College Care Package Ideas

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Please share your best ideas of what to send to a new college student in a care package from home.

Thanks in advance.🙂
 
hi gardens:)

My family would send me the following, and it really was appreciated, during my time in college:

*homemade chocolate chip cookies
*microwavable popcorn
*toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, mouthwash
*hairspray, hand lotions
*shower gel
*small bottle of my fave perfume (like travel size)
*plastic silverware, and cups
*tampons, etc for girls
*motrin/tylenol
*nyquil in case he/she gets sick
*herbal tea
*peanut butter, and crackers
*if they have a frig in their dormroom–then essentials for breakfast, like milk, cereal, plastic bowls, etc
*rubics cube, or puzzles…something different and fun
*box of kleenex
*socks, underwear, etc
*gum, werthers mints, etc…
*vitamin c and garlic to keep immune system up

That’s all I can think of right now…hope it helps.🙂
 
Whatevergirl’s list is pretty good. A few other items to consider:

Money is always welcomed (LOL)
A local newspaper (clippings or subscription) if he/she is far from home
a Leatherman Squirt (S4) This is a very mini pocket tool with scissors, tweezers, tiny but functional knife, and two screwdrivers and a bottle opener. My DW, both daughters and I have found this to be very useful and are never without one.
Instant coffee
M & Ms
Granola (or whatever) snack bars.
Purell Hand Sanitizer (both a pocket sized one and a larger one)–the cold and flu season is coming. (I keep one in my office to use after sick students show up in my office.)
favorite cough drops
CDs or music download gift certificate

By the way many colleges will send you a form to order a final exam survival kit directly from the campus store. It is another revenue stream since no parent will not send one since it would be embarrassing if everyone in the dorm got one and your offspring did not.
 
I agree with the above… also:
  • Individual serving hot cocoa envelopes
  • Any other individual serving items they might like (food including snacks and candy and easy meals or drink)
  • A rosary and/or little Holy Water bottle and/or little crucifix and/or little frame of the Virgin Mary if they don’t have any of these already
  • Mini first aid kit (they can always go to their medical center if they need something too)
I guess it depends if they are in a dorm or not and what kind of stuff they have in their dorm room and what they are allowed to have. 🙂
 
This isn’t a care package item precisely - but man I wish I’d had a slow cooker when I lived in college!
 
EASY MAC!!! You have to send the individual bowls of easy mac. That stuff is the best thing in the world for when you are up studying late and want something to eat without having to leave your dorm. Out of all the things my parents have sent in a care package, easy mac was by far the best. 🙂
 
I send all my family members in college a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts gift card as soon as mid terms start to come up. It’s easy and I usually pick them up a cute card to send it in.
 
LilyM said:
This isn’t a care package item precisely - but man I wish I’d had a slow cooker when I lived in college!
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How would that work in the dorm? Without a big sink to wash it up in I can see some problems. Of course if your dorm had a kitchen with a kitchen sink then no problem or you lived in an apartment which some dorms are getting more into - four rooms, shared living space/kitchen/bathroom/shower room.

Let me see, I always lived at home but I did send my daughter’s off to University - Easy Mac was one of the more popular items with my youngest (didn’t exist with my oldest). Books to read for fun, sent direct from Amazon. Money, always money and it was really easy because I would just deposit it in their local accounts and they just used their debit cards where they were.

I would definitely say their favorite homemade cookie or ingredients for them (minus the wet ingredients - but money for them). Rice krispie treats and/or ingredients.

Brenda V.
 
I didn’t see this on any of the lists – and if they’re in a dorm, it’s probably not needed – but TOILET PAPER. Where I went to school there was no on-campus housing. It was my first apartment, and I never even thought about toilet paper. Thank goodness mommy had it in my little laundry basket along with towels, laundry soap, some dishes, silverware, et cetera.
 
I still remember the first care package I received in college…quite a while ago now…it was a shoebox full of carefully-wrapped blonde brownies from my dear Gram (rest her soul, she’s been gone since February). All the girls in my dorm and I devoured them! Mmmmm…can still taste them now…blonde brownies were one of her specialties. 😃

So here’s another vote for home-baked goodies! 👍
 
Dorms usually don’t have ovens in the rooms, etc…so a hotplate would be a good idea, too!👍

That really came in handy. But, having Subway across the street from my campus at that time, was heaven, too. 😃
 
If they are in a dorm room and if you decide to send anything for cooking or that you need matches for (crock pot, hot plate, candles, etc) find out if they are allowed first. In our dorms none of the above were allowed.
 
lifeisbeautiful said:
If they are in a dorm room and if you decide to send anything for cooking or that you need matches for (crock pot, hot plate, candles, etc) find out if they are allowed first. In our dorms none of the above were allowed.
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They weren’t in mine either, if I recall correctly - didn’t stop me from sneaking in a toasted sandwich maker (also among the banned articles) 😉

Although a crockpot might be more difficult to hide 🤷
 
they were allowed in mine but one can get tired of mac and cheese, and rice. lol

I had a car on campus, so I was usually the designated driver to hit the fast food places around. 😃

It was nice when I ended up renting an apartment off campus with my best friend…I still didn’t cook all that much, though.😊
 
Some people have suggested money, and I always thought it was great to get rolls of quarters for laundry! Some places will not give change for bigger bills without buying something, and some change machines only make change for single dollar bills. Gift cards to Walmart or other superstores are also a great idea!! 👍
 
Chrissy9120 said:
**Some people have suggested money, and I always thought it was great to get rolls of quarters for laundry! **Some places will not give change for bigger bills without buying something, and some change machines only make change for single dollar bills. Gift cards to Walmart or other superstores are also a great idea!! 👍
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👍

As I was reading the earlier posts this is what I was thinking of too. It was always a mad rush on laundry day to scrounge up enough quarters for wash.
 
Pictures! I love it when my mom sends me photos of things that they’re doing back home.

Febreeze/air freshener is great for taking the staleness out of dorm room air…or getting a few extra days out of that sweatshirt before laundry day.

I’m always scrounging around for stamps…that’s an idea

if you’re college student of choice is involved with a club/activity, maybe something to share with those people as well? I’m a volunteer tutor in an elementary school and my mom sometimes sends me stuff to bring to the kids - pencils, small erasers, stickers

and baked goodies are always welcome - but a favorite recipe is nearly as good!
 
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