Written by: Katerina Anderson | Spring 2024
ISEP Exchange Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
1. Bring headphones or earbuds everywhere (noise-canceling preferably)
- I had a 45–50-minute commute on the subway daily, and it was so nice to relax while listening to a podcast or music. Sometimes the subways can also get pretty busy and overstimulating, so it’s nice to retreat into your own little world during those times.
2. Carry around a pocket notebook!
- I loved carrying a small notebook in my backpack or purse that allowed me to write down observations or thoughts I had during my commute or while sitting on a bench outside my university. It’s nice to have a physical copy of a thought or idea that’s not on your phone. In the same vein, a tiny sketchbook would be really cool to have if you’re into art and want to sketch different buildings you come across. One of my friends I met abroad did this, and it was a super cute record of the different places she visited.
3. Pay attention to the weather (please, please, please)
- I feel like a lot of people who study abroad in Europe in the spring go there thinking it’s going to be a European summer all year round and don’t pack the right clothing for their environment. I was in Milan for my study abroad, and it was pretty chilly and EXTREMELY rainy from February into early March. Contrary to students at Butler, people in Italy don’t just tough it out and walk through the rain. Everyone around you will have an umbrella, so you should too, and I’m assuming the rest of Europe is the same way.
4. ALWAYS pay for public transport
- I cannot stress this point enough. Always pay for public transportation. Public transport is incredibly cheap, and fines can range from 50 to 75 euros. This is an important thing to consider when traveling to other countries in Europe because every city will have different methods of payment and ways to obtain transport tickets/cards. In Budapest, I had to download their specific city app to ride the buses and trams. In Milan, you can use tap-to-pay on almost every method of public transport. Let this be your warning, and if your friends are trying to avoid paying, please urge them against it!
5. ALWAYS carry a portable charger with you
- Bringing a portable charger with me in my backpack and purse always came in handy. My phone has a relatively good battery life, but when you’re using maps to navigate to different places throughout the day, your battery drains pretty quickly by the late afternoon. You never want to be stranded without a way to find your way back home!
6. Keep tissues in your backpack or purse for any occasion that arises
- For one of my trips, I took a 10-hour bus ride to Naples from Milan, and about five hours into that journey, there was no more toilet paper in the bus bathroom. There were also times on trains when there was no toilet paper or paper towels left. Luckily, I always carried around tissues or extra napkins with me for emergencies!
7. Get a self-filtering water bottle!!!
- This was by far one of the best purchases I made for myself before going abroad. I purchased the LifeStraw water bottle, which advertised that it could be used anywhere “from airport bathrooms to a tap in Mexico or a gas station while road-tripping.” If you plan on traveling during your time abroad, having a self-filtering water bottle will be extremely beneficial when you’re in areas that advise against drinking tap water or where there isn’t access to a filtered water spout/area. In addition to providing you with clean water wherever you go, carrying around a water bottle in general will save you a little extra money when you’re out since water isn’t free in most places outside of the U.S.
8. Get a travel backpack!
- Invest in a good travel backpack now and pack it inside your suitcase. If you’re planning on doing any travel that involves flying on airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Wizz Air, etc., you must be able to fit everything you’ll need for a trip into a bag that fits under your seat. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay the 50 euros they charge for a carry-on bag to put in the overhead bin. In addition to bringing a travel backpack, pack travel containers for your products to condense them when you need to fly.
9. Use the bathroom before starting your commute
- This is just a personal rule of thumb that I think everyone should follow. Public restrooms are not common in Europe, and the likelihood of a business letting you use their restroom without purchasing something is very slim. Even if you don’t think you need to use the bathroom, it’s always better to go ahead and try before you walk out the door.
10. Make sure your finances are squared away and budgeted!
- Talk to your parents and figure out what the best credit card will be for your circumstances, focusing on international exchange rates and fees. If there’s still time left, utilize the CGE all-in-one scholarship application to see if you’re eligible for any money from the Butler abroad office. Reach out to the dean of your specific college (CCOM, Lacy, JCA, etc.) as well, because sometimes colleges will offer specific scholarships for their students.