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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.
A college care package, with cookies and other treats inside, can be a fun surprise for students and their roommates and dorm mates. (Shutterstock Kodjovi)
“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
1. Cookies
The fastest way to make new friends is to share treats with 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.)
Legos are popular and there are so many sets to choose from – from retro Star Wars to flowers and much more. These would be a cute decoration in her dorm room.
Heading off to college is a major milestone. Celebrate your daughter’s accomplishment with a piece of Kyle Cavan’s stunning collegiate jewelry collections – featuring 300+ officially licensed schools and organizations. Make her gift even more special by personalizing it with a custom note of encouragement. It’s the perfect gift she’ll love to wear for years to come. Use code G&F15 at checkout for 15% off (Some exclusions apply. Limited time offer).
The expression on this reclining duck nightlight makes it a uniquely whimsical gift, and pretty perfect for a care package item. It has three levels of brightness and is rechargeable.
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. These are the #1 bestseller in Technical Pens on Amazon.
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.
In this book, Dr. Meg 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 whenever they encounter a sticky situation. This is the #1 bestseller in Teen & Young Adult College Guides on Amazon.
Retired 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…
There is so much to learn about money, and this Wall Street Journal best-seller will give your teen a foundation in financial literacy. This can be their go-to resource when they have questions about their student loans, submitting their income taxes, budgeting, investments, retirement accounts, and so much more.
No one in the arts (and beyond) may inspire more admiration than Miranda, creator of the amazing musical Hamilton. But before creating that, he posted inspiring tweets. This book is a collection of his best and a New York Times Bestseller. Illustrated by acclaimed artist Jonny Sun.
New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist, Jodi Kantor has written a modern guide for today’s college students. She has expanded on her Columbia University commencement address to help them understand “How, in this environment, is anyone supposed to find and start their life’s work?”
A clear, see-through putty that magically shifts from clear to cloudy with every squeeze. It’s endlessly fun to stretch, bounce, sculpt, and fidget with — and it never dries out, so the fun lasts.
For any student that goes to a school where winter comes early, 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 give your student peace of mind if they have to walk back from an evening class or walk to a parking garage alone. Pull the pin which activates a loud alarm and a strobe light. This new version of this popular personal alarm has a RECHARGEABLE battery and the pin can be replaced and the alarm reused. This is the #1 bestseller in Security Horns & Sirens on Amazon.
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 a popular product to treat periodic breakouts. No one wants to deal with an ugly pimple when they’re trying to make a great first impression. This is the #1 bestseller in Facial Treatments and Masks on Amazon.
Dorm room walls are blank slates for every college student to decorate. Your teen can put up photos of your family, their dog or a poster from their hometown or new college town. Throw in a package of Command Poster Adhesive Strips so posters can be put up easily without damaging the walls.
A door stopper is an easy way for your son or daughter to get to know people a little more easily on their hall. Great for a fall care package, in particular.
This sweater is adorable for the fall and winter months. Available in many pretty colors and comes in six sizes. Machine washable makes is a practical addition to your daughter’s wardrobe.
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.
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.
If your student is attending college in a colder climate, this is another option for hand warmers to help them stay warm and comfortable on the walk to class or at football games.
This leave-in treatment repairs and strengthens hair from the inside out, helping to restore softness, shine, and resilience. This is the #1 bestseller in Hair Treatment Masks on Amazon.
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.
A lightweight tinted lip balm that delivers hydration and a glossy shine without feeling sticky. Infused with shea and murumuru seed butters, it helps lock in moisture and keep lips soft and smooth all day long.
A reusable cloth that removes everything — even waterproof mascara — with just water. Soft, easy to clean, and eco-friendly, she won’t need to buy makeup wipes ever again.
This small lighted make up mirror might be helpful if your daughter wants to apply makeup in her dorm room at her desk. Stores flat and is rechargeable. Available in black, pink and white.
This compact USB‑rechargeable clip‑on reading light with adjustable brightness and eye‑friendly lighting works great for late‑night reading or study sessions.
Help your teen pamper themselves with this face mask set. Each mask delivers a boost of hydration and refreshes skin after long days of classes or studying.
This lotion deeply nourishes dry hands with rich shea butter and coconut oil. It absorbs quickly without feeling greasy, leaving hands soft, smooth, and protected.
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
The Grown and Flown team is led by three moms who have raised 8 young adults and have been working on product lists for over 14 years now, making them experts. When selecting products they survey the Grown and Flown Parents Facebook group of more than 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 a 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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