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As a first-year college student, nothing made me smile like knowing I had one of my mom’s college care packages waiting for me at the dorm. It started with an email from the mailroom saying a box would be available for pick-up that afternoon. It was hard to focus on the differences between classical and operant conditioning that my psychology professor explained when I would think about treats from home instead.
“How does she do it?” I wondered while happily munching on a chocolate chip cookie and looking through the rest of the box to see what she had chosen.
College Care Package Ideas — 50 Favorites
For the homesick
1. Cookies
The fastest way to make new friends is to share treats with new roommates and hall mates. I loved getting chocolate chip cookies from my mom. (But, honestly, I would have loved getting my favorite type of granola bar to share, too, so don’t worry if you don’t have time to bake as any snack is appreciated.)
Dorm room walls are blank slates for every college student to decorate. Find photos of your family or a poster from your hometown, and don’t forget to throw in Command Poster Adhesive Strips so posters can be put up easily without damaging the walls. Check out their new color hook collection offered in a few popular college colors.
Becky Blades is the super-talented author and illustrator who wrote this cute book for her two off-to-college daughters. It is pretty perfect for any college woman and might remind her of her own mom and home.
I kept a water bottle in my backpack, which helped me stay hydrated. There are water stations in many of the buildings on campus, so I kept it filled, and I never had to buy a wasteful plastic water bottle. I love all the color combinations in the Owala bottles.
I try to work out in the gym, but walking or running are also great ways to stay fit. lululemon is one of my favorite brands, and it’s a real treat to get something new for working out or hanging out. They make great gear for men and women.
A small gym bag is a great care package gift and Fanatics has the largest selection you can find anywhere with official licensing from NCAA and all the pro teams. This lightweight bag has two zippered compartments and backpack straps.
One of the easiest ways to express your style as a college student is on your laptop. You bring it everywhere, and even when you don’t feel like changing out of sweatpants, your computer can still be well-dressed with a cute decal.
These super-popular pens are meant for journaling, but they can be used for anything you would need a regular pen, including note-taking, color-coding a paper calendar, or just doodling. The set includes 18 colors.
We can never have enough clothing items with our college logos on them. The campus bookstore is a logical place to shop, but Fanatics has the widest selection of college logo apparel, accessories, etc., for more than 500 schools plus pro teams.
If your daughter plans to go to a stadium or arena that restricts the types of bags that can be brought inside, this clear belt bag from lululemon would be a great gift.
In this book, Dr. Jay explains that the twenties are the most defining years of adulthood. These transitional years should not be squandered because this is the decade to get things done; the things not accomplished will have far-reaching consequences — it’s a book that will be beneficial to all young adults.
Harlan Cohen has written the classic book for first-year college students, and this can be the go-to guide for students whenever they encounter a sticky situation.
Admiral William McRaven delivered this graduation address to students at UT Austin, and it became an instant classic. He will encourage and inspire your student through this challenging first year at college with his simple advice.
This beautiful bestselling book, written and illustrated by Charlie Mackesy, is filled with warmth and love and will remind your student of family values like kindness, friendship, and home…
For any student that goes to a school that will have a cold winter, these gloves will keep their hands warm, and they won’t have to take them off to use their phone to call or text you!
This small personal alarm might help your student in a situation where they feel frightened. Pull the pin to activate a loud alarm and flash the strobe light to create a diversion. The pin can be replaced and the alarm reused.
A phone with a dead battery is a preventable problem if your student has a lightweight charger to throw into a backpack. This one works with MagSafe for easy wireless charging and can power an iPhone almost twice. With fast charging and a sleek design, it’s great for busy days on campus.
A safe place to store valuable jewelry in the dorm is essential, and this mini case could be placed out of sight in the back of a drawer or storage bin. Also great for traveling and is available in seven pretty colors.
This cosmetics brand smells wonderful and would be a great treat for your daughter. Includes a sample size of three items – Body Wash, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and Cheirosa 62 Perfume Mist. This is the #1 bestseller in bath and shower sets on Amazon.
Having a pair of lightweight sandals to slip on when you’re just going to the communal bathroom or down the hall to see a friend is so nice and Crocs come is many styles and colors.
These “Recovery” slides are available in many colors and would be a great care package gift for your son or daughter. Here’s how they are described on Amazon: “Enjoy the squishy comfort as your feet melt into the footbeds, creating a mood-boosting silhouette that turns relaxation into an art form.” Instant stress relief from your college’s toes up!
Your new college student will want to look their best when making first impressions at school. This brand is the #1 in the category of teeth whitening strips on Amazon.
A Jellycat plushie might be just what your teen needs to put a smile on their face. So many whimsical designs to choose from but some of our favorites include a tennis ball, espresso cup and adorable little purses!
I love this brand of hand sanitizer for the lightweight and compact design and the scents. They are easy to pop into a backpack to do a quick spritz of my hands before I go to the dining hall for lunch.
These are versatile sweatshirts and come in many cute colors so you might be able to find one in your daughter’s college color. They are the #1 bestseller in women’s fashion sweatshirts on Amazon.
grace & stella, maker of the super-popular under-eye patches, has this foaming face wash that would be a small bit of luxury for your daughter to use in her less than luxurious communal bathroom.
Popdarts could be a fun game for your son or daughter to use as an ice breaker. It can be played indoors or outside on the quad and would be fun to have at a tailgate.
There is nothing worse than getting caught across campus from your dorm when it is raining. Now, with one of these award-winning, durable and lightweight travel umbrellas in my backpack, I never have to worry about getting soaked. Lots of great colors to choose from.
If your college student is an athlete or works out, they might have sore muscles they would appreciate being able to ice – these reusable pouches can be stored in the freezer section of a mini-fridge.
While it might not be chilly on your teen’s campus, yet, they might appreciate having this set of rechargeable hand warmers in their jacket pockets when the temperature does begin to drop. Thin and lightweight, the heat begins in 5 seconds.
A satin pillowcase might provide one more bit of comfort for your daughter’s dorm bed. The satin fabric stays cool which might be perfect for hot and stuffy dorm room. Kitsch claims that they help reduce frizz and reduce breakouts and wrinkles.
This 11-in-1 stainless steel tool is credit card sized and includes a Bottle Opener, Can Opener, Ruler, Saw, Screwdriver, Wrench. Great for camping or to keep in a car if your student has one on campus.
One of the most difficult transitions in college is getting used to the noise of a roommate and hall mates in the dorm. Whether your teen is trying to study or sleep, these reusable earplugs might help them block out commotion! These are the #1 bestseller in earplugs on Amazon.
Hugabox makes wonderful curated boxes with very nice decor items as well as excellent snacks. What I love about it most? The founder and CEO of the company, who lost her daughter to cancer, donates profits to cancer centers around the country designated for Sarcoma Cancer Research. Since 2015, Hugabox total giving has reached nearly $150,000.
Are they out of some of their favorites? This would be a very practical gift. You can also look through the Amazon deal’s section to find some great things to add to your care package.
It is difficult to get used to sleeping in a small dorm room with someone your teen has just met! Help them get a better night’s sleep with this luxurious eye mask.
Nothing cheers any college student more than a handwritten letter from home.
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
Here’s Why You Can Trust Us
I am part of the Grown and Flown team which is led by three moms who have raised 8 young adults and have been working on product lists for over 12 years now, making them experts. When selecting products they survey the Grown and Flown Parents Facebook group of 300,000 parents of teens, tweens and young adults. They do opinion polls, surveys and ask open-ended questions. They search for products that combine reasonable prices with high quality and are recommended by the large following. With recommendations from major retailers, trustworthy publications, and social media influencers, this post selected a range of products, paying close attention to reviews and price tags.
Annie Berning works at an ad agency in New York City as an Associate Director where she is involved in the planning and strategy for national, multi-channel media campaigns. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2018 with a Major in Media Studies and a minor in Social Entrepreneurship. She enjoys running and competing in triathlons and serves on the Junior Board of LSA, a non-profit based in East Harlem.
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