need ideas for a college care package

[laurajetter]

My little sister is going into school for graphic design and will be sharing a condo with a few other students. I can't help feeling a bit nervous for her, since there are so many things will be new experiences for her and I don't want it to overwhelm her.

She'll be living on her own, having to cook & clean for herself, she's been home schooled since 6th grade and she's worried about transitioning into a school setting and being able to keep up, she'll be using a Macintosh computer which is completely foreign to her, and she'll be 1 1/2 hours away from family and friends! I know everyone at this age need to adjust, and I'm sure she'll do just fine, but I can't help worrying that she will get overwhelmed!!

Anyway, I'm putting together a care package for her to take with her but I need a few more small ideas, to help fill it up. It will be a mixture of healthy snacks (she has been making a valiant effort to stay away from junk food so I only want to give her healthy stuff!) and useful/fun/novelty items, I will take suggestions for either!

Here is what I have so far:

- Pink sleep shirt that says "Sleep Now. Study Later."

- a miniature metal briefcase (made to hold pencils but can hold anything she wants, really)

- a 10 pack of sharpie markers in a variety of colors

- quirky notepad

- "Super Genius" chewing gum

- picture of my 1 year old son in a personalized 'Aunt' picture frame that has his name engraved on it

- dry erase board and kit of markers, eraser and liquid cleanser

- reduced fat triscuits

- Caribou Coffee Vanilla Latte granola bars (okay, so maybe these aren't the healthiest, but they sounded unique and it does at least say "good source of calcium and whole grain! )

TIA for any suggestions you may have!

Laura

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

My father used to send me and my roommates Mrs. Fields cookies in a tin!! mmmm...they were heaven!!!

Sheets!! or even just a pillow case!

FANCY (anything that is not generic) shampoos and soaps

Calendar

I'm thinking of everything my dad would send me. I LOVED care packages and since i was in college i would buy the CHEAPEST everything, so i loved when i got some good stuff!!

 

[monarchsfan16]

What about a gift card to Target or Wal Mart or whatever store is in the area?
My mom usually sends me cookies or brownies, IF she sends me a care package and neither of those count as healthy... although you could send her a *small* package of cookies. Her roommates at the very least would be appreciative. I know to avoid getting fat when mom sends me back to school with food (that happens pretty frequently), I pawn off the junk food on the kids on my floor...
Are there any other snacks she likes? Applesauce? Peanut butter crackers? Juice boxes (those are a real comfort thing around here...)?

 

[Dory's Twin]

I say any kind of toiletry item...when they go on sale, buy extra toothpaste, shampoo, etc...they are so expensive and college years are lean ones! I remember worrying about buying feminine supplies....they are sooo expensive and take a huge bite of your budget.

Besides that how about gift certificates to places, restaurants, starbucks, etc

 

[DisneyCP2002]

I remember what my mom used to send me:
Giftcard to Walmart
Quarters for the laundry machines
Favorite snack
notes from home on how everyone was doing
Things I forgot on my last trip home(considering I was 8 hrs from home, she always had to send me something)
knick knacks to liven up the room(i.e. posters, stuffed animals, all sorts of small stuff)
spending money to go off campus(eating on campus all the time was no fun)
favorite books

That's all I can think of now, maybe more later.

 

[Pam]

What you have so far sounds great!

May I suggest for future packages seasonal decorations for her door and walls. I.E.: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.

I bought my DD a Sleeping Beauty magnet dress up doll w/outfits. She has it on her refrigerator and she and her roommates love to dress up Aurora!

I've also sent her a Build-A-Bear. (This is her 3rd year of college.)

Gift cards to Starbucks, Target, TGIFs, The Cheesecake Factory, etc. have always been big hits.

DVDs of her favorite movies or cartoon show (like Spongebob Squarepants).

I try to send at least one card in the mail, she has often remarked how great it is to get a card in the mail from home.

Pillows! Fuzzy pillows, soft pillows, any kind of frou-frou pillow!

You're a really nice sister to do this!!

 

[clh2]

I was also going to suggest a Starbucks GC.

 

[ntburns22]

I bought my DD a Sleeping Beauty magnet dress up doll w/outfits. She has it on her refrigerator and she and her roommates love to dress up Aurora!

You're a really nice sister to do this!!

Target has stuff like this in dollar zone in the front of the store right now. I just got my DD Belle, Cinderella, and Barbie.

 

[aynt79]

-Easy to follow cookbook if she will have kitchen

-Quarters for laundry

-Bunch of gift certificates for anyplace around there. Restaurants/pizza places so she doesn't have to cook all the time. The school's bookstore for supplies. Walmart/Target for stuff for her room. The local movie rental place.

-First aid kit

-A collection of various medicines (for headaches/colds/etc) so she'll already have them on hand

-Mini toolkit

-Flip-flops/shoes to wear to the shower, depending on what type of condition her bathroom will be like.

-Phone cards

-Hot cocoa/tea/coffee/Red Bull

-Stress toys

-A nice water bottle (like Nalgene)

-Fancy lotions/shampoo/soaps, like from Bath and Body Works or The Body shop

-Disposable cameras

-Nice, luxurious bath towels

 

[Snow Brite]

Some "mad money" in an envelope to spend on a splurge
Starbucks GC is a good idea
Gas GC
Grocery store GC
Baskin Robbins GC (include a note telling her to use it when she turns in her first project)
Movie theatre GC (with a note to use it when midterms are over)
iTunes GC
Phone Card
B & N GC
Slippers or a Bathrobe
Towels that are a crazy color or pattern and easy to identify as hers
A cozy fuzzy throw to curl up with when studying
A new music cd


Something my best friend did for me that was SO sweet:
Fill a large jar or container with a lot of little sealed notes. Just little things like "I'm so proud of you!" "Thinking of you!" "Can't wait to hear how you are doing!" "You are so amazing to go so far away to do this!" "Remember that a good nights sleep is key to a great day!" and include some sweet or funny memories, a few with jokes, some advice etc. If you can, get a few different people to do some and sign them. Put them all in the jar and include a note that when she is homesick or lonely or having a bad day she should read one. I LOVED this and it really helped me get through some tough times. I kept them all and recycled them.

 

[Aimeedyan]

homemade baked treats - course, I was in a dorm with no oven to really use so homemade brownies or cookies were a huge hit!

snack mix for those late night study sessions. This can be healthy =)

gift cards for fast food or slow food restaurants (starbucks, too!)

phone cards if she doesn't have a cell phone she uses

fuzzy socks or houseslippers

nice bath and body products, since most people on a budget stick to the generic brands.

yummy candle

quarters and detergent if she has to use a laundrymat

maybe a mix CD of songs that you both can relate to?

a trashy novel she can read on downtime. I missed having mindless books to read admist the books for school and loved to pick up 'beach reads' for lazy Saturday mornings

 

[Rock'n Robin]

If you have a dog...one thing I loved was a poster of our dog that my mom blew up to poster size. I'm sure a framed photo of the family pet would also work. I remember missing that dog like crazy.
Robin M.

 

[Miss Kelly]

Pictures of Family, Notes from Family, Money, and Gift Cards.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Wow -- these all sound great.

I second the seasonal stuff. Even St. Patty's day.

Thanksgiving time (or right after), send some cheap 100-bulb christmas light sets and some Christmas decorations. She can decorate without paying for it, and Christmas cheer is needed when studying for exams.

Hot cocoa and popcorn!

 

[laurajetter]

Thank you all so much! These are some great ideas!

Laura

 

[Caradana]

All of this stuff is great.

Thinking back to college (a whole 4 years ago, ha) - I always needed batteries, deodorant, pantyliners, plastic forks and spoons, and nice perfume.

 

[Minnie_Moo]

One of my daughter's favorite things to have at college was one of those pop up mesh clothes hampers from Bed, Bath & Beyond - under $10 and easy to store when empty. She still uses one, but the first one had to be replaced due to so much use. I often buy them to give as graduation gifts, along with tucking money in the card.

Panera gift cards and picture frames are always high on her list.

Also, I second the suggestion of giving strings of lights. They can really brighten up a room.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Your list sounds great!

Gift cards to Target and Walmart were my favorite thing to receive in college (and grad school). I loved getting them because then I could buy my "name brand" shampoo (Pantene) rather than the generic. Sometimes I would use gift cards to "treat" myself to a new CD or a magazine; things I wouldn't normally buy with my limited budget.

My parents liked gift cards because they were cheap and easy to send. (No messy liquids or heavy items.) Also, I believe some stores have a gift card where it splits into two parts and you keep one part and send the other and can use your part to reload the gift card at your home store.

Starbucks cards were a real treat as well.

Quarters for laundry (or 1's I could change into quarters-- better for the mail) were always appreciated!

Keep in mind that candles may not be allowed in some college housing. We could be fined $50 if we had candles at my college. (Fire hazzard...)

My mom's chocolate chip cookies were the best! She'd send them around exam time or if I was having a extra stressful week. That, combined with a note and picture, was what really made me think of home and thankful I was blessed with an amazing family.

Sometimes they'd send me a sweater or shirt I had pointed out but couldn't justify on my college budget. My brother would send me CDs he knew I wanted but wouldn't buy for myself.

Really, she'll appreciate anything from home!