The Packing Challenge
There are a few more weeks until departure. It's finally the time to think about packing.
What do I need to pack? How should I pack things? And in what do I pack everything in?
I am a notoriously horrible over-packer. I overthink and pack way too much in the fear that I'll need things just in case. Consequently, I bear the price of having unnecessarily heavy luggage and playing the worst game of Tetris when I need to pack for return.
There are two important conditions that I must remember for my study abroad in Korea.
With all of this in mind, my goal is to bring only one large suitcase as far as luggage goes. I will limit myself to bringing only basic, essential clothing--the trendier pieces can stay at home.
My carry-on will contain the following items:
I won't share everything that's going in my suitcase, but here are some interesting (and hopefully useful) things I'll be bringing! (Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Amazon.)
1. Type F adapter
The plug type used in Korea is Type F, which has two round pins. This adapter allows you to still use the plug types of the United States, Type A and B. It also has two USB ports and a USB-C port!
2. Nylon shoe bags
I always struggled with packing shoes when traveling because I don't want to just place dirty shoes inside my suitcase, but I also never have a perfectly-sized bag to put my shoes in. This set comes with two large nylon bags for regular shoes and two extra-large bags for bigger shoes, like the boots I'll be bringing with me!
3. Travel makeup mirror with LED lights
Unfortunately, I will be staying in a goshiwon room with a shared bathroom. In order to do my makeup in the comfort of my own room, I will be using this foldable makeup mirror that lights up! I like this mirror because the brightness, height, and angle is adjustable. Also, because the makeup mirror I use at home broke, I will continue to use this mirror when I return from Korea!
4. TSA-safe perfume spray bottles
I'd like to consider myself a fragrance connoisseur, and I cannot imagine going to Korea without my favorite perfumes. These 8 mL bottles enable me to take the fragrances, which are inside glass bottles, past TSA and safely to Korea. They're also super perfect for on-the-go, so I can definitely imagine myself continuing to use these outside of travel as well.
What do I need to pack? How should I pack things? And in what do I pack everything in?
I am a notoriously horrible over-packer. I overthink and pack way too much in the fear that I'll need things just in case. Consequently, I bear the price of having unnecessarily heavy luggage and playing the worst game of Tetris when I need to pack for return.
There are two important conditions that I must remember for my study abroad in Korea.
- I will be buying a ton of stuff in Korea, which has an abundance of cheap, quality, and cute/delicious/useful goods. This means I will be coming back to Hawaii with more than I came to Korea with.
- I will probably be traveling across the country itself. I want to visit other cities like Busan in the South and I also plan on flying to Jeju Island. Traveling with heavy luggage will be painful.
With all of this in mind, my goal is to bring only one large suitcase as far as luggage goes. I will limit myself to bringing only basic, essential clothing--the trendier pieces can stay at home.
My carry-on will contain the following items:
- Wallet and passports
- Important documents
- Laptop and charger
- Phone charger and portable charger
- Headphones AND AirPods, to maximize noise cancellation
- Small toiletries bag containing toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, moisturizer, and a few makeup items to freshen up during the plane ride
- Hair brush
- Rollerball
- Wet wipes and napkins
I won't share everything that's going in my suitcase, but here are some interesting (and hopefully useful) things I'll be bringing! (Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Amazon.)
1. Type F adapter
The plug type used in Korea is Type F, which has two round pins. This adapter allows you to still use the plug types of the United States, Type A and B. It also has two USB ports and a USB-C port!
2. Nylon shoe bags
I always struggled with packing shoes when traveling because I don't want to just place dirty shoes inside my suitcase, but I also never have a perfectly-sized bag to put my shoes in. This set comes with two large nylon bags for regular shoes and two extra-large bags for bigger shoes, like the boots I'll be bringing with me!
3. Travel makeup mirror with LED lights
Unfortunately, I will be staying in a goshiwon room with a shared bathroom. In order to do my makeup in the comfort of my own room, I will be using this foldable makeup mirror that lights up! I like this mirror because the brightness, height, and angle is adjustable. Also, because the makeup mirror I use at home broke, I will continue to use this mirror when I return from Korea!
4. TSA-safe perfume spray bottles
I'd like to consider myself a fragrance connoisseur, and I cannot imagine going to Korea without my favorite perfumes. These 8 mL bottles enable me to take the fragrances, which are inside glass bottles, past TSA and safely to Korea. They're also super perfect for on-the-go, so I can definitely imagine myself continuing to use these outside of travel as well.