Hello everyone and hello summer!

The time is soon approaching when you will be packing your life away and moving to university. As an international student, I know packing is the absolute worst. And after 2 years of constantly packing and unpacking, I am kind of getting the hang of it so here are some of my tips.

1. Pack for all weathers

Now I know England is known for its rainy and cold weather but to my shock when I got here it was sometimes quite warm, especially when you’re indoors. I had packed sweaters and coats but no t-shirts and shorts. Now it isn’t essential but it was very helpful to have a range of clothing. My mother had to ship some clothes over to me because it was a while until I was flying home again. Pack anything from sleeveless tops to furry coats, because you never know what the weather will be like! (You may also take a surprise vacation with your new best friends at uni to a sunny paradise.)

2. Check your baggage allowance

Now no matter what airline you are flying with, they all have a limit on baggage allowance. The ridiculous fee you have to pay if you are over the limit is no one’s best friend; it is still there whether you are 0.5kg or 15kg over. My advice is to try and get your luggage weighed before checking in, I use a regular scale at home to weigh mine. This will help you avoid squatting over your open luggage near the check in desk trying to figure out what will fit in your backpack and what you can carry by hand.

3. Make a list

Making lists, especially a while before your next flight is a great visual reminder for keeping your belongings together and it works as an early notice for you to buy anything you might need in the future as early as possible.

4. Understand what you can buy here at university and what you can bring from home

You don’t need to shove your whole house into your luggage; there’s no need to bring everything you own with you. There are several things you can buy in England, such as frying pans, pots, laundry baskets, cleaning supplies, pillows, blankets etc. The university will always be able to supply you with said list and I definitely recommend you to check out the accommodation website (or ask hall committees) to see what is already provided for you. Do your research!

That’s all from me this month! Hope it has been helpful.

Sofia

Written by Sofia Aguiar

Second year Drama Student from Macau. Describe Loughborough University in one word? Hectic!