The time you’ve been both dreading and longing for is finally here for your teenager: college. It’s wonderful because you just know they’ll have a great time learning about the world and making new friends. But it’s scary because for the first time, they won’t have you to be their guide, and you’ll miss them like you’ve never imagined. And likely, they’ll feel exactly the same way, even if they don’t admit or show it.
To bridge that gap between child and adult, there are a few things you can do to soften the experience. Sending your kid off to their new dormitory with a college survival kit will do just that, giving them the resources they need to begin their new, albeit temporary, life.
So, what should go in the kit?
Sleeping Aids
Sleep is such an underrated necessity for everyone, but especially college students. According to a study published in medical journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, around 60% of students suffer from some sort of sleep disturbance, and 7.7% are insomniacs. This is down to many reasons: academic stress, social problems, homesickness, and just having a noisy as hell roommate. So making sure they have a good sleep cycle is vital for their health, and their academic performance.
In your survival kit, adding earplugs, a sleep mask, aromatherapy items like diffusers and pillow mists, teas, and a list of meditation/white noise apps to fall asleep to. There are also specific pillows that are suited specifically to certain sleep styles, which will help your kid drift off to dream land a lot quicker, avoiding neck pain and other nighttime problems.
Comfort Food and Caffeine
On to the most fun part of the survival kit: food! It goes without saying that packing a hamper with your kids favorite food is a good idea. However, it’s best to select foods that’ll survive the trip (maybe no bananas), and last quite a while in storage (definitely no bananas). Luckily, most chocolate and candy bars will last quite a while, and remind your kid of simpler times. If you’re a little worried they may stick to nothing but instant noodles and candy bars, throw in some healthy granola bars, nuts, bags of rice, and so on.
Let’s talk energy: Try and avoid caffeine tablets as they’re not the healthiest option. But a lovely bag of coffee beans or some instant Chocolatey coffee will go down a treat. Add in an insulated tumbler, so they can make and bring their own brews to class, saving that Starbucks money. On top of adding actual consumables, adding recipes and cookware instructions will go miles in building your kid up to a life living alone. Grab a notebook or print out some online recipes to stick in a binder, and they’ll have it all in one nifty place, without googling a million different websites every time.
Cleaning Instructions and Supplies
One of the most vital pieces of information your kid needs when living alone is how to do laundry. It may sound easy enough to throw some clothes in there with a detergent pod, and press the start button, but knowing how to read clothing labels — what colors not to mix and what temperatures will work with different fabrics — is a learning process. In your homemade recipe binder, you can add cleaning instructions to simplify the process as much as possible. A starter kit for cleaning is also a must.
Bleach, dish detergent, laundry detergent, furniture/room deodorizer, stain remover, floor cleaner, all-in-one disinfectant, wood polisher, and quick-wipes will all fit in a tidy hamper, and basically be everything they need to clean their dorm. Then they can just repurchase whatever runs out, when it runs out. There are also several cleaning supply subscription boxes out there that offer eco-friendly products sent straight to their door.
Letters From Loved Ones
Whenever your kid feels lonely or is in any need of support, they can open the letters and read your kind words of wisdom. Like a less depressing version of the film P.S. I Love You, the letters can be spaced out throughout the semesters, read as needed. Obviously, a phone call will do wonders, but you know what stress is like: It hits you at 3 a.m., in the middle of a class, pretty much at the most awkward moments possible, often when talking in person to someone isn’t an option. And some kids won’t admit when they need help.
Short flash cards with personal affirmations are also a great option, as they’re easy to read on a tight student schedule. They don’t just have to be from you, they can be from siblings and friends to discuss fun memories and what they can do when they meet up. They can even be from old teachers to convince them that yes, they can get through college because they got through high school.
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