About a week before I go on any trip, of any length, my parents or friends are always quick to ask me, “Have you started packing yet?” Now this isn’t an unreasonable question to ask; for most people the thought of Packing feels like a huge undertaking. If you’re moving to another country, it is. If you’re going away for a week, it’s not.
It seems like a lot of this anxiety about packing has to do with a fear of forgetting that one, very important thing that you cannot live without. Sure, it would be nice to remember everything that you need, but odds are, you’ll forget something. For me, I alleviate this anxiety by realizing that there are only three things that I really need to remember: cell phone, passport/driver’s license/ID, and credit card. If I showed up in a foreign country with nothing but these three things, I’d be okay. Sure, I wouldn’t look cute or smell good, but I wouldn’t be in the midst of a total crisis either.
Traveling is always a little stressful, so why not try to alleviate some of that stress by remembering this list? For me, it’s especially easy to remember these three things because I put them all in a wallet/wristlet the night before I leave, and then I know they’re all there. If you have an epi-pen or a daily medication you need, or something like that, add it to the list. Once you narrow down your “packing list” to the bare necessities, I find that it becomes a lot less stressful.
Sure, it’s nice to have your very favorite dress, perfect lipstick, and novel you’ve been meaning to read with you when you’re away, but remind yourself that if you don’t have one of these things, you’ll still be in an awesome place, have an amazing time, and have great memories forevermore.
little zuri, big world 