College freshman care package ?

My DS is a junior this year at a college on the other side of the country. I send him a lot of packages. Most are things he asks for (a phone charger, a knee brace, an exercise band, etc.). I order almost everything from Amazon and frequently toss in little surprises (a bag of candy, cookies, etc.) with whatever else he needs. I've found that if I send too much random stuff, it doesn't get used or eaten because he simply doesn't have the time. The two things I know he can always use are Starbuck's card and money!

At the beginning of his freshman year, I got together with a bunch of moms and made care packages. All of our kids graduated high school together and had gone off to different schools. We each brought enough of one item (snacks, gum, popcorn, etc.) for all of the kids and laid it all out on a table. After drinking margaritas and talking about sending our kids away to school, we each got a box and made a care package for our own child. Then we passed around cards for each kid and we all signed them. My DS said he loved reading the messages from his friends' moms and getting a nice assortment of stuff in the mail.
I did this with a bunch of mom friends, so much fun.
 
Thanks everyone - now I may have the opposite problem to many items to choose from!!
 
I realize that I am late to the game, but maybe these ideas will help someone else, or you can use ideas for a future box. For my kids, they enjoyed the following:

Pocket Disc flying disc (a crocheted frisbee, which can be tucked in a pocket)
Hacky Sack or footbag
Character Band-aids
Wisps (pre-pasted toothbrushes to carry in your purse/pocket)
Mind-bender type puzzles (Hanayama makes some excellent ones)
Cooling towel/sweat towel/sports towel
Carabiner or S-biner for attaching water bottle to backpack
Small first aid kit (Target now carries Wellys)
Giant googly eyes (super fun to stick on items)
Nanoblock set
Sports blanket
 
I sent my son an inexpensive game called beanboozled. It’s some jelly belly game. His suite mates had a great time playing it. Also the starter tool kit I sent with him enabled him to meet most every guy in his dorm the first month! The word got out that whatever tool someone needed!

I also sent gift cards for the restaurants in his food court but unfortunately those don’t take gift cards.

ETA: I also didn’t realize when he went away that he wasn’t old enough to buy some cold meds that he would need. I ended up sending s care package of those which took three people to buy because of how they limit your quantities.
 


Rolls of quarters were always helpful for laundry time. Not sure if his laundry takes cash or credit card, but you might find out.
 
I sent my son an inexpensive game called beanboozled. It’s some jelly belly game. His suite mates had a great time playing it. Also the starter tool kit I sent with him enabled him to meet most every guy in his dorm the first month! The word got out that whatever tool someone needed!

I also sent gift cards for the restaurants in his food court but unfortunately those don’t take gift cards.

ETA: I also didn’t realize when he went away that he wasn’t old enough to buy some cold meds that he would need. I ended up sending s care package of those which took three people to buy because of how they limit your quantities.
ARGH, beanboozled! We have one sitting on top of our fridge. You get some terrible flavor combos. That saying something for me cause I can eat anything
😁
 


Care packages are great but after awhile I ran out of ideas so I started doing a grub hub or bite squad order for them at one of their favorite restaurants, and I would always send them Domino's, Dunkin Donuts, Chick Fil A, etc gift cards.
 
He is in the middle of nowhere - no grub hub, no uber -sadly. So many great ideas thanks for taking the time to post! I will likely only do one maybe two care packages for him - this is what I did for my nieces and it was a nice surprise in between the parent care packages.

He is 17 so another hard no on the booze.
 
earbuds
sticky note pads
AA batteries
microwave popcorn
breath mints
frisbee
movie theater gift card
pizza delivery gift card
fabreeze (cause they stink up a room)
deck of playing cards
 
This care package is going to cost more than my mortgage! And I'm starting to get seriously jealous of this kid because it sounds awesome!
 
If you want to do another next month, here’s my fave ever that went out every October to my college kid and various nephews and others.

Buy one of those plastic orange Halloween pumpkins for a buck and fill it with whatever- a funny Halloween shirt, some door clings, candy, etc. cover the opening with packing tape and slap on the mailing label. Then sit back and enjoy the text or Snapchat, “you mailed me a pumpkin!” It’s a hit. I promise.

darn I miss making college care packages!
 
Dang I saw this thread yesterday and I wanted to think about it cause I’m making 2 college packages and u already had the things I had.
But I have decided and it is too late. Puff lotion Kleenex for the approaching season.
An extra, whatever favorite written mech- DS wants Ticonderoga pencils.
And soup that u can microwave in the container is comes in.
 
If you want to do another next month, here’s my fave ever that went out every October to my college kid and various nephews and others.

Buy one of those plastic orange Halloween pumpkins for a buck and fill it with whatever- a funny Halloween shirt, some door clings, candy, etc. cover the opening with packing tape and slap on the mailing label. Then sit back and enjoy the text or Snapchat, “you mailed me a pumpkin!” It’s a hit. I promise.

darn I miss making college care packages!
I was just telling my husband about this. I saw the idea when our son was away at school but he wasn't the sort who would care about getting a pumpkin in the mail. Our daughter will love it though. Can't wait to see her reaction!
 
I was just telling my husband about this. I saw the idea when our son was away at school but he wasn't the sort who would care about getting a pumpkin in the mail. Our daughter will love it though. Can't wait to see her reaction!
My DD was a freshman in 2014. At that time, I was skeptical so I filled it cheaply. In subsequent years, I knew it worked so I put in fall scarves, new gloves, whatever.

Another fun one for girls is to mail flip flops around the first day of Spring. I mailed them one at a time a couple of days apart so that the first one was, WTH mom, one shoe???
 
If you want to do another next month, here’s my fave ever that went out every October to my college kid and various nephews and others.

Buy one of those plastic orange Halloween pumpkins for a buck and fill it with whatever- a funny Halloween shirt, some door clings, candy, etc. cover the opening with packing tape and slap on the mailing label. Then sit back and enjoy the text or Snapchat, “you mailed me a pumpkin!” It’s a hit. I promise.

darn I miss making college care packages!

I love this idea and have 3 sitting on my craft table, slowly filling up! (I have a two nieces and now my DS in college.) I've been waiting to do it since oldest niece started, since I didn't want to spoil the effect for DS.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top