Fantastic Things and Where to Buy Them

Nia Lewis (’25) is a Communication major studying at the University of Aberdeen for Fall 2024. 

While creating a list of things to pack before arriving in Scotland, the thought of forgetting something essential made me extremely anxious. Since I am the type of person who waits until the last minute to prepare for a trip, I often leave behind items that I either end up repurchasing or struggling without for the duration of a trip. Considering that I chose to spend a full year in Scotland, I realized that it was important for me to lock in and pack well in advance to make sure I had everything that I needed. However, for the first time ever I ended up being over-prepared (love that for me). So, here is a list of items that I consider to be my most treasured things that I brought from home, along with some essentials that I purposely waited to buy once I settled down in Aberdeen. 

A Universal Travel Adapter: Bring from Home 

This is very important to have on hand while traveling and it is something that did not pack before coming here which was a BIG mistake. I would recommend buying an adapter before traveling so that you can easily charge your devices. 

Contact Lenses and Glasses: Bring from Home

I am very much blind without my glasses and I have unfortunately forgotten and lost pairs of glasses while traveling in the past. Not fun. Make sure that you order a supply of contacts well in advance of your trip or pack your glasses ahead of time so that you can actually see the places you’re traveling to. 

Raincoat and Winter Coat: Purchase in Scotland

I promise you will need a quality raincoat and winter coat while staying in Scotland. It rains quite often here and you’ll quickly learn to bring a raincoat with you everywhere, even if it is sunny, because the weather changes almost instantly. 

Comfortable Boots and Walking Shoes: Purchase in Scotland

Even though Scotland has a great public transportation program for students (free transportation for anyone under the age of 21!), you will still do a lot of walking. Make sure you have comfortable shoes so that your feet don’t hurt!

Hair Products: Bring from Home

This was more of a personal preference. There are many places to purchase hair products and cosmetics here, but I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to find products for my hair texture as easily here. If you have a favorite product, I would bring a few bottles of it with you just in case. 

Medications: Bring from Home

Obviously, if you have prescribed medication it would be beneficial to bring that. However, I’ve also found that bringing some of my favorite over-the-counter medications has been extremely helpful for me. Within my first month here, I had gotten a really bad sore throat, and the medicines from the local pharmacy were not as strong as I needed them to be. Thankfully, I brought Theraflu and Advil Blue Gels (the superior form of Advil) with me which instantly helped. 

Bedroom and Kitchen Essentials: Purchase in Scotland

I would not recommend bringing any bulky bedding materials or kitchen supplies since they take up too much space in your luggage. There is a great service called UniKitOut where I was able to order a few essentials such as sheets, towels, pans, and pillows that arrived to my room the day before I arrived. I was exhausted once I landed, so it was such a relief to have everything I needed readily available and delivered directly to my room.

These are just recommendations based on what I have experienced so far. For many of the things that I brought from home, some of my friends waited to purchase in Aberdeen and vice versa, but I would just do whatever is most comfortable for you. Happy traveling!

Published by Nia Lewis

Hi! My name is Nia and I am a Senior (’25) Communication major studying at the University of Aberdeen for the full academic year (September 2024-May 2025). Follow along as I share the highlights of my study abroad experience!
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