If you missed my first column, Welcome! My name is Maddy, and as a senior in college, graduating in t-minus one week, I have been considering my experience throughout these past four years.
One thing I talked about in my first column was finding a support system. Sometimes, it’s great to remember that a lot of us have a built-in support system that, while it may change, is still there to help us through the rough bits! (Parents, guardians, and family, you may want to listen up. This one is for you!)
One of the things a college student looks forward to, whether they are in-state, out-of-state, or from another country, is a notification from the mail room: Package received from Home.
Family and Friends,
I want to share with you the secret to a perfect care package from home for your current or future college student.
The Perfect Care Package
- Something your student asked for
- My parents and I devised a system, and though we do not always go by the book and I get surprises, I have a shared Amazon list with my family. Every once in a while, I will receive a gift in the mail from my list, and that is the best feeling!
- I know that sometimes it’s important to keep up with classes, and if your student has a job, that can add strain! Even so, sometimes it’s nice not to have to go out and buy new socks. Ask your students if there is anything they need, something you can pick up to take the edge off that month!
- Something your student can eat
- Snacks your student has talked about liking are always going to be a win. I know I love having food around that I can just grab out of a box, bag, or drawer. Maybe splurge a bit and buy their favorite chips, drinks, or candy!
- Gift cards
- College is about learning, and I do a good deal of my learning, when not in the classroom, at coffee shops. Send your student a gift card to their favorite shop cause if college students live off one thing, it’s caffeine.
- When we aren’t sipping a coffee, we are doing homework, and if that’s so, we may need to get supplies. Think about sending your student a gift card to their local store, so when their pens run out of ink or their notebooks are full, they can pop out and fill their book bag!
And don’t forget to leave them a little note!
Mady Farnham is graduating from George Fox University on April 27. She has been the Newberg-Dundee Public Schools intern since this fall. The Campus Beat is the college intern's occasional column.