Packing for an Irish Semester

Not sure where Bluffton is, but you are likely to find Ireland warmer in the winter than you might expect. There is usually almost no snow (this past year was an exception) Take a mix of short and long sleeved tops, a fleece, and a waterproof jacket. You won't be in the wilderness - you can buy something there if you don't have what you need. The weather is very variable, but it is often damp/misty/rainy, so plan for that.

Thanks. I was wondering how cold it got in the winter. I didn't think it got super cold, but you never know! At least I won't have to worry about stuffing a parka into my carry-on!

I was kind of banking on that kind of weather. I've been to England several times in the fall and it's always been fairly cool and moist. So I've got some sort of frame of reference. I've just got to figure out how to smash all my clothing layers into my carry-on.

Don't kill yourself trying to spend an entire semester living out of a carry on bag. You are pretty much staying put in a dorm or some sort of student housing. Feel free to check 1 suitcase or a larger backpack and bring a small carry-on which can double as a weekend bag if you decide to travel around for a long weekend to other areas in Ireland or Europe. It gets much colder when you are on the coastline. pack a Polartec fleece, raincoat, long sleeve tees, a sweater, jeans (you will have access to a washer/dryer on campus) and at least 2 pair of shoes if you get 1 pair soaked. Maybe pack 1 or 2 outfits for the evening if you intend to do any clubbing in the bigger cities (the Irish women get more decked out for dance clubs, jeans & tees are fine for the pubs). If you are a light sleeper, I'd suggest you pack earplugs & a sleep mask. I'd also pack flip flops to wear in the shower if your dorm room doesn't have a private bathroom, and a bathrobe or beach coverup for your walk down the hall from the shower room.

I've known and talked to a number of students who have taken a semester abroad. Take enough clothes and personal care products to last you for a few days until you get settled. Then begin living on the local economy, shopping locally for the clothing you will need and for the personal care products you use. You may well find the same toothpaste, etc. as you use here, but the sooner you get involved in the locally economy the better for your experience.

My response is similar to Monte. When our son spent a semester in Spain, the Study abroad office at his university advises to take no more than one week's worth of clothing. The students will want to purchase clothing that matches their peer group. When we visited at semester break, he asked us to bring an empty suitcase to take home his American clothing. When he came home he either gave away or sold his extra clothing..

A few "practical" suggesstions:
Medications- if you take any prescription medications, talk with your doctor, pharmacist and insurance company about getting a suffcient supply ahead of time. Take a small amount of non-prescription meds with you, most can be purchased there. If you wear contacts, take plenty of your preferred solutions with you to give you time to find the same or similar there.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I should mention that one of the reasons for my attempting to pack so lightly is that I will be doing one week long trip to Wales and another week long trip to London, so I need to be able to maneuver my luggage easily through airports and train/Tube stations. I'm rather short and slim, so large suitcases are a hassle. I would like to ask, are the prices of clothing much higher in the UK than the US? I've visited England several times, but never really looked at clothing prices. I'm wondering how feasible it would be to augment my wardrobe fairly significantly with clothes purchased locally during my trip. As I am a university student I'm on a budget, not a severe one, but every penny counts. I'd like to swap out some of my American clothing for clothing I purchase there, (as I figure they will naturally suit the environment and the wearer's needs more accurately) but I'd still like to be able to eat! As usual, all suggestions are much appreciated.

I did a semester abroad at QUB many years ago. As others have mentioned, it doesn't get really cold, but it does get damp. Like, deep in the bones damp. Layers are critical as weather can change frequently. I'd focus on good water resistant shoes and a couple of options for jackets when it is raining (one lightweight for warmer wet weather). I'm a huge carry on person, but I wouldn't recommend that in this situation. Early autumn can be really nice. The days will begin to get really short (and dark) later in your stay.

Why not consider luggage storage for your week long trips in Wales and London? The major airports and train stations offer this service. You could pack a suitcase with the stuff you need for the semester, and just take a carry on with your things for two weeks. I second the layers idea and definitely a wind/waterproof outer layer. I was there in June and the wind was a killer.

Hi Kara, I'm in a very similar situation. I'm studying abroad in Canterbury this fall and have been checking out this board for all its useful tips. I'm debating the same things you areexcept I'm debating between one and two checked bags. One thing you may want to think about is how much you plan to buy while there. I'm not sure if Ireland prices are the same as England, but they're both going to cost more than buying clothes here because of the exchange rate. It also depends on where you shop. Being a college student like you, there's no way I can buy a new wardrobe there. I plan to buy a few pieces there but I'd rather spend my money on theatre tickets and trying new food. My advice is check a bag. Leave some room in the checked bag for the stuff you buy over there. Like other posters have said, layers are the way to go. Depending on how worried you are about "fashion", accessories are also important. Pack scarves and beltsthey don't take up too much room and are an easy way to alter a limited wardrobe. I hope you have as great a time as I hope to have.

Frank said "the students will want to purchase clothes (in Europe) that match their peer group". Kara, I would not worry much about running out & having to buy a whole new wardrobe in Ireland at a bad exchange rate on a student budget. Seriously...I have many young relatives born and raised in Ireland who are high school & college age. The girls in particular post lots of photos on Facebook of themselves and their Irish friends. They all wear things like leggings, skinny jeans, Converse canvas sneakers, Juicy Couture hoodies, tops & tees from H&M, Hollister, etc. In other words, they all look pretty similar to their peer group who live in the US. The one thing my female relatives do wear that I don't see as much on US college girls is scarves. They wear those a lot with tees, sweaters, dresses... I think you'll be fine with your own clothes from the States, but it would be a nice "souvenir" if you can afford 1 cute shirt or a nice scarf to incorporate into your own wardrobe. I can, however, see an American college aged male student sending some clothing back & wanting to buy a lot of new clothing overseas. The European young men definitely wear more fitted clothing and darker rinse jeans. Really don't see a lot of baggy faded jeans, oversized tees or team logo caps on their heads.

Leave room to buy a sweater there. Ireland makes some of the best sweaters. Pick one that isn't too heavy to wear at home. I bought an Aran Island sweater and now only wear it skiing because it's so warm. I also picked a white sweater and would be more likely to wear something in a darker neutral tone.

Hi Kara! Northern Ireland uses the British pound, and the exchange rate isn't very good, so don't plan to buy too much there if you are on a budget. You can keep an eye on the current exchange rate here: http://www.xe.com/ucc/ There are also free apps for smartphones you can use while there to calculate the "real" cost of items. I have several friends here from various places in the UK/Europe and their family and friends always arrive with at least one empty suitcase when they visit so they can shop, shop, shop while here because it's so much cheaper in the states for them. As far as packing, if you don't want to take the luggage storage suggestion for a larger checked piece, then wear your bulkiest clothes on the flight - heaviest pair of shoes, largest sweater, etc. You might look at bit overdone at the airport here if wearing heavy clothes in Sept., but it gets the job done. Tie your bulkiest coat around your waist - then you can carry it on without taking-up room in your carry-on. I've been known to wear one jacket and tie another around my waist - haven't been stopped yet. ;-) Once on board you can just stuff them in the overhead. You can check the current weather forecast for your destination at weather.com. You can also get average high/low temps and rainfall by month. Have fun!

I wasn't really planning on buying a WHOLE new wardrobe, maybe just a few nice pieces (ie. a sweater, a few scarves, etc). I'm pretty low key about clothes anyway. So it's not a huge stretch for me to live with only a few different outfits. I'm also a big fan of scarves, which will help me accessorize the basic outfits I'll be bringing. I might also pick up some wool for my mom (she's a knitter). But thank you for the friendly warning about the exchange rate!

I've seen the same as Ceidleh has over there -- the Irish tend to have the same styles as we do over here. You'll find college kids there wear pretty much what college kids do here. Layers are always good. Rainproof is always good for Ireland. You can wear your rainjacket and/or fleece on the plane to save room in your carry-on. Likewise for any sweaters you buy there to bring back.

The clothing stores for young people in Ireland are pretty much identical to American stores. Irish young people dress the same as American young people. Most of the Irish looked neatly dressed, but not as formal and high-fashion as the Spaniards, French and Italians. Ireland's a down to earth place and there isn't a lot of fashion pressure there. You're American clothes would be fine. Pack appropriately for the weather.

Kara, I travel to Ireland a lot because I have a small cottage in Donegal. I agree with other posters who say that you should bring layers -- it will get cold during the winter in Belfast although it probably won't snow. I would bring jeans, long sleeve tshirts, fleece, flannel pjs, flannel robe and warm slippers (sheepskin are good) think of it as packing to spend winter in Maine college without as much snow. I would definitely bring good waterproof boots unless you want to buy wellies once you get there. Also recommend you buy a hot water bottlewhen you get there. and if you can fit a down blanket or comforter in your suitcase, go for it. can you mail stuff ahead? also bring good raingear. have fun, it will be wonderful.ps don't forget plugs for your electronic gear - not sure if they use two pin or three prong plugs but you should check.

I've got another question for those of you in "the know." I just remembered that my disposable contacts are packaged in a few drops of preservative liquid in blister packs. How do I carry these on? I'm taking a 5 month supply. There is hardly any liquid in them, so do I have to put them in my quart sized bag? I've been looking around the TSA website, but can't find anything conclusive. Does anyone know from experience what the safety expectations are? Thanks.