Student travel essentials I loved during my 2 years studying in Europe

You'll likely need a checked bag to carry all your clothes and dorm essentials when you first travel to your study abroad destination. This best-tested piece of budget-friendly checked luggage is a good pick.

Columbia student Lindsey Brown recommends this sleek backpack with a laptop compartment and unique charging port. “This backpack can fit so much,” she says, “and I love how it opens like a suitcase.”?

Brown recommends compression packing cubes if you’re looking to save room when packing your bags. “Compressible packing cubes are so much better than regular packing cubes,” she says. Compress your clothes no one will ever know how much you actually packed.

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve tangled necklaces while traveling, I could fund an epic voyage. Avoid my mistakes by purchasing a travel jewelry organizer like this one from Bagsmart, with separate compartments for rings, necklaces and bracelets.

Save money on specific travel-size products that take up space with these travel-size toiletry bottles, which hold one ounce of liquid. Filling them from your full-size container at home before you leave and then from newly purchased products while your abroad will save space (and money) when you have limited room in your carry-on bag.?

Tragically, my friend had to pay 60 Euros when her bag was 2 pounds overweight at the airport in Paris. Invest in an accurate luggage scale and you won't regret it, especially when using compression cubes, which can hold so much you might not realize just how heavy your bag actually is.

To maximize storage space, consider having organizers within your bags.?“This travel pill organizer saves so much space,” Brown says. With eight compartments, the container is a great way to keep all your health essentials on hand.?

Recalling her travels to Greece, Brown says, “luggage locks help with peace of mind so much. In Athens, I stored my belongings in a deli and had a hard time enjoying the Benaki Museum when the lingering fear of theft was consuming my mind the whole time.”

You can’t be ready to take on the world without a charged phone. Columbia student Beccan Gruenberg appreciates the Universal Travel Adapter for prime usage abroad, since “this fire travel adapter can charge my MacBook Pro in like an hour while also charging my phone, watch and airpods.”?

Charging multiple devices simultaneously is crucial. Plug this in on your nightstand to maximize the time you can be outside the hostel without heading back home or spending extra money on an inevitably overpriced coffee at a café just so you can use the outlets.

Flying with wired earbuds means constantly worrying the music is blasting and my seatmates are judging me for listening to Mitski. These headphones are our tech team’s top pick for the best budget over-ear headphones, ready for any plane, train or tram journey.

Whether you’re getting ready to go out while pregaming, listening to music while studying in your dorm or on a sunny rooftop in Morocco, it’s always a great idea to travel with a mini Bluetooth speaker. This one comes with a clip so you can conveniently attach it to your bag or belt loop when you’re moving,

For some reason, I decided to wear my Dr. Martens through airport security on most of my weekend trips in the first year, which cost me a lot of time, energy and respect as my friends watched me struggle to tie and untie my laces in the security line. These classic sneakers from Adidas would have been a more practical pick for travel shoes.

In the first year, I hiked the Wicklow Mountains with the school's hiking society, eliminating the otherwise inevitable outcome of getting lost. Invest in hiking boots for any off-road adventures, and soon you’ll feel as at ease as an Irish sheep.?

Whether you're waiting in line for Berghain in Berlin or hitting the Irish pub scene, these sneakers are great for getting around town while looking stylish.

I will not be sympathetic if you insist on strapping fashionable torture devices to your feet and need to take a break from walking in ten-minute intervals, especially when comfy and fashionable sandals like these Tevas exist.

Blue jeans, white shirt. In addition to a great song, it’s an outfit combination. A few times I would wear a pair of blue jeans (make sure they’re not ripped) and a crisp button-down — it's an outfit perfect for all occasions.

Whenever I go on a weekend trip, I like to pack dresses for an effortless outfit that requires minimal thinking and can easily be compressed into a backpack. This dress from UNIF has seen a lot of wear in Europe and deludes me into feeling like Julie Delpy in Before Sunrise.

Odes have been composed and battles have been fought over the best going-out tops. I feel like you can’t go wrong with a bralette or simple top in black or white that can be worn seamlessly from day to night so you can go out after class without having to make a troublesome run back home.

Sweater weather is every day in the fall and winter in Ireland. Even on trips to warmer destinations, nights can get cold, so it’s always an excellent idea to have a sweater on hand. When you have limited space, I would opt for picking more neutral-colored pieces?— with the caveat that they should actually be items you see yourself wearing.

If there’s one thing European girls love, it’s a pair of white linen pants. Now you can compensate for your lack of budgeting skills as a college student with pants that whisper quiet luxury and speak for themselves in casual elegance, achieving sartorial fluency.

The next time someone asks you what the US is like, tell them it is exactly like "The Matrix." Like the movie, this leather trench is also a great conversation piece. When you’re abroad, you’ll want minimal outerwear since jackets and coats tend to take up a lot of space, but why not make a statement with the one piece you bring?

These hiking pants are perfect if you want to be comfortable while avoiding athleisure allegations. They're made from high-performance fabric designed for outdoor activity for comfort but look great too.

At least at Trinity, there’s no shortage of formal events, like balls, music festivals and wine nights. I packed a vintage dress from Plein Sud like this one, which ended up being surprisingly versatile. What else was I supposed to wear to Saltburn night at Workman's in Dublin?

When some of the most beautiful beaches are only short flights away, a swimsuit is essential. And your study-abroad location doesn’t matter as much as you would think. Even when you’re in Dublin, you can make a day trip to the Forty Foot for a sea swim in the cold Irish ocean.

It can be tricky to find hair products that hold up when shoved into the main compartment of a standard backpack. This hairbrush comes with a convenient storage case so you can avoid breaking or crushing bristles.

I never want to be the dreaded travel companion who takes a million years to do makeup in the morning. This 2-in-1 product allows you to build a healthy and dewy flush in seconds rather than dealing with the fuss of a separate blush and lipstick.?

If you don’t want to look dead when you’ve had a long travel day, look no further. This cult-classic sleeping mask has been packed with squalane that delivers hydration, so you can go no sleep till Berlin without looking like it.

This editor-favorite sunscreen has been with me everywhere from Valencia to Marrakesh. It's important to apply (and reapply) sunscreen to avoid having to walk around with the worst sunburn in the South of France.

A great pair of sunglasses will see you through sunny days but have the added benefit of looking cool for nights and rainy days. Or maybe not, but it’s a good idea to bring your own to avoid shelling out for a cheap pair from a shady market stall in Rome that breaks immediately.

Investing in simple gold or silver jewelry saves valuable decision time when traveling. It's helpful to bring only one or two pairs of earrings that don't cost much money, necessary for avoiding heartbreak when they fall out on a bar crawl in Prague.?

Never underestimate the power of a simple tote bag that easily can be stuffed into a backpack. This one from A.P.C translates effortless Parisian flair into a more reasonable price point for students and has been constructed out of sturdy denim.

This nylon bag is a cute and practical choice for a travel bag that’s roomy without taking up too much space. It is machine-washable so you don’t have to be precious about it, and the fact that it’s a crossbody means you can frolic without worrying about theft.