Another consideration we had to take was what to do with all of our stuff, and let me tell you, we packed WAY too much stuff into our one-bedroom apartment. To save the trouble of renting a U-Haul, moving all of our belongings 5+ hours back home, and cramming it into one of our parents' spare bedrooms only to do it all again five months later, we rented a storage unit in Manhattan.* Somehow, we managed to fit most of our belongings into a 10x10 unit, and the rest came home with us.
Currently, we have a month to spend time with our families, and any opportunity you get to spend with your loved ones before you will be oceans away from them for 5 months is one you should take advantage of!
Friends and family can stop reading here if they would like! :) If you're considering study abroad or are planning your trip I have some suggestions below.
**TIPS FOR STUDY ABROAD STUDENTS**
1. Although we are lucky to have family to take us in, many college students aren't as fortunate. If your lease runs out and you have nowhere to go, you still have options.
--The first thing you could do is speak with your landlord--if you've had a favorable renting relationship, they may be willing to extend the lease an extra month when you explain your situation.
--Some hotels offer pretty great deals for extended stays. Even if the website doesn't share information about extended stays, you can call for information.
--Go to your destination early!! You may or may not be able to get into the dorms early depending on where you're going, but if you have the funds available, why not go a month early and backpack Europe? You could go to the destination you'll be studying at and get a good feel of the environment before you're tossed into a rigorous study schedule.
2. Call around to find the best price for a storage unit. There were a couple of storage units who were willing to give discounts if you booked six months at a time, paid in advance, were a military member, or were a student.
3. Get the best storage unit for your needs--if you have very expensive furniture, a plasma-screen TV, and priceless paintings, the extra money for a temperature controlled unit may be worth it. If you're willing to wrap your furniture up, or even have a family member to keep some of your more precious belongings, you could save a lot of money by renting a regular storage unit.
4. Pack your unit strategically. This basically goes without saying; put your large items in first. Make sure to wrap your furniture to protect it. We used cellophane, but UPS sells bed and furniture plastic covers. Also, we used wood pallets to stack our boxes on. This way if there were a large storm, or water leaked in under the door our belongings were a few inches off the ground. This also helps with ventilation.
--Don't worry about paying for wood pallets. Go to one of your local businesses and ask if they have any extra. We got ours from Case, and I believe most Ag businesses would be helpful, but ask around!
5. Find ways to save money. I don't want to sound like Mr. Scrooge, but every cent adds up. A cheap flight through a company like ryanair can cost as little as 30 euros round trip. Two meals at the fantastic Little Apple Brewing Company and you've given up your trip to Italy!
6. Take your move-out seriously and get your deposit back. If your deposit was $500, and you have to clean 10 hours to get your deposit back, you're still making $50/hour. That's a pretty high paying job for a college student!
A little picture of the HUGE mess our apartment was before moving out.
We were intimidated to say the least.
But I'd say our place cleaned up nicely!
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