Time to prepare a Christmas survival kit for your college student. Soon your college, university or graduate student will be coming home for Christmas. What will they need in their room to survive their stay at home and for their return to school?
During the return home, they usually will have all their friends surrounding them. Hundreds of family members will want to spend time with them. And of course, you will want to spend as much time with them as possible. So, what are just a few of the items necessary top keep them on track while home for the holidays?
Planner
Even though this time is suppose to be the most relaxed time of the year, some of our college students feel the pressure of visits. Everyone in the family wants to see them, spend time with them and find out everything occurring from the time they left home to the time they arrive back on familiar grounds. The pressure can be tremendous for them during this time. They want to get around and see everyone possible. Yet there are only 24 hours in the day. It’s impossible to get more than that period of time in.
Our kids must schedule their visits especially when there are more visits than time. Give them a planner. In that planner place the name of everyone who has indicated the desire to spend some time with your child. Let your child determine the day and time. Provide the phone number, address and any other details that might be important in scheduling a visit.
Digital Camera
Of course, every college student should have at their disposal a digital camera. There is nothing more important than capturing moments in time for future. As life goes on and we grow older the times of our past become more precious. Years and memories begin to fade. As those memories and loved ones began to pass on, a picture can provide hours of pleasure bringing back memories of times that we will cherish forever. In addition, the memories can be shared with our offspring and their offspring. Generations to come will share in the life we lived. When we visit during holidays or during special times, those memories captured during visits can be wonderful and bring such pleasure for all. Provide a digital camera for your child to capture memories of loved ones they may never see again.
Food Basket
There is nothing like ‘Moms’ home cooking. And when away from home at college, our children long for ‘moms’ home cooking. Even though they cannot sit down to the table to enjoy her cooking daily, parents can send their children back to college with a goodie basket filled with dishes that will get them through the depression of returning to school and having to leave home one more time. We realize these are the times that are hard on all family members involved: parents, siblings and the student. Some return home, some never return home to live. This is what parenting is all about. Bringing your children up to a time in their lives where they can go out and face the harsh world on their own. College is the last venue in our parenting responsibility. Our job is done when they walk the stage, receive that degree and begin their journey through life.
Laptop
Today it’s imperative that any child have a laptop computer available for their own personal use. Of course, nothing can replace the library. However when a student is away from class or the library, research, paperwork and other critical work required by instructors can be cut in half when a laptop is available. In addition to using a laptop while at home, students can also use a laptop in class to take notes, record instructor information and if the laptop is equipped with a webcam, the class can be recorded. If your child already has one, great. However, if they do not have one or even if they do not have one that is updated, it’s a great idea to have one ready for them to take back to college with them. Nothing is better for a college student than a laptop. And with the advancements in technology taking place or being updated in increments of five to six months, it’s a great idea to make sure their laptops are updated regularly also.