When To Send a College Care Package

There are numerous reasons college students decide to attend college away from home. Maybe it was a university that offered them the best scholarship. Maybe their girlfriend, boyfriend, or friends are attending. Maybe they are striving to become more independent. Regardless of the reasons, sometimes being away from family can become isolating for both parties. The student begins to focus more on campus life, (the texts to family are less frequent with fewer emojis), while the family shifts into empty nest mode. When these lonely emotions "kick in", it's finally time to mix things up and send a college care package.

But are there other good reasons to send a care package? You bet, listed below are 4 opportunities you may also want to consider.

1. When they are studying for midterms or finals

This is a time when students are most stressed and tired. They've been up all night cramming and they typically do not have much energy to do anything else but study. A care package during these times can really brighten their day and provide them the boost they need to get them over the finish line.

Midterms are typically given in the middle of the term, about 7-9 weeks into a college semester, but not necessarily.  Professors give more exams now and they are called midterms to differentiate them from final exams. Final exams, on the other hand, are given the first part of December and during the months of March/April and May/June.

2. When they are celebrating the holidays or a birthday

This may seem like a no brainer, but if you don't plan wisely, the care package you send during the holidays may not arrive on time. Since the announcement of the CO-VID 19 pandemic, there have been shipping delays and now supply chain problems. You may want to consider sending your care packages 10-14 days before the holiday. 

To get around these shipping delays, you may want to think outside the box. For instance, are you able to hand deliver a package or do you know another student who goes to the same college? Perhaps they would deliver the package for you. And don't rule out couriers if your student is just across town. For example, Runners in Maryland transport anything at anytime and anywhere (i.e. packages and boxes to grocery runs). 

3. When they need an emotional lift

This can be anything from getting cut from the team, not making the grade or not feeling well. 

Project Unlonely reports that "record numbers of students are expressing feelings of depression and loneliness in recent years, and with the additional challenges resulting from distance learning, the loneliness epidemic has spread across college campuses". A care package with a personal note of "thinking of you" would help smooth over current challenges and hopefully speed up the recovery process.

4. When they achieve or accomplish a long term goal and you want to congratulate them on a job well done.

They made the Dean's list, they finished a huge term paper, they scored the winning goal. Whatever the accomplishment, you will want to celebrate with them and reward them for getting the job done.  A carefully crafted congratulatory note along with a care package will serve as a reminder to them how proud you really are.

There are other benefits as well. When you celebrate with a loved one you are also building their self esteem, creating strong family bonds and making life long family memories.

 A well-timed college care package can be one of the most memorable moments of your son or daughter's college career. 

Encourage, lift and strengthen one another. For the positive energy spread to one will be felt by us all. For we are connected, one and all.

Deborah Day