Whenever I asked for advice about studying abroad, I was constantly met with the same responses: be sure to travel on weekends, withdraw cash from an ATM once a month, make local friends, etc. This advice was repetitive and common sense. What I really wanted to know were the nitty-gritty details of everyday life: How many q-tips should I bring? Who will fly to Sweden with me? Will I need a bathrobe? Where can I find the latest episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians? Here, I have compiled a list of many fleeting thoughts I have had throughout my experience. I hope to provide you with as meticulous of a list as I wish was given to me.

Bring lots of pajamas

I am one of those people that wears pajamas for a week and then throws them in the laundry. However, after the 3rd day with my host family, I was a little embarrassed that I had worn the same pair of pjs that many times in a row! Bring lots of comfy t-shirts, an assortment of shorts and sweats, and maybe some slippers (because Europeans like you to wear clean socks/shoes in the house). I must emphasize that, especially in France, comfy clothes are not usually acceptable outside the house (NO LEGGINGS!). Bring cozy things, but don't substitute them for your everyday wardrobe.

Budget less for shopping for clothes than you might think

First of all, your space is limited to begin with. My suitcase was a whopping 48 lbs (with a 50 lb limit) going TO Europe. Secondly, the lower-end brands in other countries are about the same price and quality as lower-end brands in the United States (think H&M, Zara, and Forever21, the first two of which have many stores in Europe). You don’t start seeing a difference in style and quality until you go into nicer boutiques, where you are paying $200 for a blouse and the shopgirl is getting mad at you for trying on things you clearly are not going to buy. Either plan to buy very few pricey things, many cheap things, or reduce your clothes budget and bring more of your own stuff. Send that extra money straight to your food budget, because holy cow meals are expensive here.

Coffee is expensive, soda is expensive, water is expensive

I read NOWHERE on the internet that some countries don’t give you free tap water at restaurants. I only had one friend tell me of this. I am fortunate enough to be in France, where it is against the law to deny someone tap water at a restaurant if they request it during the meal. However, in places like Italy and Germany, no such laws exist, and if their tap water is not great quality, you are paying $3 for a bottle of water. Because of this, I justified getting a coke at every meal. If I have to pay for both, I’m not losing extra money, right? WRONG. A soda with no refills at a restaurant in Europe often exchanges to about $5 in the United States. Drinks add on to a meal price quickly. Factor drinks into your budget or sneak a water bottle in your purse to sip in the bathroom.

Go with your best friend

This was something I never considered. I always assumed being with people I knew would take away from my experience abroad, but I have come to realize that having my best friend here would have helped me broaden my horizons. Many times, I stay inside all day because either the people in my program are traveling or I am just lazy. Having a person here I knew and trusted would have gotten me on my feet more and outside of my comfort zone. Additionally, especially if you are in a small program, there is a chance that the other people will not share the same interests as you. As a person who does not like to drink, this was hard when many people’s goal was to drink their way through Europe. It was fun to go out to bars and just get a soda, but all that old school peer pressure came flooding back and I found myself feeling out of place.

Plan your weekends beforehand

Before I left the States, my program sent a guidebook with tips and tricks to studying abroad. One of these was to not plan your travel beforehand and to spend the first few weekends in the place we were studying. The purpose of this was for us to get to know the people in our program and plan trips with them, so I obliged. BIG MISTAKE. Turns out, no one else in my program followed that advice and they planned weekend getaways with their friends studying in other European countries. All of a sudden, I was without plans AND without options. Traveling alone can be fun, but also overwhelming at first. And a little lonely.

Bring a mountain of tampons/deodorant/other American beauty products

FRANCE DOES NOT HAVE TAMPONS WITH APPLICATORS!!! Luckily, I knew this beforehand, and brought a supply large enough for 9 people. However, I did not realize that this country doesn’t have stick deodorant either (and the ingredients are weird if you can actually find it). France also doesn’t carry my brand of face wash/lotion, so I was stuck in the “dermatologie” aisle at the store frantically using my phone to translate every word on the bottles for about an hour. Things like shampoo are pretty easy to find (a lot of American shampoos/conditioners are carried in Europe) but for your specific brands, make sure you bring enough to last you a semester. Or be prepared to switch to a European brand (this was also problematic for me as I am now IN LOVE with my French face wash that costs a hefty $40 in the States). Before leaving, heavily research what brands are available near you.

The FOMO is too real

Don’t get me wrong, I am SO grateful to be able to spend an entire semester abroad, but sometimes, it sucks to be missing out on things. Your friends’ lives go on, your workplace goes on, your sorority goes on, and America goes on. To have been in France during the US presidential election was, to say the least, frustrating. It’s hard to see all the fun my sisters are having at philanthropy events and know that I’m missing out. It’s frustrating to see my current friends make new friends and feel like I’m being replaced. Going abroad and experiencing another culture is amazing, but don't forget about the sacrifices you’ll make.

Dogs poop in the streets and no one picks it up. Ever.

After three times of stepping in dog crap in the middle of the sidewalk, I stopped getting frustrated. I started expecting it. Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? For me to anticipate that dog owners will be responsible and pick up after their pets is insane behavior. I walk with my eyes down at all times now. I may look antisocial and shy, but really I'm protecting my suede boots. I went from suburbs to city. I am used to green lawns where even if people don’t pick up after their dogs you will still be free from poop-shoes. Dogs in the city don’t have anywhere else to poop besides the sidewalk, and I’ve learned people are generally terrible. So watch where you walk.

GET A VPN!!!!!!!!

The thing that almost KILLED me being abroad was internet cookies. These are cute little things some moron made up to track your location and make every website impossible to use. Want to online shop? Sorry, you’ll have to do it in a language you can barely read. Want to renew your spotify membership? Sorry, the student plan isn’t available in that country. Want to continue your favorite show on Netflix? SORRY, YOU’LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOU RETURN TO THE STATES. I nearly fainted when I discovered that French Netflix does not stream the tv show I was 2 seasons into (with 5 remaining). It does have some gems that are not on American Netflix (Megamind, Baby Mama, and Brooklyn Nine Nine, to name a few), but it was a horrible, horrible shock to lose all the things I hold near and dear to my heart. You may think this is hyperbole, but television is my greatest comfort in life. Get a VPN and hold onto the true things that make America great— NBC comedies and terrible indie films.

You will not get pickpocketed

This seems contradictory to what every European travel guide in the free world says. However, those books are made for tourists! Students abroad are not tourists! If you study abroad, you will have a home in that country. You will have an address, a favorite late night food place, and a special shortcut to school. You live there now. One of the main reasons we are told to look out for pickpockets is because they target tourists. My simple solution: don’t look like a tourist. Do not wear a money belt. Do not carry a large camera and take pictures normal, day-to-day things (this may be unavoidable because you want to document your trip, so on these days, be wary of pickpockets). Don’t be afraid to wear your nice clothes in public. One of my friend’s mothers told her she wasn’t allowed to bring her Michael Kors shoes to France because pickpockets would target her if they saw that she had money. Her fear is understandable, but the problem with her logic is that people in other countries wear name brands. It is unlikely that anyone would have even noticed her shoes. Walk with a purpose, don’t get distracted by street vendors, and be confident that you are now a part of the culture you moved into. And if you ever feel unsafe in an area where pickpockets could be present, it’s okay to take precautions. But if a thief eyes you untucking your money belt from your pants, you might as well just wear a sign on your head that says “TOURIST: ROB ME.”

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list. I still haven't found where to watch KUWTK or decided if I need a bathrobe. My hope, however, is that by knowing a few little things that are often left out of pamphlets and guidebooks you will have an easier time transitioning to your new life in a foreign country. I am writing this three months into my trip and STILL adjusting to France. It takes time and can be frustrating, but at least now you know to always be looking for dog poop.