people who have all studied abroad in the FIT Florence program what they thought were the most important things to bring, and what to leave at home. Here's what they said!
What to Bring
- Cosmetics / skincare: Depending on what brand you use, it most likely won't be available in Florence. Personally, I stocked up on Glossier before I left, and then restocked halfway through while I was visiting Paris, but something to keep in mind!
- Medicine / vitamins: If you take a prescription or daily vitamin, bring it ALL with you. None of these can be shipped to you!
- Converters: buy at least 3-4 converters! I bought the ones that had plugs for all EU countries and it was perfect!
- Portable charger: this is essential for when you're traveling all day and don't have time to recharge!
- Versatile clothing: only pack clothes that can be worn multiple ways and pair with a lot. No super trendy items!!! (I'm serious)
- Fashion sneaker: definitely pack a solid pair of Adidas, Supergas, or whatever cute comfy shoe you love!
- Computer: the only school supply you need.
- Travel-sized toiletry containers: you can't put a full bottle of shampoo or face-wash in a carry-on, so grab a travel bottle set before you leave!
- DRY SHAMPOO: IT DOES NOT EXIST IN ITALY
- A warm coat: Florence may be blistering in August, but when you're traveling to Germany or the UK in November, you NEED a warm coat!!
- A solid carry-on bag: I'd recommend a hard shell case with 4-wheel rolling. You'll be dragging it to and from airports every weekend, so invest! My friend Emily swears by her Away case!
What NOT to Bring
- Tons of clothes: Bring only basic, versatile clothes. Get on the FIT Italy email list above for a free wardrobe checklist, so you'll only bring what you need!
- High heels: I know, you want to bring those killer heels, but Florence is almost entirely cobblestones, and there's really no public transport, so trust me when I say you should leave these at home
- 5+ handbags: One tote and one crossbody are ALL you need!
- Notebooks, pens, etc: you can buy all of these once you get there. they just take up unnecessary space
- Blow dryer, curling iron, flat iron: LEAVE THEM. American hair tools will either blow the fuse or the fuse will fry your tool. You can buy all of these for $20 each at MediaWorld. Split them with a roommate!
- Towels / sheets: your apartment will come with all of that, and if you want extra, they're very inexpensive. Why pack a towel when that could be 5 more tops?
More FIT Florence study abroad posts will be coming soon, but if there's anything you want to see, leave a comment, DM me on instagram, or shoot me an email at audra.koch@southernnyorker.com!
Arrivederci,
Audra
