College Care Package Ideas + More!

Wondering what to include in care packages for your college student? We asked some of our UMHEF scholarship recipients what they’d most like to get. Here’s a list of some of those items, plus a few ideas to put some extra care into those care packages.

Most Requested Items

It may come as no surprise that the most requested item students would love to get in a care package is money!

• Grocery store gift cards
• Coffee shop gift cards
• Restaurant gift cards
• Coins or cash for the laundry room
• Cash for spending on whatever they need

Also not surprising, is the second most popular item: food!

• Favorite candy and snacks
• Microwave popcorn
• Homemade cookies or treats
• Items from their hometown bakery

Practically Perfect Items

Including some practical necessities in care packages can offer students support during those long hours of writing papers and studying for tests.

• Pens, pencils, or highlighters
• Colorful sticky notes
• Note cards
• Portable reading light
• Travel coffee mug
• Stress ball

Items to Encourage and Inspire

Don’t underestimate the power of an encouraging word or self-care moment to keep students going!

• Handwritten card or note
• Mementos or photos from home
• Printed Scripture Cards
• Coloring book and crayons or markers
• Lotion, lip balm, or body scrub

More Resources to Support College Students

When in doubt about what your college or seminary student would be most excited to get in a package, just ask! You’ll never go wrong asking for ideas straight from the source.

If you’re looking for other ideas for how to care for the students in your life, check out our Pinterest board of care package ideas (and other resources) we’ve collected over the years.