Survival Parcel for DN

[LikeSilver]

My DN is heading off to uni this week. I want to put together a box of stuff he'll appreciate and send it when he's a couple of weeks in, and then send them at various points throughout the year. It's been several a few years since I was at uni however, so can any parents of current students help me with ideas? His parents will keep him in money/food so these are for treats really. So far I have:

Alcohol
Sweets
Chocolate brownies (his fave)
Gift vouchers for Nandos/cinema etc
Condoms

[GammonAndEgg]

Bah humbug CactusAnnie!
**
I think it's a lovely idea but I agree about the condoms.
----
I sent my DD
a jar of her fave peanut butter
Woolly socks
Sweets
Book token
Nail varnish

[MischiefInTheWind]

I did it for my DD, and another one about mid November. Then one at the beginning of February.Shoebox-sized. It was very appreciated. It's nothing to do with being soft and babying them and everything to do with being a caring relative.
Who doesn't like an unexpected box of small treats to pop through the post?

[MischiefInTheWind]

Did nobody love you when you were young, Cactus? Because that sort of thing that I've found helped keep links going when mine were bolshie and difficult as young adults, and enabled them to remember that if the shit hit the fan, they had somewhere to come back to if they needed a respite.

[MischiefInTheWind]

Pay for her food? She got a loan for rent and fees, but we topped up with a basic parental contribution that she spent on food and stuff.
Again, that's normal round here.
Most of my friends went to uni at a time when all you really needed was brains and hard work, rather than huge amounts of cash. We got grants and signed on in the summer as well as having part-time jobs.

[MischiefInTheWind]

Ok, are your kids even in big school yet Annie?
I wonder if you'll be of the same mindset in 15 or 20 years time!

[fastdaytears]

I loved getting little parcels from home. This was before you could Skype or even email very reliably (mum never checked hers...).

Actually what I loved the most was a £5 Threshers voucher sent by my best work friend. She was still doing the crappy shop job we'd done all summer and was in a pretty bad financial position for various reasons but wanted me to have a bottle of wine from her.

I have a cousin going very soon and was going to do her a little package of gifts for week 2 but I'll try to choose non controlling ones! There won't be any condoms.

[heronsfly]

I sent my dd one a week after she started she really loved it, just a few bits and bobs including the condoms as a joke (i hope)
She is hundreds of miles away and a nice little surprise made her day

[ISingSoprano]

Lovely idea - I would send cake/brownies, costa/starbucks/cinema voucher, chocolate. I wouldn't send alcohol or condoms. Cactus what on earth is wrong with sending a family member some treats? The nephew is living as an independent adult for the first time but there is nothing wrong with reminding him that he is still part of a family that cares for him.

[mumeeee]

sending a few bits and bobs is a lovely idea. Students love getting these parcels. I have sent my DDs things like hot chocolate sachets.stationery.,travel sized toiletries and silly stickers.
Agree about ditching the condoms though.

[mumeeee]

Oh by the way a friend of ours gave DD3 a going to uni box. So it's not just parents that do this.

[MischiefInTheWind]

Why so nasty Annie?
What's the point?

[ISingSoprano]

Well, not really if his parents are organising and paying for his accommodation, paying for his food,

Where does it say his parents are organising his accommodation? I reckon you will find that most parents of university students are either paying for their accommodation or giving them living expenses - student loans just don't cover both.

[PressTheAButton]

Blimey Annie, you are a bit prickly this morning. No need to be so sharp

I have four DC in Uni and apart from occasionally sending them a few sweets I don't send care packets - depending on their accommodation it may be a pain for them to go and collect their parcels and it just seems a bit gushy (sorry) to me.
If you want to send something how about just sending a gift voucher for his closest supermarket so he can buy himself something he wants.
Sending vouchers for the flicks or for restaurants might be a waste of time as his friends might not want to go.

The condom idea is really quite umm, misplaced.

Cactus look and learn , can yiu see how I disagree with the OPs plans but I manage to do it without being unpleasant.

[MischiefInTheWind]

That's what we did, DD had to manage her money so that it lasted. Not unlike all those who get benefits and have to budget.
I'm just wondering what's behind the spite, maybe Cactus got no backing or support from her family and resents and mocks those who do.

[ISingSoprano]

It's just occurred to me that the only thing I have sent ds is printer cartridges!

[sassymuffin]

CactusAnnie my DD gets minimum loan so we are paying her rent and DD will live of her loan. She has worked all summer and saved up over £1000 for treats because she is not allowed to work at University. If we didn't contribute in this way then my DD would not be able to attend university, all of my DD's friends who don't receive the full loan have to unfortunately rely on their parents to make up the shortfall. Student finance is means tested on the household income of the house so how much or little a student receives is out of their control.

[AlexandraOrlov]

Berocca/paracetamol/other hangover cure stuff.

[jimijack]

Nice idea.
I sent a daily text challenge to my very shy niece when she started uni.

So stuff like where is the bus stop for the bus that takes you to the nearest Aldi/Lidle? How much is that bus?

Tell me 5 facts about 5 people that you have met today.
Where is the student services on campus? What do they do?
Where is the laundrette, how much is it for a white wash?

Stuff like that, she loved it and would text me first thing in the morning asking for her challenge. Not all boring, some fun ones about cheapest pub for vodka,.

Just an idea!