What You Need To Send With Your College Student

It’s that time of year when a student or two we know may be graduating from high school. Some may be headed to college or a trade school. Some may take a year off and travel, it’s an exciting time to watch these young friends and family members reach new goals. I have a list of things every college student may need when they arrive at the dorm or their new apartment.

As a college student enters this new phase in their lives they quickly learn that first aid cupboard at home is no longer available by walking down the hall. I sometimes wonder if we need to have a “college shower” for them. I realize that some students can afford a food card plan, or whatever they may call it, but there are still some items money can’t buy when it’s late at night and you have a fever or you just need an extra tube of toothpaste. So Let’s get started with a few items I’m thinking about for my college student.

Items A College Student Needs:

1. First Aid Kit

This is the first aid kit I designed to send off with all of my grandkids: First Aid Kit It has a printable available to help you start your kit.

The list contains items like fever reducers, cough syrup, cough drops, Imodium D (for diarrhea), Pedialyte for dehydration, and essential oils (my favorites are Breathe, Peppermint, and Oregano). A case of Gatorade would be awesome as well.

Please throw in a flashlight with batteries if they are required. All students need a flashlight and a toolkit for that matter. Stanley Toolkit I Recommend

If you are looking for a solar flashlight, I recommend this one: Goal Zero Solar Flashlight

2. Water Storage

Here’s the deal with water, we all know we can turn on the faucet and the water comes running out, right? Okay, but if by chance the local water source is contaminated our college students will need a couple of cases of water under the bed or in the closet to drink and hydrate themselves and brush their teeth. I’m sure you have seen several cities or states in the news telling those concerned to NOT USE THE WATER for bathing, drinking, or washing dishes. Yes, the municipalities we pay to protect our culinary water don’t always come through for us. Picture your student hundreds of miles away from home when this happens to the water supply where they are now living while going to school. Scary!

Then the TV station shows people standing in line to get cases of water, the ones who were not prepared for a disaster. Or in this case, a mistake made by government workers.

You can always purchase the cases of water from the grocery stores, but they may leak and must be rotated every six to 12 months. But they are better than no water storage at all.

My favorite water for a college student would be these: Blue Can Water Here’s the deal, you may think the water is expensive. PLEASE think about this. The water comes in a box with 24 cans that are 12 ounces each and last for 50 years up to 150 degrees. They are easy to move and store easily under a bed or in the closet. I highly recommend purchasing at least two cases per college student. Thrift stores would be awesome to shop for the necessities.

3. Food Storage

I would love to suggest some pantry staples, but sometimes a can of chili is awesome. You just open it and heat it up. Snack Ramen, soups, canned meats, mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, sugar, honey, and cereal are staples for a college student on a budget.

Plus, maybe some pancake mix and syrup, muffin mixes. Yes, it is processed food, but hey, we’ve all been starving students, or at least some of us were.

You may also want to send a food storage bucket for emergencies or after a disaster. I like this company: Augason Food Storage Bucket

4. Bathroom Supplies

Toilet Paper, shampoo, conditioner, hand soap and hand sanitizer, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and menstrual needs, if applicable. Toilet bowl cleaner supplies, Clorox wipes, paper towels, and window cleaner. I’m a bathroom clean freak, and I own it.

5. Bedroom Supplies

Mattress pad, sheets, pillowcases, quilts, blankets, and bed pillows. I mentioned to my grandson I would like to buy him some comfy sheets so he can sleep well at night. I also had to ask, if the bed is a twin or an XL Twin at his student housing complex, I need to know. He’s over 6 feet tall.

6. Kitchen Supplies

I typically give the kids a 4-quart Farberware saucepan. The reason is you can make Snack Ramen, boil spaghetti, and make soups. A frying pan is great as well. Now some college dorms provide all of these kitchen supplies, my grandkids have had to provide them for themselves. They have used our extra silverware, plates, cereal bowls, soup bowls, and coffee cups. Farberware Sauce Pan These pans last a lifetime, it seems to me. Don’t forget some hot pads, hand towels, and wash rags.

Throw in some dish soap, dishwater soap, and scrubber. Life is good when the kitchen is clean, right? Here in Southern Utah, we have cockroaches, yes we have pest control.  I’m sending airtight containers with one of my grandsons. They can use some mixing bowls as well, the list never ends.

7. Cash and Instructions For Evacuations

Thank you to Michelle, for this idea. I totally believe in having my own emergency cash fund, so having a few extra bucks for a college student is a great idea. She had a great idea to laminate some evacuation scenarios for them, I LOVE this idea.

I just got home from attending two grandsons’ high school graduations, life is good! Proud grandma, here! Please let me know some of the things you think every college student needs to take with them to their dorm or apartment. Life is good, may God bless our families. Thanks again for being prepared for the unexpected. If properly prepared you can sleep at night, I promise.

Store Blankets and Quilts

Copyrighted Pictures:

Books: AdobeStock_169730724 by BillionPhotos.com