Megan’s abroad in London, England, until Dec. 13.

There is no such thing as taking too little [luggage], although it’s hard for us to convince students that this is true. Just ask someone who has studied abroad before, and you’ll probably be advised to leave as much as you can at home.
-My study abroad program’s guidance on packing.

My study abroad experience is starting to seem very similar to a regular quarter at Northwestern, and for one reason alone: I’m still at home.

I leave for London on Sept. 14, and classes at Goldsmiths College don’t start until the 29th. And though it may seem nice for me to stay at home in Florida as my friends at other schools start classes, all this free time has made me frantic about getting ready.

Do I have enough clothes? Am I prepared for England’s weather? Am I going to be stylish enough for the hipsters who apparently populate the student body? I have no idea. But I do know that my two duffel bags are already stuffed, and I haven’t packed most of my clothes yet. And it’s not like I can just pop into a Tesco in London and buy everything, since I’d be paying double with our lovely exchange rate.

I tend to be the kind of person who overplans for things, and this trip is no different. And really, my packing anxiety is just a mask for my general anxiety for my trip. What if I don’t make any friends? What if I get lost in Europe? What if I’m a victim of the recent stabbing epidemic (no joke) that’s taking over the streets of London?

I know, I know — I need to calm down. Tons of people study abroad, and it’s not like I have to deal with a language barrier or anything. Plus, I know I’m going to have an amazing experience. But aside from worrying, there’s not much else to do right now. So for now, I’ll read about the adventures of my fellow abroad bloggers, seethe with jealousy, and try to see if that last pair of jeans will fit in my bag.

Read Megan’s next post | Meet the rest of our abroad bloggers.