Things any student would love to get while they’re on campus!
This post is all about what to put in a college care package.
One of the best surprises in the throes of a difficult semester when you’re living away from home is to unexpectedly receive a college care package. If you’ve landed on this post, my guess is that you’re looking for great ideas of small gifts to add to a care package for a family member or friend who’s away in college!
I’ll be real with you…
It’s more than the thought that counts when it comes to care packages. You want to make sure you give the student something that is really going to help them out while they work hard in school. College gift baskets are a great way to give a taste of home to the homesick student you know.
But how do you do that, exactly?
The best formula for care packages is to make them fun, practical, and useful, but NOT a waste of space for the student.
When you’re shopping for your favorite college kid, the last thing you want to do is waste your money or buy them unnecessary clutter.
Luckily for you, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best ideas for a great care package that any student would love!
Here are some ideas of college care package items that any student would love, use, and not feel like is a waste of their space.
This post is all about what to put in a college care package.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Our full disclosure policy is pretty boring, but you can read it here.
BEST COLLEGE CARE PACKAGE IDEAS:
1. Cute stationery items
Let’s start off with a practical suggestion… You can never go wrong with some stationery items!!
Odds are, they’ll run out of these supplies at some point anyways, so these are a perfect gift no matter what time of year you’re sending your care package.
[RELATED – 10 Stationery Supplies Successful College Students Use]
2. Their favorite healthy snacks
You don’t need me to tell you specifically what snacks to get, because you know your recipient’s favorite treats better than I do.
Making a college care package healthy isn’t hard. Whether it’s granola bars, trail mix, dried fruits, sparkling water, or something else… All you have to do is just throw in a couple healthy non-perishable snacks that they’ll love and it’s automatically a thoughtful gift!
3. Their favorite candy
On the other hand, every student needs a little junk food from time to time to get through a tough study session.
Grab their favorite sweet or savory snacks and throw those in the care package as well! It’s the little things that make all the difference when you’re a homesick college student.
4. Their favorite album on vinyl
This one gets bonus points if your college student has a record player already!
If not, if they’re big music fans they can still appreciate the vinyl and use it as decor. There are tons of students who do this, and it’s always a great reminder of how well you know them and how much you miss them.
5. Coffee and tea
In my opinion, coffee is an absolute necessity in college.
If your college student makes their own coffee, you can grab them a bag of a really good blend. If they’re a little more simple, you can always opt for K-cups or instant coffee to help get them through.
Not a coffee drinker at all?
Opt for some tea instead!! Their immune systems probably need it, and a hot cup of tea is a great way to bring some homey-ness to those late-night study sessions.
College life often means a vibrant social life, but every student deserves a little self care in college as well. Sheet masks are one of the easiest products to add to any college care package!!
If you want to give them something that they’ll be able to use for some time to come, opt for a nice exfoliating body scrub. This will make them feel so clean, smell good, and just give them the opportunity to feel like you’re bringing the spa to them!!
I always love getting nice soap as a gift.
Try this black charcoal soap or a goat’s milk soap. So simple and inexpensive, but is such a lovely gift to get!
10. Toothbrushes & toothpaste
I know this might sound boring, but think about what I said in the introduction about getting them something useful that won’t just take up their space.
What about actually getting something that will save them time? A toothbrush and toothpaste is such a simple gift, but it means that they’ll have extra on hand for when they run out of toothpaste or need to switch their toothbrush, which could even save them a trip to the store.
Travel mugs are a college student’s best friend. And even if they already have one, this is a great item to add to a college care package for guys OR girls because it’s always handy to have a second one on hand in case you misplace the first one or haven’t gotten the chance to wash it out.
12. A gift card to their favorite restaurant or fast food place
Yes, lots of college students like to eat as healthy as possible… but we also like to go out with our friends!
And the truth is, feeling guilty for spending money at restaurants is common for college students because we don’t have tons of disposable income.
So, a gift card to a restaurant or fast food place is a great way to rid a student of some of their financial burden and give them a fun time in the process!
If you’re not sure what gift card to get them, Starbucks gift cards are always a safe option. You could also buy them a gift card to Walmart, Target, or their nearest grocery store. These will definitely come in handy!
Who doesn’t love to be cozy and comfy?!
Including slippers in your care package to college student is a great way to send them a little dose of comfort! Slippers are a must-have for dorm living.
Everyone could use more socks, right?! Socks are probably the most common thing to lose and misplace, especially on campus! So you really can’t go wrong with sending cozy socks in the care package.
Allll I’m saying is that this weighted blanket has seriously changed the game for me!
And I know so many college students who love using weighted blankets. There are supposed to be lots of benefits of weighted blankets that really help your sleep quality and help with managing anxiety and stress.
This is a little bit of an expensive care package item, but totally worth it if you can manage and if you think it will help with your college student’s stress levels!
16. Cold medicine
Always good to have on hand!
Adding cold medicine is especially great if you’re sending the care package because the student is already sick. But in general, it’s always good to have cold medicine on hand because most people get sick in college at some point or other!
Can't go wrong with a cozy throw blanket, right?!
If your college student is missing home and struggling to keep a positive mindset in college, getting them this beautiful gratitude journal is a great way to help pick them up. They can start developing the habit of writing down things they're grateful for.
Keeping a gratitude journal is actually so effective in improving your mindset!
An air freshener is one of my favorite ideas for college care package items because every student could always use some air fresheners for their dorm room.
These plug-in air fresheners are a great way to always keep a dorm room smelling fresh!
20. Perfume or cologne
Perfume is one of my favorite gifts to get and I honestly will never get tired of getting perfume as a gift!
If you want to treat your college student to something that will make them feel extra special, perfume or cologne is the way to go!
Laptop stickers are a thoughtful, inexpensive add-on that you can put in any college care package!
22. Personalized notes
It costs no money to write a thoughtful handwritten note, but it will definitely be the most priceless thing in your care package.
Sometimes, all a college student needs is a few words of encouragement. Whether it’s stress, homesickness, or heartbreak that’s got them down, words of encouragement always help so much!
23. Body wash
Taking care of yourself with products that smell good and come from someone you love is sometimes really all you need to feel better!
That’s why body wash is a great item to send to a college student. They’ll use it, appreciate it, and it may even save them a bit of money since they won’t have to spend their precious $ on body wash next time they run out!
I must buy lip balm like 3x a month just because I lose them so frequently.
This is a common story for college students because we're always grabbing stuff like lip balm to take on-the-go and then misplacing it (other people do that too, right?! Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better.)
Either way, lip balm is a necessity for both guys and girls!
When it comes to college care packages for girls, you really can't go wrong with lip gloss!
This NYX butter gloss is one of the best.
Even a small eye shadow palette would make a girl smile.
Sending some makeup she can use on her nights out is a great way to spoil any college girl!
In my opinion, an essential oil diffuser is one of the best dorm appliances anyone can have!
If your college student doesn’t have one yet, it’s the perfect item to gift to them.
28. New workout clothes
Whether the student you're sending a care package to is super athletic or just wants to be comfy in some athleisure, new workout clothes are a great way to surprise them.
You know they'll love workout clothes like these and wear them constantly!
Hair ties are one of the easiest things to lose or accidentally leave at a friend's place.
And I know that whenever I gift my girl friends scrunchies, they always love them!
So, you really can't go wrong with using hair ties as college care package ideas students will love!
A very popular and classic college game!
You'll be treating not only your student, but also their friends by gifting them Cards Against Humanity. Basically every college student I know loves playing this game at hangouts or on study breaks!
Never a bad idea to have cough drops on hand.
Every college student inevitably gets sick at least once and if you don't have your mom around to make you homemade chicken soup, this is basically the next best thing, haha.
Just a small thing that is so important to have on hand!
Disinfectant wipes make it so much easier to keep your dorm room clean.
I highly recommend every college student to have these. They come in so handy, especially for communal living when there's always lots of sickness to go around.
Facial mist is amazing because you can use it in your skin care routine, or even use it in the morning to wake you up a little and help you get your day started (that's what I do).
It’s a nice thing to have that just makes life feel that much more luxurious!
Lots of people wear sunscreen everyday because of the benefits for protecting your skin.
If the college student you know is one of those people, find out what brand of sunscreen they like and then get them a bottle so they don’t run out!
This is an especially great gift if they live somewhere that’s always hot and sunny.
Does the student you’re sending a package to love having their nails done all the time?
The truth is, getting your nails done is expensive and a lot of college students don’t have the money to get their nails done every 2 weeks.
A great alternative is this gel nail kit! I use this to do my own nails and it seriously looks like your nails were professionally done.
So, if you want to make them feel like a million dollars without having to spend a million dollars on nail appointments, a nail kit is such a great gift for young adults!
On the other hand, if you don’t want to drop the money on a whole nail kit, grabbing a couple bottles of nail polish is also a great option of something less expensive that you can add to their care package.
38. Cash
No college student is going to say no to some extra cash!!
39. Vitamins
Help keep them healthy by sending some vitamins!
Stain remover sticks are a college student’s best friend for the times when they’re just too busy to get laundry done but realllllyyy need that one shirt for their outfit… (a real dilemma)! These tide to go sticks were seriously my best friend from my freshman year to my senior year and beyond.
If the student lives in a cold area or if it's fall/winter, consider getting them a nice scarf!
Not only will it be useful in keeping them dressed for the weather, it’s also just a great option to spice up their fall/winter outfits.
42. Local chocolate, popcorn, or other local treats
If you’re into the idea of a gourmet gift basket, find a local chocolate or popcorn store to give them a taste of home! If there’s a certain bakery or candy shop they love near home, this is a great way to send them a piece of their hometown when they’re living away for the first time.
Dryer sheets are another handy option that will show them a little love in the simplest way!
Hot chocolate packets are the perfect size to put in a college care package, and such a great treat!!
Safety is no joke... and what better way to help your student stay safe while they're away from home than making sure they're stocked up on pepper spray gel?
46. Chocolate chip cookies
Whether they’re homemade, store bought, or found at a local bakery, I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t appreciate chocolate chip cookies (or even oatmeal raisin if that’s more their vibe!)
47. Laundry detergent
Whether you live at home or away from home, everyone spends so much time doing laundry. I know this is a bit of a boring gift, but laundry detergent is a must-have, so why not add it to their care package!?
The best care packages include a bunch of little useful things, and makeup wipes are the perfect essential item to add to any girl's gift box!
You can buy pretty affordable earrings like these on Amazon. I have similar ones from Amazon and they're such great quality! I would've been thrilled if I ever got this in a college care package.
50. Video games
Whether you gift them video games digitally or physically, I’m sure there are tons of gamer students who would love a care package with video games to help them take a break from their studies!
51. Stuffed animal
Stuffed animals are honestly such a great way to make anyone feel a sense of joy, especially if they’re going through a tough time.
This might not be the best gift idea if your college student lives in a dorm or apartment that only has showers. But if they do have a bath and enjoy bath bombs, this is a great small gift to add to the care package!
53. Raw honey sticks
Honey sticks are a great healthy and sweet snack! These are also perfect to add into a mini sick day care package for students.
Hear me out... adult coloring books are so fun!
This is a great activity to give them a break from their studies and help them feel relaxed.
You really can never go wrong with a classic gift like a beanie... especially for any college student who lives in a colder climate!
Great ideas! I love the essential oil diffuser. It’s a great way to take some relaxation time.
Does your website have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail. I’ve got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it grow over time.
Hey there, sure! You can contact me at lauren@lvdletters.com. Thanks!