Opening up a box filled a little piece of home will mean the world to your study abroad student. Creating the perfect study abroad care package filled with essentials and goodies will show how much you care and support them. It can help boost their morale and ease some of that homesickness. Plus, they’re easy to put together!
Study abroad care package ideas BEFORE they go
If you’re putting together a little travel gift basket as a going away present, be sure to include items like…
1. Fujifilm Instax Mini
In the digital age, taking a photo is as simple as whipping out your phone and snapping a photo in seconds. While it’s definitely convenient, there’s just something different about being able to physically hold a photo in your hand. Instant cameras are becoming popular because the pictures print instantly. They also make cute decorations!
2. The Study Abroad Journal
In the same spirit of keeping memories, a travel journal is a fun way to record thoughts and experiences while planning your goals and future. Ths study abroad journal is both a thoughtful and practical item to add in care packages for students studying abroad.
3. Maximizing Study Abroad: A Students’ Guide to Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and Use
One of the most notable experiences you get from studying abroad that you cannot replicate in a classroom is being fully immersed in another country’s culture and being surrounded by their language. As exciting as it is, the thought of it can be equally frightening! Adding a strategy guide in a study abroad care package can help calm the nerves while providing the student with tips and tricks that will help them make the most of their time abroad.
4. Trifold passport wallet
A travel abroad student can only carry so many things in their luggage and carry on. That’s why a trifold passport wallet is perfect to include in care packages for students studying abroad. Having all the important documents like your license, boarding pass, and passport, in one, easy to access place, will make the travel portion of the trip so much easier.
5. Travel plug adapter
Keeping our devices charged is important with how much information has gone digital. Imagine being at an airport and looking for a place to plug in your device, only to realize that your plug won’t fit! Outlets are not something you really think about when you travel because in the US because they’re all the same. Believe it or not, there are different plug types. Having a travel plug adapter saves you the hassle of trying to figure out what plug you need for your destination.
6. Cotopaxi Travel Pack
Nothing says “Have a blast abroad” like this gorgeous, multi-colored (not to mention well-built and super high quality) backpack from Cotopaxi. A daypack is a wonderful gift to give your traveling loved one, especially since it’s oft-overlooked and can make their weekend jaunts (and cheap budget flights) a breeze.
What to put in care packages for students studying abroad RIGHT NOW
Is your study abroad bud currently abroad? They’ll love these surprise treats.
7. GoPro Hero 7
Nothing says “We miss you a ton!” like this incredible camera, the perfect companion for all of their wild study abroad adventures.
8. A travel scarf
No matter where the study abroad student is headed, a travel scarf is a must-have. Not only are scarves a simple way to dress up an outfit, but a travel scarf also has a compartment where you can store your phone and wallet.
9. Spa day set
Being a student is stressful enough, but being a student in a foreign land can be extra stressful. An at-home (or at-dorm) spa day is a great way to relieve some of that stress. It’s an easy way to temporarily disengage from everything going on, slow down, and recollect yourself. Plus, certain smells like lavender can aid in stress reduction.
10. Coffee and tea set
Whether you’re studying close to home or across the seas, there is one thing all students have in common: the hours and hours spent learning material. Sometimes this means pulling an all-nighter or two, and many times this means having some caffeine for the much-needed energy boost.
11. Spotify Premium gift card
Most students like to study with some music in the background, but music streaming services like Spotify can offer even more to students studying abroad. Podcasts are a great way for students to practice listening to foreign languages. There are many podcasts dedicated to language learners of all levels that will help students speak naturally and not like they’re reading from a textbook.
12. Personalized home state necklace
Even though we have FaceTime and Skype to stay connected with someone studying abroad, there will still be times when the homesickness kicks in. A personalized necklace with their home state will ensure that they always have a little piece of home with them. Adding a necklace to care packages for students studying abroad is perfect because they’re small and easy to bring along everywhere.
Pre-made study abroad care packages
Don’t have time to whip up something custom? No sweat.
Me to You Box
If you don’t have time to go to the store or wait around for items to arrive, you can use a service like the Me to You Box. They curate care packages packed with high-quality items, and you can build your own care package online. This option is great for people who are in a time crunch and want to cross off “Go to the post office” from their to-do list.
Toiletry Kits
You can also buy this sweet travel kit with all the necessities Keeping track of all the TSA rules is a hassle, even if you are a travel veteran. Instead of looking up whether this shampoo bottle is good to go or if that lotion is acceptable, pick up a travel kit with all the necessities. Everything in a travel kit is TSA compliant and fits in a compact case, making it easy to quickly freshen up after a long flight or in a busy airport.
Here’s the men’s version, too!
Carry-On Friendly Cocktail Kit
Give them the gift of six delicious cocktails to make that long haul flight more bearable (ideally, they’ll share them with a new friend!). This simple, yet cute little kit is one of our favorite pre-made care package ideas for students studying abroad.
SNACKS!
We all the know the way to their heart is byway of their stomach!
Having a snack from home means more than you think. The smell and taste of certain foods can bring you back to your childhood, which makes a snack gift basket a staple for study abroad care package ideas. Sharing snacks is also a way for a student studying abroad to connect with their new friends.
Make their day with these study abroad care package ideas!
Whether a student is preparing to start their study abroad journey or already there, a study abroad care package will always be appreciated. This simple, yet powerful gesture tells your study abroad student that you support them no matter how far apart you are. Who knew snacks and treats had this much influence!
Authored by Arianna Fangonilo
Arianna Fangonilo, who also goes by Arianna Lynne online, is a freelancer from Kodiak, Alaska who decided to take her life into her own hands and pursue a lifestyle outside of the typical 9-to-5 job. She spends her days doing what she loves most: writing and creating. In her spare time, she can be found taking and teaching dance classes, binge-watching anime, or cuddling with her cats, Hurricane and Pippins. She also creates content for her lifestyle and fitness blog called Chasses ‘n Lattes where she hopes to inspire, encourage, and empower women by promoting a healthy mind and body through dance and fitness.