There’s nothing quite like feeling that someone was thinking of you and cared enough to send a letter or a package in the mail—especially when you’re away from home. While college students are busy with their classes, extra-curricular activities, and friends, they still often miss home.
While professors, roommates, and others will be able to invest in students while they are at school, it is important that students know they have a support system at home too. Care packages for college students are the perfect way to remind a student that they are missed and loved.
If you’re looking to bless a college student in your life or you want to send them a gift while they’re at school, here are a few ideas and tips for creating the best care packages for college students.
Remind them of home
Whether your student attends a university close to home or 1,000 miles away, it is likely still different to live in a dorm with new people, away from friends and family. They might miss mom’s home cooked meals, their dog or cat, the local coffee shop in their hometown, and even simply getting to talk to their siblings face-to-face each day.
When you are creating care packages for college students in your life, be creative and send them a little piece of home. Package up some of mom’s world-famous chocolate chip cookies for your student to share with their roommates. Send your student a Starbucks gift card to treat them to a cup of coffee while they’re away. You can even have each person in your family write them little notes to let them know you’re thinking of them and missing them while they’re away.
While college students are always in need of money to help pay for school, these thoughtful college gifts are sure to help them work hard through yet another week at school and encourage them in their journey attending a college or university.
Shop practically
As you think about your top gift ideas for college students, focus on practicality. While your student is at school, they are most likely living in a small dorm room with other students, meaning their space is limited. If you know what your student’s routine is like and some of their favorite activities and hobbies while they’re at school, you can keep those in mind as you shop for your care packages for college students. There are practical ways to shop for your college student no matter what your budget is as well.
Here are some practical gift ideas for your care package.
- Headphones: from studying in busy places to blocking out roommates in the dorm room, headphones are a must-have for college students. Look for simple earbuds, or looking for some wireless headphones for your college student.
- A Fitbit or other step-tracking device: whether your college student enjoys exercising or not, it can be helpful for them to have a step-tracking device as they walk around campus and attend their daily activities. A Fitbit can help your student know how much exercise they are getting, and even encourage them to go on a walk a couple times throughout the day.
- Board games: board games are great ways for college students to spend time together and get to know each other. There are often several places around campus that students can gather to play games like Catan, Dominion, Code Names, and more.
- A portable phone charger: since students are constantly on the go, it can be extremely helpful to have a way to charge their phone throughout the day without needing an outlet. Portable chargers are an easy way to help make sure students’ phones are charged at all times, so that you can reach them at any time.
- An Amazon Echo Dot: this little device can easily be shipped and is surprisingly inexpensive. This device allows your student and their roommates to listen to music, make hands-free calls, and find quick, audible answers to questions within their dorm room.
- A journal or planner: while your college student might already be organized with his or her own planner, it can still be nice to be gifted with an extra notebook for taking notes in class, studying the Bible, or keeping up with the busy college schedule.
- A tumbler that keeps drinks hot or cold for long periods of time: your college student might already have a coffee maker in their dorm room, but a great gift can be a tumbler that they can take with them during the school day or to late-night study sessions in the library.
Be thoughtful and personal
Remember that more than anything, your student wants to be reminded that you care for and support them during their time in college. While they will love receiving college gifts from their loved ones, nothing beats a handwritten letter or even a phone call from home. As you create care packages for college students, be sure to think for the individual student and their needs while they are away at school.
Receiving a care package while a student is at school is an easy way to remind them of home and offer them practical ways to get through their rigorous semester.
