University Blues

[divinedi]

I could use some help from all the wonderful people at Intercot!:number1: I have two daughters who have started University this past September:sad:. While the 21 year old is doing well, only slightly homesick, she's been away from home a couple of times so this is nothing new, the 19 year old is having a very tough time of it. We talk everyday, either by MSN or phone calls, but she wants me to send her something in the mail, any suggestions? A letter seems somewhat redundant, I think we talk more now than we did when she was at home, but something else, anything else according to her! I know someone out there will have some brilliant, fairly inexpensive ideas!:thumbsup: Thanks so much!!:)

[disneydeb]

Money is always welcomed.:D

A humorous card or a newpaper from home might fill the bill. A care package with her favorite snacks and home made cookies from your kitchen. Maybe a picture of her family in a frame.

Good luck -- the first year away from home is the toughest.

[MsMin]

Money is always welcomed.:D

A humorous card or a newpaper from home might fill the bill. A care package with her favorite snacks and home made cookies from your kitchen. Maybe a picture of her family in a frame.

Good luck -- the first year away from home is the toughest.

:ditto: nothing says home like mom's cookies or other sweet thoughts! Sounds like it's tough on you too. :pixie: for all

[Pirate Granny]

My friend started this when her daughter went to school and I began when my daughter left the year after...we sent care packages...not too much food, but for the holidays...there is usually one a month...Halloween, Thanksgiving, Xmas...we would go to the dollar store...buy napkins, decorations, candles...holiday socks...off to old Navy and boxer shorts (that both sexes wear)...but themed...sometimes we made disc for the holiday music...I actually would buy stuff after the holidays to save for the next year's packages...oh yea...nail polish (color appropriate)...just wander around the stores...card stores have great sales the days after the holidays are over...we even use to send holiday night lights...beenie babies...I miss those days...hummmmmmmm perhaps my nephew should get a halloween package...don't forget to decorate the box with holiday stickers...my daughter's friends couldn't wait to see what was coming...when she lived in an apt...i would send four of somethings, so they all would some stuff

ENJOY...
:pirate:

[divinedi]

Thank you, money is always a good thing for sure!!! Cookies etc would be good too, would they stay good for the travelling time? They are both about an 8 hour drive away, so there aren't many trips home either.

And yes, Mom is having a tough time of it too :crying:, but this is the way it's supposed to be! All three of my kids (girls) were supposed to go to University, but the youngest changed her mind when we got to her University, so she's home and working. It certainly makes it easier somewhat, all of them at once just seemed so unfair, although part of me was looking forward to 'some' time to myself!

Keep the ideas coming, thanks everyone!

[kakn7294]

How about a photo album that you put together of family times? Something that's not too big, just a photo or 2 of special events and such. Sometimes getting a pet can help - when I went to school (living in the dorm), we were allowed small pets such as fish and hamsters (although a girl down the hall had a cat and I had a rabbit :secret:) - even taking care of a plant can help! Good luck to you and your girls!

[PirateLover]

I never lived on campus but I had many friends who did. The only thing I would caution you about is that sometimes pictures can actually make people more homesick when they are already feeling bad. Not everyone, but it does happen so I just wanted to throw it out there.

I like the idea of theming gifts around holidays. Decorations always made dorm rooms seem more like home. Also accessories are always a hit with me. Stuff like head scarves, cheap jewelry, cool socks. Maybe some cute flip flops (most girls wear them in the shower), pjs or a gift basket from a place like bath and body works. Maybe even a knickknack or stuffed animal of some sort. Just think about what her interests are and I'm sure you can come up with something.

[divinedi]

Oh Pirate Granny, what an EXCELLENT idea :number1: They'd love something like that :party:! I'm going to do that for sure. We have a dollar store near here so that would help tremendously for the cost.

And thank you Private Lover, I agree, for my girls anyway, about the pictures, we both have webcam and I know when, again, I talk about the 19 year old more as she's having the most difficulty, she saw the dog on the webcam she was so glad to see him, but it made her really sad too..........:(

They are coming home for Thanksgiving, which, for those of you in the US, for Canadians is the first Monday in October (October 8 this year, very early), so that's a little less than two weeks away :woohoo:, so I can start to collect stuff and send it to them after they go back to school.

Thanks again! and keep those ideas coming :)

[DisneyDudet]

If you wanted to do a holiday theme for your care packages, may I suggest pens and pencils for that holiday? I know in school I always lost my pens and pencils, and never had the extra change to really go out and buy them. I just graduated in December, so college is still fresh in my mine, like PirateLover.

If you want to send one w/o a theme, just her favorite candy or snack item could do the trick. Things that she would really like, but couldn't really part with the money for, would definitely make her smile.

I don't know if they do laundry at school, but rolls of quarters would probably come in handy for the machines, plus detergent and dryer sheets!

If she has a DVD player at school, going by and picking up a movie you know she likes, or one she's been waiting to come out on video would be nice! She could have a girls night in the dorm room with the video. Maybe pack some popcorn and big bowls?

I know this is probably overboard, but these are things I liked. You seem pretty close, so you can probably tell what she's missing and what she would like.

Hope she starts to feel a little acclimated soon!

[Tick-Tock]

My mom used to send me articles from newspapers and magazines that she knew I'd find interesting, just so I'd have something in my P.O. Box.

At Valentine's Day, she'd send me different little kids' valentines (like Scooby Doo, Star Wars, Hello Kitty, etc.), two or three in an envelope, for a week or two before.

[Tinkerfreak]

My neice went through this first year also. She was so homesick I thought for sure she was going to be coming home. Her mom and I sent her little care packages and we talked to her on the phone as often as possible. Just keeping her up to date on what is happening at home will help her feel more connected and not so far away. My neice really missed her Dunkin Donuts iced coffee's because they don't have them in Indiana so I sent her a care package with a pound of coffee, some money for a coffee maker and step by step instructions on how to make it. She really appreciated that. She also loved getting cards and letters from my daughters.

[DisneyDudet]

OK, so I just thought of something:

I know a lot of dorms do not allow anything with a flame, like a candle. Glade makes this sort of fake candle type thing. It gives the illusion of a candle, while making the room smell great!

[divinedi]

Thanks so much for all the ideas everyone:number1:, I will be using many of them! I'm very sure the girls will appreciate them all!

[BrerSchultzy]

Granted, I graduated from college almost ten years ago now, but I STILL remember that feeling of seeing something in my PO box. Nothing could top that...strange, I know.

So I had friends who would just send postcards or articles from local papers. Sometimes I'd get random catalogs or magazines (the Archie McPhee catalog is free and fun).

It really didn't matter what it was. It was just nice to see mail. For a while there, my mom would send a dollar a day. Not much, but enough for a bag of pretzels and a coke.

Best wishes to you both!

[MNNHFLTX]

Care packages with my mom's cookies were always high on my list of favorites when I was in college. Not only did they remind me of home, but sharing them with roommates and dormmates helped me make a lot of new friends. :)

You can also make arrangements for a special "night out" for your daughter. Find out if there is a play or concert that she might enjoy and buy tickets for her and one or two friends. It would take your daughter's mind off of her homesickness, if just for an evening, and may make her see some of the positive aspects of the city where she attends University. Looking back, it's not one of the most inexpensive ideas, but would be special, I'm sure.