Care Packages for College Students

[ZenTaurus]

As a fellow college student, I'm obscenely jealous of your daughter from reading about all the wonderful things you're sending her. Food-wise, you're doing excellently, although you might want to ask her what she's liked the most and least of the care packages so far, as personally i've gotten a few excellent surprises and a few completely redundant ones (my parents are under the impression that ramen is some sort of rare delicacy, unobtainable within a 100 miles of my campus) that are just sitting in my cabinet. As far as soft TP goes, I can personally vouch that it would be appreciated, as most schools seem to have entered into bulk-purchase deals with sandpaper factories to save some cash. Sending protection...no no no no no no no a thousand times no. Colleges know perfectly well what we get up to, getting protection on campus if it's needed is never a problem. That being said, keep up the good work!

[maggiethecat]

I don't have much to add about the contents of the box -- I'd add a box of Kleenex with the TP. But the packing medium should be your local paper. Another voice from home.

[KarenDW]

Apparently fresh fruit is a hot commodity on campus. As in, from my daughter's FB page, "how do we not have scurvy". Don't know what you can send to WA without the produce police getting their shorts all in a knot, though.

[baroness]

If you do want to send fruit, I'd suggest using a fruit company (Harvey's Groves, Hale, whatever) as they know how to prevent freezing (and deal with the 'produce police') en route. A bit pricey, but healthy goods.

[Karystos]

It is very nice that you are sending care packages to your daughter. I come from a large family from Alaska and we went to school all over the US (and world), and my mom was great about it and still continues to this day. In reality I am sure she appreciates anything you send, but pretty much everything you can think of is available to your daughter in Tacoma... except those things that can only come from home . . . Pictures, news clippings, and homemade treats were always the best. Holidays can be a little lonely, so pictures from childhood and days gone by can be especially nice. btw, is she at UPS or PLU?

[snowangel]

My final package of the semester for Diana included port salut cheese, some sort of plain Pepperidge Farm cracker "sticks," some manchego cheese, Reeses PB thingies (leftover from Halloween), a box of Kraft Mac and Cheese, laundry detergent (those new Purex 3 in 1 sheets) and note cards (Peter addressed two to himself in a moment of wishful thinking). Oh, and a College sweatshirt (replica of the one John Belushi wore in "Animal House." We will see her on December 18 or 19, and she wants me to have a stash of bagels and cream cheese on hand, and on the 19th, we will decorate the tree, and she wants venison curry and stir-fried Chinese broccoli. It will be an adjustment to be a family of 5 again!

As to the "care packages" -- she's loved everything I've sent. Trader Joe's is a gold-mine for care packages; I just haven't made the trip for this last package of the semester, but scrounged with what we had here at home (home shopping is a good thing).

[Chris Hennes]

It's that time of year again: the moment they are out the door, you start plotting what you are going to send them in the first care package... what are you all plotting this year?

[helenjp]

Son1 has survived his first semester. In his case, the problem is that he is in a full Japanese environment, so he wants "exotic" things like musli to counteract the raw eggs for breakfast.

What he appreciates:

Pasta sauces (both the boil in a bag "heat and eat" type for late-night/rushed meals and the "add meat & veg" type).

Big bag of musli to cheer up weekend mornings.

Small stash of nice one-serve filter coffee packs.

Cookies & snacks that he feels guilty about buying with his living expenses money (it would be cheaper for him to buy them locally, but apparently it's better to get them in a box from home...).

These apparently fall into three categories:

* chocolate

* things that can be eaten with one hand while on the computer

* things that are refreshing and reviving when tired

Expensive engineering & tech-head magazines, also no doubt cheaper bought locally...