posted
My 18-year-old cousin is graduating from high school and will be going off to college in the fall. For her graduation present, I am making her a college survival kit. I am buying her a nice backpack, which is her real present, and I am filling with all kinds of things she will need in college. I need ideas of inexpensive things to put in the kit. I want this to be more funny than anything else. She is a devout Christian and she is going to Baylor and she will be opening this in front of family so nothing crude (although I would think condoms would be useful, her parents would NOT). Here is what I have thought of so far: No-Doze tablets and cans of Red Bull (for late night cramming) little packets of coffee (for mornings after cramming) Ramen Noodles (when the dorm cafeteria is closed)
What else? Please also give a description of why it should be included. I am going to print that on stickers to stick on the items. Thanks! Here is what I have thought of so far: No-Doze tablets and cans of Red Bull (for late night cramming) Little packets of coffee (for mornings after cramming) Ramen Noodles (when the dorm cafeteria is closed)
What else? Please also give a description of why it should be included. I am going to print that on stickers to stick on the items. Thanks!
Posts: 1319 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
pack of playing cards (for when there is nothing else to do)
(I've been thinking about this a lot lately, as well, since my daughter will be moving to a dorm this fall)
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
A couple of cheap mugs. You can never have enough mugs. Washing powder. She will need to do some laundry at some point, unless she plans to take it all home! Soap/shower gel. Clean is good. Earplugs? University buildings can be loud places. Blu-tack for putting up posters. Bic pens. Pens get lost/broken/"borrowed" so it's always worth having about 10 spares.
Posts: 1550 | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Gift card to Kroger or other local supermarket (for everything from late-night ice cream needs to "dorm food is nasty" needs)
A book that provides basic medical advice, including how to treat a cold and when to go to the doctor (very important to keep her from having $7,000 ER bills, since she'll hopefully be able to recognize and go in for anything bad BEFORE it's an emergency; there are several good ones out there or, alternatively, give her a list of websites that can help with that)
A funny DVD or two (because you can't study all the time )
A cuddly fleece blanket (for when her roommate is up until 4 and she has to go sleep on the couch)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm trying to think of some really small toys that would just be fun to have around -- but I'm drawing a blank. Just something you can set on a desk but pick up once in awhile to fiddle with....
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by collissimon: Chocolates or sweets to hand out to your new housemates: great for starting off conversations!
That's exactly what I did. During introductions at the first floor meeting, I made the announcement that my mom had left me with an entire box of macadamia nut chocolates and anyone who wanted some just needed to drop by my room to say hi.
People stopped by and would stay to talk. My roommate and I knew everyone on the floor well and quickly.
Posts: 866 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Is she dorming or getting her own place? Any further suggestions I'd make would depend on that.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
My laundry uses a card system, so no quarters involved.
- Those little thumbtack pins or the like, for walls/corkboard. - Extra sticky post-it notes (or any post its)
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
Easy Mac and instant oatmeal as well as Ramen. Actually, a small water heater is really useful because you can make Ramen et. al without leaving the room. I don't know how expensive they are.
Microwaveable bowls. Because if it can't be nuked then it probably won't be made.
I definitely recommend earplugs. But I also recommend blinders as a roommate may need to stay up and study when she wants to sleep.
A shower basket. Often people will leave their toiletries in the shower and/or have to carry them to the showers and they make it easier.
A gift card to BJ's or Sam's Club. Bulk is good.
Posts: 484 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Farmgirl: I'm trying to think of some really small toys that would just be fun to have around -- but I'm drawing a blank. Just something you can set on a desk but pick up once in awhile to fiddle with....
What about one of those stress balls? Or perhaps a bobble-head of some character/person that she likes? Or magnetic poetry for her fridge (if she'll have one)?
A stapler and staples, a 3-hole punch, highlighters, paperclips (the fun colored kind), and fun colored gel pens would probably be appreciated. I know I always appreciate fun colored pens, but then I'm inordinately pleased by office supplies.
Posts: 952 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was going to say "warm footsie socks for winter" but then remembered Baylor is in Texas -- not really that cold....
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:I'm inordinately pleased by office supplies.
You are not the only one. I actually go to Office Depot for fun.
I don't know if there is one on campus, but filling up a Starbucks card with $10 or so would always be appreciated on the days when that extra coffee/tea is really needed.
Posts: 484 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
A good planner is essential, IMO. I'm extremely picky about the planner format - it absolutely must be formatted like this one. And I always go planner shopping early in the summer - if I wait until the school year starts, all the ones I can tolerate are already gone. I believe I've seen planners for the next school year at stores already.
Posts: 952 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
Before you bite my head off, even if she is a virgin and plans to remain one, she should keep some around if a friend of hers or roommate needs one.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ero: In my own experience, most of my friends DID cook, but it was only a few times a month. If they weren't at a restaurant or eating at the dining hall, they were most likely studying or really busy and didn't have the time to cook.
Nell: I am really anal retentive about my planners as well. I have a leather one which have refillable inserts, which is perfect as I don't have to stress about replacing it anymore. I love it.
Posts: 484 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
A Rubik's cube, for studying group theory. No, really! The cube is an excellent physical representation of a transformation group. It's educational, honest!
Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Kristen, . I actually like to keep my used planners after really eventful semesters/years because I'm not very good about keeping a regular journal/blog. But I'll probably feel moved to switch to a refillable planner at some point too as Real Life catches up with me.
Posts: 952 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
Boon
unregistered
posted
A supply of Birthday, Anniversary, Get Well, and other cards to send her loved ones, along with the stamps already mentioned.
Spiral notebooks, with perforated edges for easy fringe removal.
posted
Definitely microwavable bowls. Preferably ones that don't break easily.
The first week I was living in the dorms, my friends and I almost started a fire trying to microwave a plastic bowl of something. Smoke EVERYWHERE. Dorm windows that don't open more than a crack. Smoke alarms which, but for the grace of God, we would have set off.
Speaking of fire alarms, get her some kind of shoes to wear and pajamas that she can wear in public (white tshirts will not do). We had a couple of fire alarms go off at 4 in the morning. We had another one go off around 7ish, and some of the guys in the building ended up standing outside in nothing but towels because they were in the middle of showering.
posted
I may have missed this, but in the gift card category: some fast food places also them. I've seen McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Sonic.
This is a good thread. My younger niece is also going off to college - in Chicago, from Iowa. I was wondering what to give her for graduation. Mom suggested Target or Wal-Mart gift certificates. I know they come in handy for us - especially Wal-Mart. I put some money on a Wal-Mart card every payday for gas and grocery money.
Posts: 2034 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would also go with plastic forks and spoons. The throw-away kind, hell Im 26 and I STILL use them from college days. And yes I am still a bachelor, how could you tell?
One last thing, a gas card for her car. This will most likely be essential with gas the way it is, and this would certainly help.
Posts: 457 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh, and a USB key to go on her keychain (not entirely inexpensive - but invaluable when you find out you must absolutely take this paper with you to print out, or have another similar emergency).
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:No picture frames, you don't know how many high school grads get. I think I got 8, from 8 seperate people.
Really? Wow, I wonder if your experience was unusual or mine was...I got over 200 gifts (one of the benefits of having an enormous grad party) and not one of them was a picture frame.
The Brita is also a great idea - I laugh at how much money college kids waste on bottled water from vending machines in their buildings.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
The USB drive is a good idea and I just bought a 1 Gig drive to go with an FM modulator, then found out the FM modulator isn't supposed to use the bigger USB drives. (This information was inside the package, of course.) So, I could give her that and a gift card and it would be a pretty good gift.
Posts: 2034 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Mine might have been sort of unusual, but I know several friends also got a bunch of picture frames, and not from the same people.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Going along with the Brita idea - a non-breakable, easy-to-wash, BIG water bottle is lovely to carry around campus & keep yourself hydrated.
Perhaps a Glade Plug-In scent thingy, as dorm rooms can often have smells to them, and candles aren't allowed...
I second the easy mac, instant oatmeal, ramen, and water heater. You might consider finding the ramen thread here on Hatrack and writing out some of the simplier recipies.
A book on finances would be a great idea - I think this is one of the biggest issues for freshmen. Also, The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
Dayquil and Nightquil.
For office supplies, I'm a big fan of the smaller composition notebooks - pages in the spiral notebooks come out easier if you flip through it a lot. Large index cards can be very useful for studying.
Chapstick and extra hairbands.
An annoying, loud alarmclock that has backup batteries and a small snooze button.
A giftcard to half.com for textbooks.
Crayons or markers & a fun coloring book
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:No picture frames, you don't know how many high school grads get. I think I got 8, from 8 seperate people.
Really? Wow, I wonder if your experience was unusual or mine was...I got over 200 gifts (one of the benefits of having an enormous grad party) and not one of them was a picture frame.
You're a guy. I got at least a half dozen.
Posts: 866 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm a college student living in a dorm. Things I've found helpful include:
Basic first aid kit: band-aids, OTC painkillers, antiseptic, antibiotic cream, something for bug bites if she lives in a mosquito prone area (the Benadryl itch stick is great), and a hot pad (my friend's mom made us all a simple hot pad--it's a large tube of cloth filled with rice, easily heated in the microwave.
Put together some of your favorite simple recipes. Because cooking in the dorm is kind of inconvenient.
A bag of cookies for when she's feeling homesick never hurts.
A roll of quarters for laundry is really, really helpful. My mom even made a small cloth bag to hold them. If the dorm doesn't require quarters at the laundry, she can always go play video games with them.
A paperback novel or book of paper and pencil games (like crosswords) for those rare moments when she's not studying.
Small whiteboards are a must when living in the dorms. How else will people leave notes for you?
A wall calendar with pictures of something she likes is always nice. Grandma sends me a calendar of Hawaii every year. When I'm done with it, I cut out the pictures and decorate the room with it. Decoration is a must for making a room feel like home.
Blank CDs/DVDs for backing up her computer, transporting files to class, or burning music for all her dormmates. You could make her a mix CD of music you think she'd like.
Pencils, pens, paper, notebooks, binders, etc. Not exciting, but very useful.
3M mounting strips. They're very handy for hanging things on walls, for example. Also, see if you can find the plastic hooks and clips that come with the strips. That way, she can have a few extra places to hang things, or keep electrical cords out of the way with clips.
Gatorade mix for those drinking nights (this is innocuous too)
Really nice mechanical pencils. I am not talking those plastic trashy ones. Get a couple of the rubber handled 0.9 variety like 5 bucks each, they are AWESOME, and reliable.
A Ukelele (trust me)
Tea of several varieties
Headphones
earplugs
Cliff bars
Condoms, but maybe later when the parents aren't around
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
There is a great book out there called Where's Mom Now That I Need Her: Surviving Away From Home. I would highly suggest it for anyone moving away from family for the first time. It has frugal recipes, cleaning tips (including getting stains out of laundry), first aid and illness information. A great resource all in one book!
Posts: 224 | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
)![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
