30 Super Useful College Care Package Ideas They Actually Want

If you’re wanting to send a college student some gifts, you might be looking for college care package ideas. Here are some of the best things to put in a care package to a college student!

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If you have a student in college you’re wanting to send a care package to, you’re probably needing some college care package ideas.

It can be hard to know what to put in a care package that a college student will actually find useful. I recently graduated college, so I have all the best ideas for things to put in a college care package that any student would love!

Whether you’re looking for college care package ideas for freshman, college care package ideas for guys, or college care package ideas for girl, I’ve got you covered! After you read this post you’ll be so ready to put your care package together!!

This post is all about college care package ideas.

The Best College Care Package Ideas Any Student Will Love

Top Picks

Best Overall: Rocketbook Reusable Notebook

Best Inexpensive Choice: Cravebox Snack Box

Top Cozy Choice: Weighted Blanket

Best For Girls: Beetles Gel Nail Kit

Best Guy Gift: Magnetic Leather Phone Wallet

Table of Contents

Ideas For Freshman

1. Snacks

When I was a college freshman living in the dorms, the number one thing on my wishlist for a care package was snacks. This Cravebox from amazon is a pre-made snack care package that has lots of yummy snacks. It has a ton of good reviews on amazon! Any college student would be so happy to get a snack box like this one.

2. Reusable Water Bottle

Reusable water bottles are a must for college students so they can stay hydrated when they’re in class. This brand of water bottles is a cult favorite on college campuses. The majority of people in my classes had one of these. This is something you could put in a care package that they’d definitely use!

3. Travel Mug

A travel mug would also be an amazing thing to put in a college care package. This will make it so they can take coffee/ hot beverages with them to class! It will also probably save them money because they won’t have to buy coffee to go.

4. School Supplies

School supplies like some mechanical pencils and black pens are a foolproof thing to put in a care package for college students. You can never have too many pens and pencils, and they’ll need them for class! I’m someone who will only use pens and pencils that I actually like, and these two brands of pencils and pens were my favorite to use in college!!

5. Lip Balm

This is another thing that was always on my wishlist when it came to care packages. I feel the same way about chapstick as I do about pens and pencils. You can never have enough! When I was in college I literally had a thing of chapstick in every bag I carried.

6. Shower Shoes

This is a super good care package idea if your student uses communal bathrooms if they live in the dorms. It is super important to have a pair of shower shoes. These went viral on tik tok this year because apparently they’re super comfy, so they’d be good for just wearing in general too!

7. Robe

A robe is another must if your student is living in the dorms and using a communal bathroom. This is a good gift even if they’re not, though! I bought my first cozy robe last month and it has absolutely changed my life for the better. It just makes you feel so comfy and luxurious! This is something any college would love.

8. Clear Bag

You would be surprised how often you need a clear bag on a college campus. At my college they wouldn’t let you into football games, graduations, etc if you had a bag that wasn’t clear. If you brought a bag it had to be clear. This is something I wish I had gotten as a freshman so that I would’ve had it throughout college when I needed it, so it’s a great care package idea for a freshman girl.

9. Necessities

how to send a care package to a college student

You can’t go wrong with restocking your college student’s toiletries in a care package. My grandma always got me shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, etc when I was in college and I was always SO grateful that she stocked me up on that stuff.

10. Weighted Blanket

I got a weighted blanket as a gift while I was in college and it changed my life!! As a college student who was usually anxious and stressed, having a weighted blanket really helped me relax. It’s great for stress relief!

College Care Package Ideas For Girls

11. Slippers

Slippers are another gift you can’t go wrong with, especially for someone who is living in the dorms.

I got these slippers as a birthday gift last month and I am obsessed. They are so warm and cozy. They also have a real sole so you can wear them out and about like actual shoes!

12. Face Masks

A pack of face masks is a super cute idea to put in a care package to help your college girl with self care. A pack of them like this would be super nice so they can just do a little spa night whenever they want!

13. Cozy Socks

Cozy socks are another thing you just really can’t go wrong with. You can never have too many pairs of cozy socks. They’re the perfect inexpensive thing to put in college care packages!

14. DIY Nail Kit

A DIY nail kit is one of the best gifts you can give a college girl, imo, especially one who likes to get her nails done. Getting this nail kit literally changed the game for me because it made it so I could do nail tips and gel nails at home!! It saves me an insane amount of money.

15. Silk Pillow Case

A silk/ satin pillowcase like this one is another great care package idea for a college girl. I have one like this and it is so comfy to sleep on. They’re also way better for your hair/ skin than regular pillow cases! This is something most college girls would appreciate.

16. Shower Steamers

This is another thing that would be great to help level up your college girl’s self care routine. You just toss one into the shower and it creates an aromatherapy effect! These are something I have on my own wishlist.

17. Gua Sha

This is a great thing to add to a care package for someone who is into skincare. Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese massage practice that can help improve skin.

18. Skin Care

Skin care essentials are another great thing to add to a college care package for a college girl! These are a few skin care products that are super trendy and raved about right now that any college girl would love.

19. Hygge Game For Cozy Conversation

This is a super cute care package idea!! Hygge is a Danish concept that is about having a feeling of coziness and contentment. This game is the PERFECT gift idea for an introvert or someone who enjoys cozy nights in.

20. Journal

A journal like this one is another great idea of what to put in a care package for a college girl. She could use it for doodling, journaling, or class.

College Care Package Ideas For Guys

21. Massage Gun

This is a great care package idea for any college boy, but especially for athletes!! It is a massage gun that a can be used to massage your back, shoulders, etc.

22. Beanie

Like cozy socks, I feel like you can’t go wrong with putting a beanie in a care package. It’s such a great cozy gift idea, and it is an especially good gift for college guys who live somewhere cold and have to walk to class.

23. Hoodie

This is something any college boy would appreciate getting in a college care package! You can never have too many hoodies. They’re great to wear to class!

24. Phone Wallet

This is such a good gift idea for a college boy, and it’s something most college guys I know have. On a lot of college campuses you have to swipe your student ID to get into places. A magnetic phone wallet is perfect for carrying your ID with you all the time! This is definitely something a college guy would use.

25. Phone Charging Pad

My roommate has one of these and he is obsessed. If your college boy forgets to charge his phone all the time, this is the perfect thing to put in a care package! You just set your phone on it and it charges.

26. Slippers

I feel like slippers are a great idea for any college student. A lot of college guys will literally wear shoes until they’re literally falling apart, especially slippers. So a new pair is the perfect thing to put in a care package!

27. Cologne

Some nice cologne is a really nice thing to put in a care package for a college guy and something I’m sure they’d really appreciate!

28. Cold Brew Coffee Maker

This cold brew maker is something I discovered on Amazon recently and I think it is SO cool! You brew the coffee and then put the whole thing in the fridge for the best cold brew. It’s a perfect gift idea for coffee lovers!

29. Rocketbook Reusable Notebook

This reusable notebook is another insanely cool care package idea. You write on the pages and then scan them into an app and can erase and use the pages over and over again!

30. Cozy Blanket

A cozy blanket is another thing you can never go wrong with when it comes to care packages. This is something any college boy would love to receive!

This post was all about the best college care package ideas.

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