Summer is a carefree time for us college kids. It means no more late-night study sessions or back-to-back 10-page papers. And once we’re back at school, there’s no denying that we miss the small luxuries living with our families for the summer affords. Knowingly, parents and relatives often attempt to ease our frazzled minds and unburden our thinning wallets with gifts from home. Though while they mean well, care packages can often end up overflowing with too many packs of gum and pairs of socks, which is why we’re using this opportunity to say: Stop sending us batteries, storage bins, and cookie tins. Here are the four essentially items we really want (and need) in our college-survival kit.
Restaurant Gift Cards
Dining hall food is great… until it isn’t. After a while, we pine for what I like to call “real people food.” Unfortunately, real people food costs real people money, which tends to be in short supply for most students. Help us out by sending some gift cards to restaurants and stores within walking distance from campus, like Starbucks, Chipotle, or Panera, where we can get a fix of our favorite non-cafeteria fare after class.
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Portable Chargers
We’re constantly running around, and more often than not, we’re doing so with phones in hand. Portable chargers that don’t require an outlet, such as this rechargeable USB stick or a built-in charging phone case come in extremely handy during busy weekdays or long nights out, when we don’t have the chance to re-charge before moving on to our next activity. They can be a bit expensive, but they’re pay off in the long run.
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Stress Relievers
These are an easy way to personalize a package while including something with an important, practical function. A funny movie on Blu-ray, interesting board game, scented candle, or herbal tea is greatly appreciated during exam weeks and other high-stress periods when students need to unwind. Plus, they’re not the kind of thing we’d think to get for ourselves, making them a welcome surprise.
Laundry Supplies and Toiletries
Before college, we got used to having these amenities around the house without having to shop for them ourselves. Thus, don’t overlook everyday items like dryer sheets, scent boosters, disposable razors, teeth-whitening strips, new shower shoes, mouthwash, or detergent would be. The latter is especially helpful for freshmen first doing their own laundry. Although may need you to include a how-to guide alongside those Tide Pods.
