Monday, January 16, 2012

Some (hopefully) helpful hints!

I leave for Copenhagen in A WEEK!!  Right now I'm sure most of my fellow Spring 2012 students are getting ready to pack their lives into 1-2 large suitcases for four months!  ..I know I should be; however, it hasn't really hit me yet, and the fact that I've been through it before is making me overconfident, so I'm continuing to avoid it in favor of multiple trips to Dunkin Donuts to get my fill of iced coffee before going cold-turkey for another semester.  Anyway, for those of you who aren't procrastinators, I thought I'd try to offer some helpful hints:


  • Pack over the course of three or four days.  Make a list, and on the first day, put everything you think you'll need into your suitcase[s].  A few times a day, for the next few days, stop by and take a few items out that you aren't quite as attached to.  Your suitcases are going to be bulging even after doing this, and in my opinion, it's better to live without a sweater you'd wear maybe once or twice than have to pay a ridiculous fee for your luggage being overweight.
  • That being said, bring rainboots.  Last semester, I almost didn't, thinking I would just buy them once I got to Copenhagen.  Luckily, I brought a pair anyway, because they would be a lot more expensive in Denmark.  It's extra weight/space in your luggage, but it's worth it.  To save space, stuff your rainboots with small things like hats, scarves, or underwear.
    • A note about rainboots: People in good ol' Copenhagen are big on neutral tones and really enjoy wearing a lot of black.  As in bright neon colors aren't quite as popular as they are here.
  • Toiletries are wicked heavy.  Last semester, I started out with just a few travel-sized containers of shampoo/conditioner and then bought more once I got there.  I'm not picky about my shampoo, and it's not too much more expensive if you buy it at the grocery store.  If you have a brand that you absolutely can't live without for whatever reason though.. I'd bring a decent supply of it.
  • Bring lots of your favorite deodorant.  This is a key piece of advice that my boss at work gave me before leaving in the summer (Hi Coral!!) and I'm glad I did.  From what I heard, the selection isn't as great and the antiperspirant isn't as strong as we're used to.
  • Bring some nail polish remover.  I couldn't find it last semester (admittedly I didn't look that hard) but just to be on the safe side I'd take a small bottle.
  • Credit cards in Scandinavia are equipped with a chip/PIN number.  Our American cards aren't.  I learned this the hard way.  Before you leave, check to see if your card at least has a PIN number.  If so, it might work over there; however, if you're like me, it STILL might not work.  If it gets declined, ask the store if you can sign for your purchase instead.  If they say no, prepare to cry.  Just kidding, it just means you need to have a little extra cash on hand.  :)
  • Similarly, it's a good idea to make copies of important things like your credit/debit cards, Passport, and driver's license incase they're lost.
  • If you can't live without flavored coffee/creamer, you might want to squeeze a pack or two in your luggage.  Last semester, I learned to drink black coffee (because the store didn't sell small containers of milk and it kept going bad because all I used it for was coffee.)  Although as a coffee lover this made me sad, it had a few benefits that I kept reminding myself of:
    • Black coffee has less calories!!!  
    • I didn't have to spend money on milk!
    • It made coming home to my medium French Vanilla iced coffee even more fantastic
  • Bring peanut butter if you must; however, sometimes Netto sells Skippy.
  • DO NOT FORGET YOUR COMPUTER CHARGER.  :)
This whole last week before abroad is one of the most exciting and stressful weeks ever- but just think, in a few short days we'll be in EUROPE!!  Don't go too crazy, even if you forget something, there's a way to fix it eventually.  You have everyone at DIS to help you, and home is just a quick email, Skype, or Piccell phone call away!  

Most importantly, remember to be open-minded!  Studying abroad isn't about recreating American university life in Denmark, it's about opening your eyes to a new culture and allowing yourself to be immersed in it.  We have the rest of our lives to live in the culture that we're used to, so why not go crazy for a few months and try something new?!  For example, they don't use flavored coffee creamer.  Instead of despairing and whining, try some new alternatives.  It'll be different, but experiencing those differences is part of the fun.  Soak it all in, especially in the first few days.  Who knows what the next few months will hold!

1 comment:

  1. Hi! I'm leaving NYC next month for Copenhange. Are rain boots a must? or a so-so. Also, what about snow boots?

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