If you are the typical university student, occasionally feeling overwhelmed by over-sized textbooks and wishing there were more hours in the day is 100% natural – so don’t worry! I have a solution that will help you hold onto your sanity, even during the most stressful times of the school year! Receiving something special in the mail from your family/friends is always a great reminder that you are being thought of. As a student who has lived away from home for 5 years, I can guarantee that if you share these gift parcel ideas with your family/friends, you will always feel their love and encouragement, no matter how far away they are!
1. Something Soft
I think all of you can agree with me when I say that getting a puppy or kitten in the mail would be ideal; unfortunately, I don’t imagine there being many parents out there who support us students having that sort of distraction.
A substitution for puppy love and kitten cuddles could be a cozy blanket that we wrap ourselves in on the couch or at the library while we study for exams. Other items in your gift parcel that will make your life a tad cozier could be seasonal socks (because everyone always needs more socks). Mitts, toques and scarves are wonderful gift ideas because no matter what time of year it is in Alberta, you should always have these handy!
2. Favorite Food (prepackaged)
Maybe it’s just me, but food is the easiest way to my heart. For the students who live on campus, you most likely will begin searching for alternatives to the dining center roughly 2 months into the semester; opening up a parcel to find a bag of your favorite five cent candies or 4 boxes of mac n’ cheese will always leave you smiling ear to ear. Students who reside off campus (with or without roommates) know the struggle of never wanting to cook or spend their limited grocery money on comfort food. I must emphasize – healthy or junky – you can never go wrong with giving a university student the gift of food!
3. Words of Affirmation
It is very common for university students to feel overwhelmed with the mountainous pile of work that is loaded on them. Sometimes all we need is someone to remind us how well we have done so far and that they know we will be successful; we just have to keep working hard.
When I would receive a letter from my mom, grandparents, or any other family member in the mail, it felt so great, because it always dimmed the voice of doubt that lived in my head. A letter jam-packed with words of affirmation and encouragement is an amazing gift because a student will often keep it to read over and over again
4. Room Décor
I know “Room Décor” sounds too broad, but that is why it is such a great gift idea! Your family and friends will send you room décor that correlates with your interests; whether you love sports, music, art/posters, reading, etc., they know you and the arbitrary things that you would appreciate!
Some specific items that could be packed in your parcel are picture frames with a variety of photos that can be interchanged over the school year, a trendy poster that will help cover up those bare walls, Christmas lights, wall hooks for a guitar or favorite sport jersey, etc. There are so many options and it all depends on your taste and interests!
5. Gift Cards
This item can be similar to food, although slightly better! When your family decides to send you a gift card to a specific place with X amount of dollars, you might not be able to go blow all that money at the bar or spend it on however many coffees it can fund you!
Gift cards are awesome; they can justify students getting a few hours away from focusing on their academics to go do something fun when they have the time! I would definitely want a gift card for a free massage, because I could never turn down being pampered. Depending on your preferences, you might be interested in a free movie-pass, a gift card to places like Sephora or Sport Chek, two zoo passes for yourself and a friend, etc.
6. The Forgotten Essentials
It happens to everyone; you forget that one important thing that you use frequently but can live without until you return home. Typically, you forget more than one of those important things, so getting a gift parcel that includes the forgotten items is always appreciated!
The forgotten essentials are almost always items that that family or friends can quickly send off to you to make your life easier: a stain removal pen, tissues, a Brita filter, a power bar, a USB Flash drive, dry shampoo, headphones, etc.
7. A Mixtape
Some of you may not identify with this gift idea as much as others, but it is definitely a gift that any of you would love. You know why? Because music lowers stress and improves health in several ways!
Whether it is a mix of 70’s oldies tunes that your parents threw on a CD for you or a combination of you and your sibling’s favorite songs from the 2000’s, you will shamelessly rock out to it and wish they would send you more!
8. Alcohol!
Sure, there is never a shortage of beverages at university parties, but any university student would like to be surprised with their favorite something to drink, especially if they didn’t have to pay for it! If you aren’t sure what you like to drink because you aren’t the partying type of student, your family and friends would definitely be able to find something delicious, quirky, and unusual for you to try!
9. Fun Distractions
Slinkys, stress balls, a Rubik’s Cube, a Magic 8 Ball and so on are all good gift ideas that any university student would be happy to get! These items are healthy alternatives to mindlessly browsing Facebook during your study break or before you head to classes for the day!
10. Must-Have Remedies
About a quarter of the way through every school year, an infectious sickness creeps its way through the university. Without our parents around to nurture us back to health, other solutions should be accessible for us to survive this dreadful time of year. Your parents already know what will make you feel better, so you will be super thankful when these items come in the mail. You could expect a month’s supply worth of day and night-time cold medication, tissues, throat lozenges, herbal tea, Vicks and probably a can of just-add-water chicken soup!
Featured photo source: weheartit.com
