Preparing to study abroad can be incredibly intimidating. With all the emotional turmoil you’ll face in the weeks prior, the last thing you’ll want to do is pack. Don’t fret; it’s well worth the stress! All the dreaded packing will pay off, I promise.

I can do much better than make a promise, though. I can make you a list of all the staples that you’ll need for your semester abroad in Europe, as a current Barcelona girlie who observes fashion every day.

Outerwear

This is important, because you’ll likely be wearing these every day for at least your first two-to-three months, depending on where you’re studying. There are two coats that every girl coming to Europe absolutely needs: a long trench or wool coat and a dark leather jacket. Both coats can be dressed up or down, and your biggest ally while you’re packing to go abroad is versatility. They also look good with basically anything.

Shoes

There are three pairs of shoes that will always be in your rotation while you’re abroad: a cute and comfy pair of sneakers, a pair of kitten heels and a pair of tall boots. Your sneakers will take you across cities and countries, on flights, to class, and anywhere where you need to look cute and casual. The tall boots and kitten heels will dress up any outfit, and they will be your saving grace on club nights. They’re comfortable enough to dance in for hours, and neutral enough to pair with anything. My personal advice: keep your heels short when you can.

Bottoms

Like I said before, versatility is your biggest ally when you’re packing to go abroad, so finding bottoms that will go with everything and suit every occasion is a must. For your casual days or classes, dinners and club nights, this combo will be your best friend: a black mini skirt, a dark neutral trouser and a medium wash pair of wide or straight leg jeans. All of these can be spiced up to the max or worn as casual as you like and they will go with everything else that you’re bringing.

Tops

Your most exhausted area of packing will be tops, but the best part is that they can fold up very small. You’ll want a few basic tees, tanks and long sleeves in some different colors to layer or sport like your shirt on warmer days. A neutral cardigan will take you a long way for layering or draping over your shoulders. A nice button-up can be casual enough for class but also be dressed up for dinner. You’ll need some fun going-out tops, but trust me, you’ll buy a lot of them here.

Dresses

This is a pretty simple section, because you really only need to bring one. Bring a well-fitting black minidress, because it can be worn in so many ways and be dressed up or down easily. Another good dress to bring, in my opinion, would be a nice maxi or midi dress that you would wear to a nice event, just in case. You never know where you’ll end up!

Accessories

You’ll buy so many of these while you’re abroad, but I think there’s a good holy trinity to bring with you: a scarf, a large neutral purse and a pair of classic sunglasses. You’ll get use out of these things every day, whether you’re going to class, catching a flight or going out on a day trip. Though your accessory collection will grow, you might as well bring what you know you’ll need.

With all these items, you’ll have yourself a nice little capsule wardrobe. I wish I had this list as I write to you from the mountain of clothing that I haven’t been wearing, but what’s done is done. Sure, it may be scary, but studying abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity that, in my opinion, shouldn’t be passed up just because of nerves. Hopefully, this list will help take some of that stress off and all you’ll have left is looking forward to your time away from home.

Ava Hebenstreit can be reached at [email protected].