College students are busy and broke. Send yours a little love with a care package! If you don't know quite what to send, here's some ideas!
1) Microwavable Food
Sometimes dining halls have weird hours, or maybe your student is too busy studying (or sleeping) to make it! Microwaveable mac & cheese and soup were my saving grace last year.
2) Chips or Crackers
On days where you only have enough time to grab a snack and run to class, I always prefer savory snacks to sweet! My personal favorites are peanut butter crackers.
3) Something Homemade
Cookies or brownies can never go wrong! It may take more time to actually do the baking, but it's always better to have a taste of home than store-bought.
4) Pictures
Using photos of family and friends is a great way to decorate and personalize any dorm room. Plus, the pictures of loved ones you're missing will help alleviate homesickness!
5) Letters
Although we're in the age of texting and FaceTime or Skype, nothing beats a handwritten letter. Write a letter to your student, tell them how much you miss them and update them on the goings-on at home!
6) Money or Gift Cards
No matter how delicious the food in your dining hall is, sometimes it's nice to get a pizza or go out to eat. Now, since college students are notoriously broke, this can be an issue. Gift cards are great because you can't accidentally spend the money on something else!
7) Extra School Supplies
Every semester, I realize how many more school supplies I should have stocked up on. Help your student out and send them some notebooks and pens, we can never have enough! Plus, having extra pens or pencils makes us quite popular with our under-prepared classmates!
8) Quarters (for laundry machines)
Some colleges have a declining points system linked with your Student ID card, but my school's laundry machines use quarters and those run out quickly. Send a roll or two to your student so they can feel independent doing their own laundry!
9) Cereal
Cereal is a quick, easy replacement for lunch or dinner or a late-night studying snack! Send them a big box of their favorite, or if your student is as indecisive as I am, send a variety of mini-boxes!
10) Chocolate
I doubt this one really needs an explanation. College is draining and chocolate soothes the soul. Hot Chocolate is included in this category!
11) Movies
Netflix is great, but they always seem to be lacking the one movie I really want to watch! Set your student up with a small collection of their favorites, movie nights with friends are great bonding experiences!
12) Stuffed Animals
College students are basically children with high school diplomas. Case in point, my boyfriend and I once spent an afternoon eating mac & cheese and watching "Winnie the Pooh" movies. That being said, there's probably a stuffed animal your student felt they were "too grown up" to take to college, but I can bet they're missing their old snuggle buddy. Send it their way for some nostalgia.
13) Toiletries
One of the least exciting but most necessary things that I always seem to forget while back-to-school shopping! I have a suite-style bathroom that I share with two other girls, and I was surprised how quickly we go through toilet paper, shampoo, and conditioner! Be your student's hero and send some extra!
I hope your student is having a great time way. Know that they miss you very much and can't wait to be home to visit soon!
