College Student Care Packages
Goodies for Freshman Year, Midterm & Final Exams, or Whenever
May 16, 2008
If you’re looking to cheer up a homesick student up during a difficult freshman year, or to give a boost of energy to a busy student during midterms or final exams, there’s nothing like a college care package. You can personalize a combination of food and other goodies, or purchased a premade basket. Here are some ideas for useful and homey things to add to a college care package.
Food for a Care Package
For a student who’s been eating at a dormitory cafeteria, or who’s been living on Ramen noodles in an off-campus apartment kitchen, a basket full of (free) snacks will be a lifesaver. During exams, there’s nothing like a cheerful selection of goodies to munch on and share with a few lucky friends. You’ll probably want to include a selection of healthy options, but don’t forget to add some candy or other goodies as well. Of course, be sure to keep temperature and food safety issues in mind! Don’t pack things that will spoil easily without refrigeration, and avoid mailing chocolate and other products that will melt easily during the warmer months.
Here are some healthy edible items you might include in a good basket:
- Dried fruit
- Fresh fruit
- Trail mix
- Nuts
- String cheese
- Protein bars
- Granola bars
- Packaged fruit cups and applesauce cups
- 100-calorie snack packs
- Microwave popcorn packets
- Juice boxes
- Tea bags
Here are some not so healthy—but comforting—items to include
- Fresh baked goods from your own kitchen
- Snack sized candy bars
- Hershey’s kisses
- Gourmet chocolates
- Gummi bears and other gummi candy
- Packaged snack cakes
- Packaged pudding cups
- Backs of potato chips and similar snacks
- Pretzels
- Crackers
- Chewing gum
- Instant hot chocolate packets
School Supplies
A student always needs these, and they’re small enough to fit easily into a basket. Throw in anything you see at a store that might be useful: some nice pens, a cute mini-stapler, a mini-calculator, a printer ribbon, a small notebook, an optical mouse, a mouse pad, useful software, stamps, or whatever catches your eye.
Entertainment Gifts
Students need to relax and will appreciate a little something to help that happen—especially during finals. Here’s a few entertainment items you can include that many students will appreciate:
- A video game cartridge
- A DVD
- A mix CD
- New headphones for an iPod
- A new case for an iPod or a cell phone
- An iPod car adaptor
- A new iPod or cell phone (if you’re really feeling generous)
- A Sudoku book
- A light novel to offset all the “forced” reading
- Stickers (for some childhood nostalgic fun)
- A Beanie baby or other small stuffed animal
- A Webkinz
Clothing Gifts
Small and seasonally appropriate clothing makes a great care package addition, especially if it’s cold out! A warm pair of gloves, a scarf, a winter hat, or earmuffs definitely have “care” appeal. Small accessories can be a fun touch too, like earrings, a necklace, a bracelet, a belt, a watch, socks, or makeup. Scented bath accessories also are a nice touch. And there’s always the universal college student footwear—flip flops.
Gift Cards and Gift Certificates
Giving the gift of shopping (online or otherwise) is a fabulous present for many students, as this involves picking out stuff they like and procrastinating a little by shopping. Gift cards may not sound all that personalized, but you can make them personal by purchasing them at stores the student likes—coffee shops, book stores, clothing stores, home stores, department stores, restaurants that are near campus, music download sites, or anything else.
Care packages are easy to create and purchase, and they’ll go a long way to cheer up your favorite stressed out student. Have fun putting things together, and imagine the look on the student’s face when your basket of goods arrives.
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