College Care Packages

[wvmtnkid]

I need help, please!

We have this College Connect ministry at our church where each of our college students gets paired up with a member of the church. I want to send my college student a care package during exams next month and I need some ideas of what to put in it. So if you are a college student, what would you like to receive in a care package during exams?

Thanks!

 

[mariusx1]

Having been in college fairly recently, I can say food is a big one! Especially if it's a guy! It all depends on the person really, but you can't really go wrong with small, amusing stuff. Magazines (wholesome ones), maybe a small devotional book, something to put up in their room, etc. In this case, it really is the thought that counts. They'll be so excited that you cared enough to actually send them something in the mail that the actual contents are somewhat trivial!

We did this last year with all of the college students at our church. They LOVED them...no matter what we sent! Good luck!

Doug

 

[sparrow1029]

Anything related to stress relief is a good bet, too. That could include bath products (for girls--I don't know what guys would want), or stupid little toys, or anything that would make them laugh. And, related to the idea of food, you could include $5-$10 gift certificates to a local pizza place or restaurant.

I have to agree with mariusx1--it really is the thought that counts with this type of thing.

 

[wvmtnkid]

Thanks Doug! It is a guy, that is sorta why I am having a problem. If it were a girl, I can relate to what she would like and I think I would do ok. Plus it is a guy I don't know very well. I work with our youth group some, but this was a guy I didn't get to know at all, so therefore I am stumped.

Food seems to be the hit. Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[wvmtnkid]

Thanks sparrow-I like the pizza gift certificate idea!

 

[sparrow1029]

Glad to be of help! Regarding the pizza gift certificate: I don't know where he is going to college, but Pizza Hut, Dominos, and Papa Johns exist almost everywhere, and are very popular with college kids. . .

 

[sonshnes]

Where food is concerned, homemade anything! I go to a school where the food service is rated number #1 in the US among colleges and universities, and I'm sick of the food here, so I think homemade cookies, banana bread, etc. would be fabulous. Send them in a tupperware container that the student can reuse over and over.

 

[Echoes Peak]

I need help, please!

We have this College Connect ministry at our church where each of our college students gets paired up with a member of the church. I want to send my college student a care package during exams next month and I need some ideas of what to put in it. So if you are a college student, what would you like to receive in a care package during exams?

Thanks!

If I tell you, will promise to send me one? (just joking)

Considering I'm having exams in about four weeks, I guess this is what I desire:
In no particular order, aspirin, chocolate, coupons (grocery store, food restuarants), a list of encouraging verses, and tea.

 

[Pope Gonzo]

Where food is concerned, homemade anything!

That's a huge one! Brownies, cookies, whatever you're good at making, just cook up a pan and toss it in, or throw it on a couple paper plates and toss it in. It doesn't matter if they get all messed up in transit - the guy will eat them! For guys, I don't think the bath products would go quite so far Maybe throw in a bag of candy - one of those big $5 grab bags or something with a whole bunch of various little things. I assume the guy is a Christian, so a note saying that you're praying for him would be huge. I know if I got a note from a total stranger(or from anyone, for that matter!) that says "Hey, you don't know me, but I'm praying for you" would be huge.

 

[wvmtnkid]

These are wonderful suggestions! Thanks guys (and gals!) If I could, I would send you all a care package! When I went to college, I stayed at home and commuted, so I never received one. I was sorta having trouble getting started. But your ideas have helped!

Thanks again!

 

[JOYfulbeliever]

Someone sent me a water gun - a cheap one, not the huge fancy things. Lemme tell ya, that was the best thing anyone ever put into a care package for me! Nothing like having a roommate sitting across the room, both of you studying your brains out and you get to nail her with your new water gun when she isn't expecting it....mwhahahahah

Also, something you can never go wrong with - quarters! Everything takes quarters, especially laundry!!!

Play doh was always fun too. Anything to take your mind off of school - as long as it was something totally mindless that you didn't have to think about. Crayons/coloring book was another one that I loved, but a guy might not like that too much! LOL Legos maybe?

If you know what kind of music they like and have access to a CD burner, you could make them a mix of some songs?

And like others have said, you can't go wrong with food!

 

[Echoes Peak]

Someone sent me a water gun - a cheap one, not the huge fancy things. Lemme tell ya, that was the best thing anyone ever put into a care package for me! Nothing like having a roommate sitting across the room, both of you studying your brains out and you get to nail her with your new water gun when she isn't expecting it....mwhahahahah

That is the most amusing thing I've heard of.

 

[wvmtnkid]

Oh, I love the water gun idea! For one summer when I was in college, some friends and I had water guns and we had the best time with them. We would sneak up on each other at our houses and soak each other! I can't believe I had forgotten that!
Thanks Joyful!

 

[JOYfulbeliever]

Glad my "weapon of choice" brought back some memories!!!!

 

[Quiet Storm]

I wish I was the first one to reply to this thread. Reason being because I gathered what the question would be just by reading it and the first thing that popped into my head was FOOD. Food, food, food and more food. LOL But I never even thought about the other suggestionst. I wish that kind of ministry was around me.

 

[wvmtnkid]

Yeah, FOOD seems to be the most popular item!

QS, maybe you could mention it to someone at your church as a new ministry opportunity. This is a new one for us and I am anxious to see how it works out. The way it was started was that each college student was paired up with a person in the congregation. The person was asked to prayer for their college student, send them a card once a month and speak to college student when they attend church on breaks. From there we can do what we want to help out our student. I thought it was a nice program, just to send some love to a college student away from home. Actually, though I think our students attending college and living at home were included. Either way, sounds like a good program!

 

[LifeInYou]

Sorry If I've responded too late, but how 'bout a tape with a comedian on it? (A video/DVD would probably be too expensive for this type of care package) If i had a tape I could pop in when I'm stressed with someone who could make me laugh on it, I'd be in heaven!

 

[wvmtnkid]

No, you're not too late! I started early so that I would have time to gather good ideas. That sounds like a good idea to add. That would sure be a good stress killer and a good way to take a break!

 

[Matrona]

Bless you for doing this! All I usually want from home is money and clean socks, but I'll help you as best as I can.

Let's see... Food is a good one, and more specifically, easy convenience foods that sit on the shelf are the best, like soup or macaroni and cheese. I know they're expensive and have a ton of salt, but trust me, having one of those lunch bucket meals around really helps when the dining hall has bad food or if you're hungry late at night. Those new General Mills milk-and-cereal bars are really good, too--they're nonperishable, small, and they have a lot of nutrition, so they're ideal for this.

A little jar of instant coffee would be good, too. Most colleges let students have refrigerators, so a few packages of kool-aid would hit the spot for most of us. One of those little mini-keychain flashlights wouldn't be too expensive and can come in really useful. Most of us are very short on cash, so another good thing would be gift certificates to Old Navy, Claire's, and other stores that are usually in malls. (A guy could give a Claire's certificate to his girlfriend or a female friend, I guess. ) Also, if you know of a market in the area that sells vegetarian kind of stuff (in the southeast we have Earth Fare), that would also be good, because a lot of college students like to shop at places like that, but they're so expensive. One more thing--postit notes (get the 3M ones, the cheap ones are awful) are extremely useful for us!

 

[wvmtnkid]

Thanks Matrona! Once again, some wonderful ideas. Milk and cereal bars-I wouldn't have thought about those. I like that. And the post it notes-sometimes I wonder what people did before those were invented!!