Essentials for Study Abroad

When getting ready for your study abroad there are many resources that CIEE provides that can help you figure out what to pack. However, I thought that a more personal experience could help as well. During the fall semester, you will experience three different seasons in a short four months. This can be very overwhelming if you don’t know what to pack. Here I can provide a list of clothes and other accessories that have helped me as well as what I have bought while staying here. I can also share a list of clothing items I have regretted bringing. 

For clothes to be worn during those humid times in Seoul, it is much easier to pack lightly. I brought a single pair of denim shorts and focused more on dresses and skirts. More specifically I brought:

• 5 jeans
• 2 midi skirts
• 4 dresses
• 8 going out tops
• 4 or 5 tank tops
• 7 or 8 more everyday tops
• 2 hoodies
• 3 belts
• 3 purses
• 5 pairs of shoes

But, there was a lot I didn’t have to bring. When packing my dresses, I thought I would wear them out more often because I wanted to try something new abroad. In hindsight, I should have stuck to what I normally wear and if I really wanted to wear a dress then there are a lot of cheap stores in Korea that offered this kind of look that I was going for. 

Packing for winter in August was much harder. I packed only two sweaters and a puffer jacket. I decided that I could buy most of my winter clothes while I was here. But, after experiencing a little bit of winter, I wish I packed one more pair of boots for the snow, one more jacket, and a couple more sweaters. 

At the end of the day, there will be items that you wish you had brought and items that you wish you didn’t. When it is your turn to pack, it will be best to under pack and only bring the items that you actually wear every day at home. In Seoul, you can find many cheap stores and clothes that you will love. If there is an essential you absolutely need, then Seoul will have it.