Care Package for a Boy in College

I loved getting a roll of quarters for laundry!!
Gum, homemade goodies were the best, magazines, microwave popcorn, sonic gift card, maybe a beanie cap for winter coming up?!?, SOCKS!!, chapstick...

The quarters are key though! Ha!

Homemade cookies/brownies
Ramen, Easy Mac, peanut butter
Favorite snacks - granola bars, popcorn, Slim Jims, candy, gum
Breath mints
Gift card to pizza place or coffee shop
Hot cocoa mix
Favorite breakfast cereal
Pack of playing cards

Love the quarters for the laundry idea too!

Aww I love that you'll send drawing from his younger siblings, that's perfect!

I sent my baby brother a care package his 2nd year, with socks and underwear (because he wasn't doing much laundry!), quarters for laundry anyway, even though I knew he'd spend it on something else, the numbers for every cab service within a 10 mile radius, some biscotti (his favorite), some gift cards for starbucks and panera, and a small collage I had made of him, me, and our other brother from when we were very young :)

I love the commercial where the daughter opens her care package and digs out the peanut butter and is eating it with a spoon when she calls her mom...

Some of his favorite snacks, gift card or two for Starbucks, iTunes or places he's likes to eat, quarters for doing laundry, a new t-shirt, a magazine or two on a subject he likes, some socks...and I think the pictures from his siblings will be nice. Keep the care packages simple and not too expensive so you can send them a few times a school year : )

I would think snack foods that are individually packed. Maybe powedered drink mix to put in water bottles. Maybe even money, you know kiddos are always low on money. I think sending pictures will be nice, but I would not think he would put them up on the wall. He may keep them though. If he is into music maybe a new CD of his favorite artist, or some money on a Itunes card.

Food and money!

My mom and dad sent us care packages monthly when we were in college, as did my grandmothers. They typically included:
- baked goods with enough to share with new friends
- a card
- new pictures of my sisters
- some little hair accessory or school supplies
- candy
- newspaper clippings from my hometown (sounds corny, but it made me feel like I was still connected)
- cash (my dad always threw in a $20 with a note to buy pizza for me and my roomie that weekend)

gift cards, homemade cookies/snacks, pics and maybe just some notes...

Hi T.!

Just sent off a care package to my son (freshman)...He got an on campus apartment at the last minute, so my package included a drain board for dishes...a pizza pan...tons of granola bars...some 'dum dum' lollies (his fav - and halloween is coming)...a plastic container to make beverages...tins of powdered gatorade (another fav of his...for me...YUCK!)...some homemade banana bread...some micro popcorn packages...animal crackers...and some sponges surrounding it all in the hope he will CLEAN!! lol

He got it wednesday nite...and LOVED it...

Best luck!
Michele/cat

***OH...and a note...with some cash tucked in!***

Have fun!

Food. Mac n cheese in a bowl. Ramen. Chef B.
Soap, Deoderant
Magazines
Games

Single serve snack bars, chips, etc.

Halloween is coming, You could send him a package with tons of candy, spooky gooey stuff.

Send him some deodorant, a fresh tube of toothpaste and a fresh toothbrush, some homemade treats (enough to share), and a couple of $5 or $10 gift cards to his fav fast food places or sub-sandwich places, and Starbucks. Maybe some quarters for the coin operated washing machines. :)

I'm sure there are way more sophisticated ways nowadays to deal with college laundry, but my grammy used to save quarters for me in O. of those little quarter holder books and send them to me when she had it filled up. I LOVED getting those!
Change is still good in vending machines, right? LOL
So, I agree with Krista P....food and money!
Those were the poorest days of my life.
Snacks, cookies, Pop Tarts, Noodle cups....
Oh--my across the hall dorm mate (a vegetarian) used to get wheels of cheese from her mom every month or so--she lived on that and crackers. Does he have a small fridge? Maybe cheese & pepperoni & crackers?

We sent snack food, gas cards, family photos and his baby sister's artwork. Just getting something nice from home is a good thing.

When I was in college, my Grandma would send me care packages that were awesome. At Halloween I would get halloween decorations (some of them I still use!) and candy and stickers and stuff. At Valentine's day, the same thing. I would also get packages of Kraft Macaroni, my favorite. It was always special to know that she was thinking of me.

Popcorn, nuts, gift cards (to fast food places or Target or Walmart), homemade food (cookies, fudge, brownies), digital pictures only (I don't think many guys will actually put up pictures from family but will still want to see the artwork or pictures), his favorite candy or snacks. Remember while he may be your boy, he is becoming a man so now it the time you begin to treat him like a man especially before his peers. It's important.

For sure rolls of quarters!!!

Homemade rice krispies treats, Pop-tarts, and boxes of cereal were welcomed when I was in school. Some gift cards for pizza places in the area, some magazines on subjects he's interested in, Cup o Noodles soup (make sure he has a hot pot), microwave popcorn, a special mug and some ground coffee. It's so great to go to the post office at school and find out you had a PACKAGE!! It meant a lot to me, especially when I got stuff from non-parents (brother, cousin, etc.).

My son is now a junior but here are some ideas of things that I have sent him or sent back with him when he's been home for a visit:

Drink mixes (to be mixed in a water bottle)
Gum
Snacks
Gift cards for restaurants (Subway, McDonalds, Chili's, Applebee's or other local ones)
Gift cards for movies or bowling (other activities too)

These are things that ship easy and they can always use.

GIrls decorate their doors and their rooms, but I don't remember how much guys do that. So you could send him holiday decorations. When my SIL was in college, I sent her a mini-Christmas tree, etc. You could also send a "birthday party in a box" for his birthday. Also, think of things he could share with his friends, like a board game or card game. And don't forget the popcorn.

I didn't go to college, but I moved from Indiana to Massachussetts when I was 18. My mom would send my cookies, bags of fruit (apples and oranges but you have to bubble wrap them good) home made crispix mix. Homemade tomatoe juice (my fav drink and once again carefully bubble wrapped) gloves (cold in MA lol) and cds (we have the same taste in music). Something I use to send her and my grandparents was a video postcard. I took my video camera around my apartment and my job and introduced them to my friends.

I always loved getting food. Cookies, brownies, microwave popcorn, definitely gum.

Definitely agree with other posts about deodorant and toothpast and stuff.

Looks like you've gotten lots of great ideas. I would have loved all these things.

I think pepperoni or a huge salami would be great. Plus maybe some triscuits and a 'we're thinking about you' note or "BRAIN FOOD!" note. Gift card to Sonic with a reminder that Happy Hour is from 2-4 for half price drinks. Most dorms have microwaves - so popcorn is a great idea. ACT II came out with two new flavors that are cheap - Valentina and Queso Jalepeno. Orville came out with a few too but I haven't tried them (too expensive). Index cards to remind him to study! Send him $5 for cover-charge for the band playing at the local bar. My funny-but-maybe-not-so-funny-if-he-needs-them-answer is "condoms" b/c ya never know! College freshman and lots of parties coming up!