. One of the campus groups did the care packages as a fundraiser as well. They mailed us a letter part way through first semester and you could sign up for one to be sent for finals first and/or second semester. I signed up just for first semester just in case. I think it was $25.
, but I'm thinking I'll send DD something that I've put together myself from home. (I've been keeping my eyes open for things to include plus in my case it will make me feel better if I'm the one who puts something together for her.)I sent DS19 some of those fundraiser care packages and he said they were pretty lame. He preferred the regular ones from mom and dad
I've discovered that we're getting a lot of "fundraiser" (aka junk) mail from DD's university... Care package service, buying sheets & linens service, ordering room supplies service, ponying up so junior won't have to wash his own clothes service, stocking fridge service and on and on and on.
The care packages service might be fine
agnes!
Awsome idea! Thanks!
11 days until move-in day.I've discovered that we're getting a lot of "fundraiser" (aka junk) mail from DD's university... Care package service, buying sheets & linens service, ordering room supplies service, ponying up so junior won't have to wash his own clothes service, stocking fridge service and on and on and on.
The care packages service might be fine
agnes!
, I did come up with one of my own. The first one I send is going to contain items all with the theme of her school colors (blue and orange). I'm sending blue and orange M & Ms (it's a shame I'll have to eat the other colors), orange tic-tacs, blue and orange highlighters, notebooks, sharpies, window markers, etc. I also plan to hit the party store for blue and orange paperware and utensils, and maybe some crepe paper to decorate with. I'm hoping I'll get a chance on move-in day to visit the bookstore for a few items like a shirt, temporary tattoos, a water bottle, and a key chain. If I don't go broke paying for college, I'll surely go broke sending care packages.
The letter about the care packages was cleverly worded to make it seem like if I didn't order one for my kid he would be the only one without one.
Guilt works.
all the other school/band/orchestra/choirs/PTA/sports fundraisers all of us have seen through the years eh?
Really awesome ideas! Love them!I have plans to send my daughter a care box at least once a month. There was another great post or thread that had ideas for them. I made notes...One box was called "Stick to Your Studies" with all kinds of sticky stuff, like poster putty, lollipop, Silly Putty, etc; one was called "Exam Cram", another "Love you Head to Toe" with things for feet and hair, and another was "Sealed with a Kiss" with Hershey's kisses, lip gloss, etc. My apologies to the poster I stole these ideas from without giving proper credit. I think they are just great ideas!
I also plan to do the party theme thing for Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day, and a spring "play" box with outdoor toys like a frisbee, squirt guns, Nerf balls, etc. once the weather gets warm after the winter.
Lest you think all I do is steal other people's ideas
Awesome list! Thanks! Unfortunately mine will also need some much more basic info so I may have to add to the list....as in: If you head is stuffy take the sudafed(as directed), if you're coughing do the following, if you're dizzy do the following, if you're nauseous(without vomiting) do the following, if your tummy hurts without nausea do the following, if you have a headache do the following, when to use the neosporin, etc....and I'm sure there are more run of the mill random complaints I haven't thought of but I want to put on there. My kids pretty much never self medicate and always ask me what to take when something is bothering them. I see now that I should have been using those moments to teach them to self diagnose and learn to find the answers themselves.First Aid: How To Know...
When To Go To The Hospital...DO NOT DRIVE YOURSELF
These things cannot wait until morning and cannot be treated in the clinic. You do not have to have every symptom. If you have even one of these symptoms, go to the hospital :
1) Fever with neck pain and Tylenol or Advil doesn't make it better even for an hour or so, go to the hospital
2) Vomiting more than 6 times, haven't peed in 10 hours, or you're vomiting green stuff or red stuff (and you haven't been ingesting any green, blue or red stuff), go to the hospital
3) Bleeding from Cut/ Laceration--If it gapes open like a little smile, is longer than 1/2" on your face or fingers and/or is bleeding so much you have to hold pressure longer than 10 minutes, go to the hospital. You may need stitches or gluing.
4) Head injury--if you lost consciousness or had a seizure, call 911. If you vomit or you can't remember what happened, even hours later, go to the hospital. DO NOT DRIVE YOURSELF
5) Redness & swelling from bug bite or infection--If redness is more than 2 inches across or there is a red streak AND the clinic is closed, go to the hospital
6) Redness around the eye--If your eyelid(s) are swollen and red or purple and painful. If it looks like you got hit in the eye with a baseball, go to the hospital
7) Back or neck injury--if you feel numbness, call 911. If you lose control of your bladder, call 911. If pain is severe, do not move and call 911. DO NOT DRIVE YOURSELF
8) Severe abdominal pain--If you cannot move and cannot jump 3 times without severe pain, the pain settles in your rt side or you're vomiting, go to the hospital
9) Chest pain without respiratory illness--call 911.
10) Coughing more than every 5 min, with or without fever or chest pain, go to the hospital
11) Fainting or other loss of consiousness, with or without head injury. DO NOT DRIVE YOURSELF. Call 911
12) Allergic reaction to food, insect bite, medication or enviromental agent--if your throat hurts, you can't catch your breath, your lips or mouth swells, CALL 911.
13) Suspected broken bone--if bone is sticking out, call 911 so they can stablize it before you go to the hospital
14) Heat illness with high fever, confusion and no sweating--call 911
15) Blistered burns on face, hands or feet larger than a quarter, go to the hospital. Severe burns anywhere, call 911.
16) Severe groin pain(boys), usually with vomiting, sweating, and unable to move without severe pain. Go to the hospital
Remember This--It costs you nothing to call 911. They can come out and evaluate you. They will ask you if you want them to take you to the hospital. Under some circumstances they will strongly suggest that they transport you. If you think it is safe to go in a car rather than the ambulance, DO NOT DRIVE YOURSELF. Have a friend or campus security drive you to the hospital
...................................................
When To Go To The Health Clinic...
1) Fever 100.4-103.9 for 24+ hours
2) Vomiting up to 4-6 times; if it is during the night you can probably sit tight until morning unless it continues
3) Goopy reddened eye
4) Ear pain lasting longer than 24hrs
5) Red, swollen sore place
6) Itchy red rash longer than 24hrs
7) Flu symptoms--severe muscle aches, cough, fever
8) Cough with chest pain, with or without fever
9) Left side abdominal pain longer than 24hrs
10) Abnormal mentrual bleeding, more than 1 pad/tampon per hour, or unusually bad cramping
11) Suspected sprain
12) Minor burns up to 2"
13) Discharge from private parts that burns, itches, or smells bad
14) Red diarrhea and you haven't eaten/drank red stuff. Diarrhea that lasts more than 3-4 days, regardless of color
When in doubt, check it out!
..................................................................
What To Treat At Home and How To Treat It...
1) Fever up to 103.9--Tylenol or Advil, follow directions on the bottle. DO NOT TAKE MORE THAN RECOMMENDED. Tylenol in particular can hurt you if you take too much.
2) Vomiting up to 4 times(daytime), 6 times(middle of the night)--wait 30 min after vomiting, take very small sips or teaspoonfuls of Gatorade or pedialyte. The idea is to get a little bit in and keep it down. If you force yourself to drink, you WILL throw up. Don't eat anything until you have stopped vomiting for 8-12 hours. After that, keep it light until your stomach feels better--crackers, broth, yogurt, dry cereal, and lots of water.
3) Diarrhea--not an emergency unless it's red. Very annoying. Take Immodium as directed on the box. Drink plenty of fluids, eat anything that doesn't make the diarrhea worse.
4) Minor scrapes/cuts--clean with soap & water,apply bandaid. Change bandaid daily, watch for infection.
5) Bruise or minor muscle injury--ice on 20min/off 20min up to 24 hrs. Do not apply heat to an injury. It will only get worse.
6) Minor joint injury--RICE method: rest, ice, compression(ace bandage) and elevate joint. Take Advil for the pain, rather than Tylenol. If it still hurts the next day or you're limping, go to the clinic. Remember: just because you can walk on it, doesn't mean it's not fractured!
7) Small burns or sunburn--cool compresses, not ice. If they keep burning, cover with a bandaid to settle the pain down. Aloe, if you have it. Advil will also help
8) Minor heat illness--temp no higher than 100.4, sweating profusely, feel fatigued. Get inside a cool place, drink cool liquids, and lie down with a cool cloth on your head for 30-60 min. Do not try this if your fever is high--go to the hospital!
9) Menstrual cramps--Advil or Aleve or Midol, taken as directed on the box. Heating pad to stomach or back. Do not sleep with a heating pad on. You can get severe burns.
Hopefully I hit the main stuff. If you think of something I left out, let me know. I'll add it to this list.
.
I called the bookstore today to ask by what date did the books have to be selected and was told March 31st. 
The bookstore manager told me that in the case of new faculty they have the right to select their course material and they might not even be hired until the last week of August. He told me books should be selected by Labor Day and of course, classes start the next day.
Two of DD's classes have books pending when you check the on-line bookstore with an option to pre=order them for shipment when they become available.
On Friday DD received from the university a check payable to her for 9K. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. She thought she had won the lottery! Her thought was that they increased her scholarship. My thought is that they refunded to her, the amount I paid out of her 529 by mistake. Sure enough, the woman that handles those things was on vacation last week and the director of student accounting processed her payment. Seems as if she had gotten a few of those calls today by 11am. It's all taken care of now and the TMS payment plan is correctly recorded for the remainder of her year's tuition.
Meanwhile, Alabama is calling to see if she is attending.
We leave tomorrow. i'm trying hard not to say anything because she has busied her little self in the kitchen making a special bourbon salmon & asian salad dinner--and it looks marvelous. But WE LEAVE TOMORROW! i guess she plans to stay up all night packing. 
Okay, I am *really* trying to sit on my hands and keep my mouth shut. I just got home from work at 5pm to find that DD has not packed EVEN ONE shoe or other article of clothing.
.
Or she is just going to look silly running around naked at school
edit: The first time DS came home from school for a weekend, he thought he would be nice and not bring any laundry home--but he also didn't bring home any clothes for the weekend...kind of forgot all of his clothes were at school
They do have a mall down there. Maybe DDs making a bid for some new duds
