"Disclaimer"
First things first.  I am a Classical Studies student and my area of interest is ancient Greek history, especially Early Roman Greece.   So I centered both of my trips around the big archaeological sites and museums. The price of admission to these places can mount up to someone traveling cheaply.  Thankfully, I had a free pass (which I will discuss later) and so I visited every site that I could.  This plan may depart drastically from any kind of trip you may be going to take, so keep it in mind.  I still hope this travelogue can be of use.  And one other thing: though I'm used to going over my writing pretty carefully, or rather having a professor grill me for not doing so, this site is not for scholarly publication.  If you find a spelling error or some bad grammer, well...deal with it.  If you do not like some of the things I recommend or say, that is your problem too.  But from the e-mails I get each week, I think it is going pretty well so far.  Sorry for the tirade, now enjoy!

What do you need to know before you go?

Sure things to take:
(1) Plenty of insect repellent.  Mosquitoes were public enemy number one during my stay in Greece, keeping me awake every night.  Unfortunately, it seems as if they do not like screens in Greece.  I say that because in my first trip, I never saw one in the entire five weeks.  On the second trip I did see a few, but these were mainly at the American School.  I did learn to sleep almost entirely covered up with the sheet (except my mouth) no matter how hot I was.  I did get bit on the lips a few times, but I just wish I had known how bad they were going to be.  Also, the noise they made was enough to drive someone mad!
Buy it today! (2) The Blue Guide to Greece, edited by Robin Barber and published by WW Norton (now in the 6th edition), provides you with the most cultural, historical, archaeological, and interesting information that you can find anywhere.   This is absolutely, positively the best handbook for travellers to Greece.  European Travel guru Rick Steves says, "With the Blue Guide to Greece, I had all the information I needed about any sight in Greece and never needed to hire a guide. Scholarly types actually find a faint but endearing personality hiding between the sheets of their Blue Guides."  There is a seperate Blue Guide to Crete.  I found it very helpful everywhere I went, though it is not made to provide you with information on restaurants and hotels.  Pick up some other guide for that. The Rough Guide to Greece is very helpful and the publisher has a number of books in the same series, like the Rough Guides to Crete, Corfu and the Ionian Islands, Rhodes and the Dodecanese, and one for the Greek Islands in general.  I also have a copy of Frommer's Greece on $50 a day which helped me to prepare better, though for a single student it can be even less than that.  If you want extremely up-to-date information, you can even order a copy of the latest edition of Frommer's Greece, even though they are not published yet (will be shipped in April).   For those picture-book lovers out there, the Eyewitness Guide for Athens and the Mainland as well as the volume covering the Greek Islands are really a treat.  My girlfriend bought me both copies for birthday presents and their cut-away illustrations of temples and buildings are wonderful.  But I cannot say enough about the Blue Guide.  It is even good for those long bus rides where you would like a topographical map with the highways so you can know what mountains and sites you are passing by.  I wore mine out on my first trip and I took it with me on my second, this time bound in duct tape!  I am a map hound too, and if you would like to see a pretty good topographical map of Greece, try here.  There used to be a wonderful database of satellite photos of Greece (a Perseus site at Holy Cross), but they have taken them down and I do not know how to access them anymore.  I still have some so if you really want them, e-mail me and I will see if I can forward them to you.
(3) Anything you will need that, once there, you would have to buy as an import.  I am talking about an extra battery (the hard to find ones) for your camera, or even extra film (of course they do have it there, but it is just more expensive).  To save on batteries (I constantly listened to my tape recorder and headphones) I took a small Renewal Energizer Recharger with 2 extra batteries.  I recharged many times, but to do that you will also need an electrical outlet conversion set, around $20 or more on this side of the Atlantic.  It would be nice if you can find a friend who has one (unless they imported their house along with their car, they are probably not needing it) and borrow it.  That is certainly what I did.
(4) A wallet (guys mainly) can be a liability in some ways, so I took a very small wallet (just enough for a cash pocket and to store ID's and ATM cards) and cut a hole in the strongest corner.  Then I took a good shoelace and tied it onto it.  A rubber band (carry extra) to hold it tight together, and I've got a wallet no one can pickpocket since it is hidden from view.
(5) If you are a student, make sure you get an International Student Identity Card before you go.  It might take a while to arrive so order it early.  Museums and sites are usually half off with it.  At the Acropolis and other expensive sites, it will save you a bundle.

What I packed

I took a friend's large backpack.  Not the kind with the big metal bars, but I do not suppose one of those would have bogged me down too much.  In the clothing department, I took three pair of outdoors shorts (and one pair of gym shorts), a good towel, one pair of well-used khaki's, about five changes of underwear and socks, around five t-shirts, one short sleeved polo shirt, a lightweight windbreaker, and a pair of sturdy tennis shoes.  I had to buy some washing powder, clothespins, and a line so you might want to pack this also.  Just do not take much more detergent than you will need; and if you do, be ready to possibly answer questions at customs about the mysterious white powder!  Make sure you take a cap or hat of some kind.  The sun never seriously burned me, though I did get slightly red a couple times.  For toiletries, some deoderant, shampoo in a smaller bottle (one that will not come open!), soap, toothbrush/paste, comb (a brush takes up more room), and possibly a tiny thing of floss, tiny pack of Q-tips, a few bandaids, a few Tylenol or Asprins (plus any other medicine you might need, like Actifed), and possibly some Neosporin for cuts or such (I was glad I had some when that Kalambaka dog got after me).  I did have to buy some inexpensive plastic sandals for the showers when I got there, but in Athens you can cheaply purchase such items.  The electric razor I took of course needed the electrical converter.

I also took a thick book that specifically had small print so it would last longer, along with the Walkman mentioned earlier with the Renewal Recharger and a few extra batteries.  I am glad I brought along some diverse music, but do not get carried away and bring a whole case!!  A small flashlight is always helpful, as is a pocket knife, a good travel clock, writing utensils, and a notebook or a travel log.  Try to get a phone card (MCI was mine) with international access before you go.  In Greece you will have a toll free number to call first (depending on which card you use), then it acts pretty much like an American phone card, though you will still have to by a phone access card (but they are not too expensive).

Planning ahead:  It always does not hurt to know where you are going ahead of time so that you can know the bus routes, how often they run, how many stops, etc...   MAKE SURE YOU PAY ATTENTION EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE RIDING THE BUSES!!!  It is very easy to miss your stop, especially since some drivers do not announce the stop and some places do not have signs.  Do not be afraid to ask the people around you either, though it may seem a little intimidating.  You may get some strange looks but it is obviously more important that you do not miss those stops.   Sometimes it is hard to find the local bus stations, but a Blue Guide helps.  There are ATM's at most tourist towns, but it is good to take out enough when you are making a trip into smaller places.  I had a debit card that withdrew from my checking account, but make sure it is a big name card (like Mastercard or Visa).  I had no problem using it in ATM's, most places don't even charge the extra fee, but I did not go to too many tiny towns.  If you are planning on being away from ATM access, then take the cash with you.  Know the conversion rate for your money before you ever get to Greece so you will know how much to get at the airport (be sure some of it is made into small bills or even change, since bus ticket booths do not always take big bills).  You should also read up on the geography of Greece.  I know for me it was a big change coming from the low hills and bottoms of North Mississippi.  Hopefully you can enjoy some of the natural wonders of Greece by doing some hiking or camping while you are there.  You can see some great photos of mountains and plan a hike at this site on the Mountains and related Lakes, Rivers, & National Forests of Greece.