Nearing the finish line

Packing. It's happening. Finally. pic.twitter.com/Z3x5Ype1vD
— Della Grace Hethcox (@dellahethcox) December 15, 2014

Sorry for the silence these past few days! I've been busy enjoying these last few moments in Quebec City.

Even though my trip is coming to an end, this blog still has a little life left in it. I'll have the final posts up this week.

Thank you so much for hanging out with me on this blog this semester! I've really enjoyed documenting this adventure not only for myself, but for you, my friends and family. I hope I've given you a taste of what life is like in Quebec City.

See you on the other side (of the border)!

Previously Worn

Tiny Little Bow 

Nothin' But a Hound Dog

Blood 

Tasseled

Nature Made

Morganized 

Ripples

Amelia 

Call me shallow because I totally went through the entire archive of my old blog because I miss my fall wardrobe. 

It's hard when you are used to dressing like this^ to wearing t-shirts and jeans every day. (I fear I may have packed too light. I have no options. #firstworldproblems)

So I've "curated" my favorite autumnal outfits in hope of satiating my want for new clothes. 

Confession: I did buy a new dress at Old Navy. This one. But that's it thus far! I really don't have the budget for new clothes. That was a splurge. Ahem. 

Have no fear, a real post will be up tomorrow! I'm still editing the millions of photos I took this weekend. One word: crepes. Oh yeah, baby.

Baby, it's cold

I take being cold very seriously; I still dream of moving to Texas and forsaking these mild Virginia winters. I think that explains why I bought this puffy coat during Spring Break- which was waaay back in March. It cost a little under $100 from Lands End, but I'm sure it will prove to be a good investment this fall. It also smooshes into a tiny little bundle so it won't take up valuable space in my suitcase. Always a good thing!

Basically it's my goal to not get any kind of respiratory problems while abroad (curse you, asthma) and wearing this coat should help. My brother and sister-in-law bought me some amazing bright blue snowboots which takes care of the potential cold feet problem. I'll never get lost in a snowstorm now!

 I have an overabundance of hats, gloves and scarves and I'll just pack a few of my favorites. And fuzzy socks! I bought two pairs specifically for this fall.

 Simply put: I refuse to be cold. Ever.

Lady Catherine /will never know/

Ah, the packing of clothes. There is almost too much info floating around the internet about how to pack and what to pack. It can get overwhelming quickly. The good news is that I don't have a Lady Catherine telling me how to pack my dresses. But if you are curious, I'll be rolling all my clothes to save space. I want to be able to fit everything!

I've actually found some really great tips on Pinterest, I pinned several on my travel board. 

 

(I love this idea! I have several sunglass cases floating around my room, it will be nice to actually use them.)

As for clothes, I'm going to try to keep it simple when packing. I think I'm going to pick three coordinating colors and go from there. (Probably green, blue, black/gray.) I also intend on layering everything so I don't have to pack for both a summer and winter climate. I also have to save room for my puffy coat (which is fairly smooshable) and my snow boots. I want to take my peacoat but it's not necessary, I should really leave it behind. Right?!

And now Pinterest has me wishing I had a versatile trench coat. Curses!

I'm going to be packing a carry-on and a checked bag. I am not one of those super travelers who can live out of a carry-on. Not happening. I like clothes and choices, mmkay? And I do need to pack a few sweaters. I've heard that Quebec gets cold quickly in the fall. I bought one of those vacuum sealed bags to keep my sweaters from overtaking my entire suitcase. Gotta have room for some fun clothes!

So far I've bought new pjs, jeans and a few tops (thanks mom and dad!) From a wardrobe perspective, I'm pretty well taken care of. I do need to buy more underwear and socks, but those boring items can wait until the very last second.

The best packing list I've come across is on the blog I Who Wander. Their packing list for a semester abroad is comprehensive and appropriate for other college students. I'll be printing out a copy to help me stay on track while packing!

The College Tourist also offers solid advice for students traveling abroad. This post stood out to me in particular, especially the bit about buying scarves as souvenirs. I love a good scarf.

My mom and I are thinking about checking out the luggage sales at local department stores this week- none of the suitcases we have at home are quite appropriate. And none of them pink. (Okay, okay. I know that that is the least of my worries, BUT. Wouldn't pink luggage be so much fun?)

I'll keep y'all updated on this riveting chapter of my travels.