Ready-Made Care Packages for College Kids

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The transition from high school to college can be difficult for young adults. For many, with college comes the first time living away from home, the opportunity to navigate a new social culture and make new friends, and the newfound independence and responsibility—all of which can be great, but don't come without their challenges.

One way to support your college student is to stay connected without being overbearing. Most college kids enjoy hearing from family and friends back home, and they're often short on cash and a little bit hungry making care packages a great way to say, "We're thinking about you."

But assembling, packaging, and sending a care package can be time-consuming and costly. Take the stress out of brightening your college student's day by sending a ready-made care package that can be ordered online.

Here are 10 sites that make sending a care package to your college student easier.

Our Top Picks

Smiles From Home

Who can resist a smiley face? Smiles From Home sends large care packages or sweet and simple smiley face mugs with a few special treats to your college student for a fun pick-me-up. With a variety of gift cards, snacks, and other items, their packages will brighten any day.

Man Crates

A huge variety of gifts for the young man at college is available at Man Crates. The website has four categories of gift packages, each with distinct packaging. The wooden crate comes with a mini crowbar for (not so) easy opening, which only adds to the fun. Available gifts include the bacon crate, the "cowpocalypse" crate, the Nascar barware crate, and many more. While some are suitable only for ages 21 and older, there are lots to choose from for younger men.

Tastefully Simple

Many dorm rooms and apartments have microwaves, and Tastefully Simple has the perfect surprise for your favorite student with a sweet tooth. My Mug Cake is a cake that's baked in a mug, ready in minutes for a yummy treat. Send a few extra to share with roommates, dormmates, and friends.

Gourmet Gift Baskets

Do you need a gift sent right away? Maybe your young adult is under the weather, has a rough weekend of studying ahead, or just broke up with their significant other. Gourmet Gift Baskets can help with same-day delivery of abundant and delicious gift packages that will cheer anyone up. While these are on the more expensive side, the quick response and delivery time can be worth it.

Gifty Baskets

Not all gift baskets have to be about food. The Quest for Knowledge gift basket from Gifty Baskets includes a figurine of a student and a book of inspirational quotations to peruse when the pressure of studying and working hard gets to be too much. There are a few yummy treats, too.

Our Campus Market

For all things collegiate, head to Our Campus Market. Send your student a package with the school mascot emblazoned everywhere for game days and other events. There are lots of schools to choose from, all with quality products.

Hip Kits

Hip Kits offers dozens of fun care packages, including a movie lovers package filled with everything you could want from a movie theater concession stand. You can add an iTunes gift card to the package so the student can choose a movie to watch with the munchies.

TetherBox

TetherBox goes straight to the source when it comes to picking out care packages for college students; they tap other college students. You decide whether to do a monthly, semester, or annual plan and on your schedule, a package handpicked by your college student's peers is shipped out. No more worrying about ordering something special for a regular bit of love. TetherBox does it for you.

Knack

Knack offers unique, millennial-friendly gift packages that you can curate and enhance with extra items. The yoga retreat package, for example, offers options including "The Bhagavad Gita: A Classic of Indian Spirituality" (a book about yoga), a yoga mat strap, a sea urchin air plant, and a motivating word rock. You can add any of the other items available for an extra fee. Namaste!