All-Star College Care Packages

[jcheermom]

I am in need of some input!! My CP leaves for college in less than 2 weeks-work week, NCA Camp, then moving in. I would like to surprise her and leave some thoughtful things in a basket when we leave to come back home, but I don't want to just call and have the companies that sell care packages do it, so I'm looking for creative ideas for her basket. I have purchased a Collapsible Market Tote to put the items in so that the tote is practical and can be re-used. I want to stay away from the cliche items and try and be more personal. Our family will each write her a letter or card to enclose in it and I will include some confort food like chocolate, but I would like to see if anyone has any cute ideas.

 

[kisscheer18]

as a college kid, practical things are amazing.. like giftcards, socks, etc. but if you want to make it more personal than practical- one of the first things my mom sent me was a picture frame with an old picture of me and my family which i really loved and also had some girls i babysit make me a friendship bracelet.

avoid sending candles or clutter things(my mom sent me a goldfish, like the snack goldfish, shaped box to put stuff in..) but nail polish in her favorite color, or something that makes you think of her when you see it in a store she'll love. sorry last story- my mom sent me a tshirt she found at a store, when i opened the box i had no clue why she sent me this random shirt but she attached a note to it explaining the meaning (childhood stuff) and i still have it today.

go for sweet, aww things cause believe it or not we miss our mommys and daddys alot

 

[mdmetromom]

Are you looking for cheer related stuff? If so, maybe include:
a new bow with her college colors
framed picture of her high school or allstar teams
cheer bow for her backpack
flash drive with various cheer mixes

In general items:
a new water bottle
gift cards to local grocery store
iTunes gift cards
lipstick, lipgloss, sunscreen, hair ties
photo calendar

 

[wcdad]

My Daughter is about 1000 miles away and there are food items that are not available in the Louisville area that she has grown up on. I send her a box about once month, and when I visit make sure I bring some of the larger or perishable items

Last care box

Homemade CC Cookies
Tasty Cakes, (can’t get them in KY)
Martin Potato Rolls, She loves them and again can’t get them in KY
She loves the Phillies and I will always include something from the team, shirt, pen, cards, etc
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Bath and Body gift card
Restaurant Gift cards
Items from her old Gym
Pepperidge Farm Cheese fish


When I visit I bring

Ice Tea Sip Boxes, we have yet to find them in KY
Pork Roll
Potato Rolls
Chip Steak for Philly Cheese Steaks
Fresh Cheese steak Rolls,
Fresh Italian Sausage, I end up making dinner for 50 kids or so every time I visit.
And any other thing she might be craving from home. You will be surprised at some of the things...


Keep your cell phone on when you go to bed, mine loves to call after practice at 1 am as they are in wallmart looking for ideas for dinner or just to chat.. lol

 

[wcdad]

also get her some frames and let her pick pictures of friends and family

 

[xomckenzieee]

Instead of obvious necessities, send her things she probably would think of. I loved receiving packages with hair products, nail polish, make up and other stuff that I needed but didn't wanna spend money on. To remind me of home she would send me sports team stuff (I'm a huge Sabres/Bills fan) so I accumulated a lot of hats, shirts, etc. But in college that's all I wear. Think of random things that just make her smile. My best friends send me a stuffed minion from Despicable Me cuz that's my favorite movie. You know her best (even if she won't admit it).

 

[krystynakrez]

When I visit I bring

Pork Roll

Pork roll egg and cheese <3 :cloud9::cloud9::cloud9::cloud9::cloud9:

 

[cheerforeverever]

Anything that is easily shareable with friends/roommates is also great.......my roommates loved my mom(and they hadn't even met her until the end of the semester lol) because she would send things like a batch of homemade cookies or a big basket of goofy candy, popcorn, movie snacks,etc. that I'd share if we did a roomie movie/tv night or something.

 

[jcheermom]

Thanks so much!! All of these ideas are great!! I will be leaving her the first care package when we leave right after we move her in and I will send her her first one for her 18th birthday in September-she's a young Freshman. She's rooming with her best friend so I think the adjustment will be easier for her than without knowing her roommate, but I still want to, as most of you have recommended, give her the comfort of her home. Many cheer ideas and even special ones that I will be using. Also if anyone has creative birthday ideas, I will take those ideas also. She won't be coming home often with her cheer schedule so we will be the ones bringing the comforts of home to her. Thanks and keep them coming!!!

 

[wcdad]

Thanks so much!! All of these ideas are great!! I will be leaving her the first care package when we leave right after we move her in and I will send her her first one for her 18th birthday in September-she's a young Freshman. She's rooming with her best friend so I think the adjustment will be easier for her than without knowing her roommate, but I still want to, as most of you have recommended, give her the comfort of her home. Many cheer ideas and even special ones that I will be using. Also if anyone has creative birthday ideas, I will take those ideas also. She won't be coming home often with her cheer schedule so we will be the ones bringing the comforts of home to her. Thanks and keep them coming!!!

Eatable arrangements... The Kids love them and they are so good.

 

[jcheermom]

as a college kid, practical things are amazing.. like giftcards, socks, etc. but if you want to make it more personal than practical- one of the first things my mom sent me was a picture frame with an old picture of me and my family which i really loved and also had some girls i babysit make me a friendship bracelet.

avoid sending candles or clutter things(my mom sent me a goldfish, like the snack goldfish, shaped box to put stuff in..) but nail polish in her favorite color, or something that makes you think of her when you see it in a store she'll love. sorry last story- my mom sent me a tshirt she found at a store, when i opened the box i had no clue why she sent me this random shirt but she attached a note to it explaining the meaning (childhood stuff) and i still have it today.

go for sweet, aww things cause believe it or not we miss our mommys and daddys alot

Thanks for your personal stories. They made me stop and think about some special moments in my CP's life. I have actually kept a journal for her since I found out that I was pregnant with her (well all 3 of my children), and I think I will place hers in her care package that I am leaving her when I leave so that she can look back on her life and my milestones with her growing up.

 

[jcheermom]

My Daughter is about 1000 miles away and there are food items that are not available in the Louisville area that she has grown up on. I send her a box about once month, and when I visit make sure I bring some of the larger or perishable items

Last care box

Homemade CC Cookies
Tasty Cakes, (can’t get them in KY)
Martin Potato Rolls, She loves them and again can’t get them in KY
She loves the Phillies and I will always include something from the team, shirt, pen, cards, etc
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Bath and Body gift card
Restaurant Gift cards
Items from her old Gym
Pepperidge Farm Cheese fish


When I visit I bring

Ice Tea Sip Boxes, we have yet to find them in KY
Pork Roll
Potato Rolls
Chip Steak for Philly Cheese Steaks
Fresh Cheese steak Rolls,
Fresh Italian Sausage, I end up making dinner for 50 kids or so every time I visit.
And any other thing she might be craving from home. You will be surprised at some of the things...


Keep your cell phone on when you go to bed, mine loves to call after practice at 1 am as they are in wallmart looking for ideas for dinner or just to chat.. lol

I love the idea of bringing her things from home that she will miss, and I feel that my CP will too be calling me late at night because I am a night owl and she knows that she can call me any time, day or night, but she won't call me when she is driving!!

 

[MyGirlCheers]

I'd do that journal for her 18th birthday care package - she'll have been at school long enough for the honeymoon excitement to wear off and might appreciate it more. Is there some place in the town where she'll be that might be fun for her and a few friends to go to for her birthday? Maybe send her a gift certificates so she and her friends can have a night out celebrating.

 

[jcheermom]

I can probably arrange it so that her roommate takes her somewhere special for her birthday-by then they will have scoped out the area and should have a favorite hot spot that they can go with soem friends-her and her roommate are best friends from high school and she will plan something out for her if I ask her to and send her money or a gift card. I can send a care pack to her with her book in the package with all of her birthday surprises in it and it will probably sting a little less with her being away from home on her 18th birthday.
I am so pumped now to do these care packages and I think CP will be totally surprised by the creativity that you all have sparked in me-Thanks ALL!!

 

[njallday]

first of all, the journal thing is amazing! i hope when i have kids, i remember that idea!!

my mom would always send me little care packages with all sorts of random things. they would usually include necessities, such as, tampons, deodorant, razors, etc. since she knew i'd always need that stuff. (in the winter that also included some tylenol/nyquil/tissues/things for colds since i am sick 24/7)

she would include some of my favorite snacks and something baked from home - usually homemade rice krispy treats since i had no kitchen in the dorms and couldn't make them.

one time, she sent me homemade applesauce (which is one of my top 5 favorite foods.) she froze it before sending and purchased some dry ice at our local grocery and a small Styrofoam cooler and it kept perfectly.

i think my favorite care package was when i was starting to feel homesick... i am from a small beach town in nj. (from march to november, i literally spend every second on the beach tanning, swimming, kayaking, fishing, walking my dogs, etc. so the beach is very much a part of me.) i don't think i realized how much it was a part of me until this beach kid was stuck up high in the pocono mountains with no water in sight. so my mom went to the boardwalk and bought me some silly "jersey girl" tshirt that was for tourists and something i'd never in a million years wear (but i wore it to sleep most nights at school, don't tell ) she also included cotton candy and salt water taffy and my favorite part: a cute glass bottle filled with the beach's sand (and a message in the bottle) and a seashell she found that day. this care package meant the most to me and i'll always remember it.


yes, that was a long story but maybe it'll spark some ideas about your CP's hometown too, just in case she gets homesick