lol this should be my specialty since i just got back from living in europe
what the others suggested is definately a must- your passport and credit cards are everything- don't let them out of your sight!
*if you are in a hostel- and it seems a little shady- lock your stuff up- we almost had some things stolen- (the front desk usually has locks- but theres a small fee- it might be worth it for your peace of mind)
*as crzychx said- definately wander around (i lived in london for 4 months- and i felt like i barelly knew my neighborhood- yes you will be in different countries- but just go all over anyway- plus you'll get a good feel for the culture- etc- thats practically all i did in dublin- and it was my favorite city) and DEFINATELY at least TRY to speak the language- there is usually a phrase thing in the back of guide books- and the locals will appreciate it- even if you sound a bit funny- but it helped us out a lot (getting free drinks/food etc)
*try lots of different food- if you find an english speaking local- ask them for suggestions- but be careful abotu courses- in italy for example- they have an appetizer then a pasta- then a meat- but its not all the same price (as in a meal)- it can get kind of expensive! oh yea- the wine is AMAZING- try as much as you can- and afford lol plus its cheaper then beer/ liquor a lot of times)
*if you go out to clubs etc (which you should b/c its a blast) try to pre-game since obvi drinks can get so expensive- idk if you'll be in london- but the pound is so bad to the american dollar- the euro is a little better (but we often just bought beers down the street for a pound- then walked to the bars but you can have an open container in london.... oh yea- absinth- its good- but careful with it going down- my friends brought some back from prague- you are supposed to soak a spoonful of absinth with sugar- light it in fire- then drop it inyour shot glass...blow it out- and take the shot- it feels like your swallowing listerine- but then your gag reflex kicks in.... (but its strong- so your messed up for awhile)
*take tons of pictures (obviously and if you go with people- if its not a digital camera- get the pictures on cd so you can share them)
*if you want to buy things off the street- HAGGLE- you can usually drop the price quite a bit- (i got a really nice gucci bag for $30 euro when he was asking 65)
*don't be afraid to ask for directions- its better to ask (if you can find someone who speaks english but a lot of times the locals just point you to where you need to be)- then to be wandering around for forever
** be careful of crowds and little kids running around you- a lot of times they are trying to distract you to pickpocket you- but don't be paranoid- just keep your eyes open
*drink lots of water and try to eat right and get enough sleep- you're walking around- so you need your energy
*pack with layers in mind- not outfits... bring 1 or 2 pairs of jeans- shirts- something to go out in- a sweater- but make sure stuff is versatile- you'll be carrying this for awhile lol (and you can do laundry if you have to)
* you might get a little irritated after awhile with your surroundings- and thats normal- its culture shock- you may not since you aren't going to be there for that long- but its hard not having the comforts of home etc- so when that starts to happen- just take some time out- try to relax- maybe make a phone call home- check your email- etc
**bring a journal and try to write in it everyday or so- just writing about the things you did and how you felt about them- will be really cool looking back on later... i learned a lot in europe- i hope you do too
have a great time! PM me if you need anything!!! (i'll prob add to this or i might pm you b/c i'll prob think of more stuff) i went to paris, nice and rome (and took trains in between- etc), dublin and of course london- so if you have particular questions about those too- let me know