- Charge ALL the batteries!
- Put your name on your stuff, especially on things you’ll likely lend to someone (power strips, cables etc). Twitter handles make excellent name tags because people know how to contact you right away. Prefer permanent markers over stickers, for theft reasons.
- Water your plants.
- Food
- Drinks
- Train/plane tickets (including verification documents for self-printed DB tickets. Check the List of accepted documents! Was ist als Identifizierungskarte zugelassen?)
- Tickets (printed or digital. iOS passbook/wallet, PDF)
- Passport or other kind of photo ID (Personalausweis)
- Driver's license (even an international one)
- Hotel booking
- Health insurance card
- Vaccination documents or history (Impfpass)
- Some cash (€uros, or other local currency)
- Credit card
- Emergency numbers for your bank so you can lock your credit card/debit card/Bankomatkarte in case it gets lost/stolen/left behind.
- German cards can be locked via the locking hotline 116 116 (or +49 - 30 4050 4050)
- Tooth brush (plus charger if it is an electrical one)
- Toothpaste
- Dental floss
- Flip Flops for shared showers
- Shampoo (to avoid bad hair days)
- Disinfectants
- Soap
- Deodorant, antiperspirant
- Handkerchiefs
- Towel. Never hitchhike the Galaxy without one.
- Glasses
- Spectacle case
- Cleaning cloth
- Oropax or other things to plug into your ears for a good “night”'s sleep.
- Eye mask
- Hair dryer (in case your place/hotel doesn't supply one)
- Nail scissors
- Nail file
- Razor (with spare blades / plus cable/charger if it is an electrical one)
- Cotton swabs (Wattestäbchen)
Check the expiry date of the meds you bring.
- Patches (Pflaster, for your webcam or if a MacBook AirFrisbee hit you)
- Thomapyrin (analgetic)
- Parkemed (DE/AT), Ponstel (USA/UK) (analgetic)
- Neocitran/Theraflu/Paracetamol (just in case hacker pest strikes)
- Contraceptives, prophylactic (contraceptive pill, condoms, etc.)
- Bepanthen
- At least ONE clean shirt for each day you stay, plus two for traveling to and from congress (nerdy print is always welcome)
- At least ONE set of clean underwear for each day you stay, plus two for traveling to and from congress (Doesn't necessarily need to be in matching pairs, but that is up to you.)
- At least ONE pair of clean socks/stockings/tights/overknees for each day you stay, plus two for traveling to and from congress (again, matching pairs optional)
- Enough pants/skirts/trousers/dresses/etc. so you can wear clean clothes every day you attend congress (even if somebody accidentally (or intentionally) spills a beverage all over you!)
- Long sleeve shirts
- Hoodies, pullovers, zippers, vests (it's cold outside!)
- Sleep clothing
- Jacket, coat (wind proof, at least somewhat water resistant)
- Comfortable shoes (You'll cover a lot of distance-units during your stay)
- Cap, wool cap
- Umbrella
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Swim suit, bikini, trunks (in case your hotel has a pool or you like diving in a ball pit)
Start charging your batteries right now so they're ready when you finish packing and leave.
For travelling abroad there is a handy World Electrical Plug & Socket Map
- Charger for laptop
- Plug adaptor from your country of origin to Schuko Plug
- 3x to 10x multi-plug power extension (230V AC @50Hz) with Schuko Plug (and optional switch, hotel rooms usually suffer from severe lack of outlets)
- Simple extension cord (230V AC @50Hz, Schuko Plug, the power outlet in your hotel room may be far away from your bedside)
- Chargers for all those phones, or at least matching cables if you can charge over USB.
- Smart Watches
- Charging cable or docking station required to charge
- A portable battery pack (aka powerbank) so you can charge on the go. (And the necessary cable to recharge that battery pack overnight. A USB-A to micro USB cable in most cases, maybe already a USB-C cable as well.)
- Laptop (with a working battery) - Maybe clean display and keyboard while you're at it ;-)
- Tablet computer, iPad, Android tablet, Microsoft surface
- Kindle
- An actual book (for those offline blackout moments), see B.O.O.K.
You'll forget at least one anyway, so don't worry. Bring a spare to help out friends!
- Kaltgeräteanschlusskabel
- Displayport
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Ethernet cords (Cat5e) of multiple lengths (bring a spare to tether a friend)
- Switch + Power
- 3.5mm jack splitter (so you can watch a movie or talk recording together on the train)
- Torch/Headlamp (Have spare batteries or rechargeables and a matching charger that works with 230V≈ @50Hz)
- GameController
- Headphones (Closed type) (so you don't have to talk/listen to other carbon units while traveling)
- Neck cushion (for long journeys)
- Screw drivers, pit set
- Pen, pencil, quill
- Musical instruments (guitar, trumpet, grand piano, theremin, laser harp, cajón, gameboy, ukulele, tesla coils)
- A blanket
- A pillow (and sleeping bag/camping mat if you intend to sleep at the gym or in heaven)
- Tent
- Sleeping bag & pillow
- Air-matress
- Water proof clothing
- 230V/16A(blue)-to-your-country adaptor & extension (single phase)
- 230V/32A(red)-to-your-country adaptor & extensions (3-phase)
- Cat5e extension cable (10-100m)
- Food
- Bin bags (for rubbish and dirty clothes)
These people have contributed to improve this list for everyone (in no particular order):
- @Astarioth
- @N4mes
- @towo
- @michaelem
- devdsp
- @meep_VIE
- MarioVilas
- schwindp
- oe1rfc
- @bekassine
- Monikae
- @fin
- @RedPlanetAT
- kjellski
- @uliwitness
- @anked
- badboy
- @nic_ko
- @a_z_e_t
- @stefan2904
- @ccc
- @cheatha
- @FrauFledermaus
- n0la
- RobFog
- Anon_Hannibal
- Sarah
- @scy
- azet
- qsuscs
- johnjohndoe
- Ps0ke
- @musevg
- @leyrer
- hax404
- @cloelkes
- raven
- @trollkopp
- @dot__not
- @PeterTheOne
- @Katti
- jomo
- joepie91
- The Compiler
- rixx