Hello Swistle!
Hi! How are you? I have a question that you may already have an answer to and if you don’t it may be a fun thing to ask your bloggy community…
I would like to put together a questionnaire for some of the seniors that we are close to who are headed off to college in August. Kind of like a “favorite things” survey each young person can fill out and return to me (in an envelope I’ll stamp and address). We were invited to a bazillion graduation parties and just did a small “gift” for each of those ($20.23 check). For the people we are closer to/might have done a more significant gift for, I thought I’d send care packages sometime after school starts up in August. Instead of guessing what they’d like I want to KNOW what they will find delightful. Things I’m thinking of asking about include: snack preferences, local/national places they’d like gift cards to, favorite online stores, favorite school supplies (maybe that’s just a me thing?). What else would you ask or think to include in that kind of survey? Is this dumb? Do you think any kids will return it? Lol!
This seemed like something you might enjoy thinking about – bonus points if you or a reader have a PDF template that already exists!
I hope your graduation season is going well – does it feel like your job to go to grad parties?!
Love,
Kelsey
What a fun idea. When I did Galentine’s Day care packages, I used this questionnaire and found it more useful than I would have expected:
• Does the recipient drink coffee? tea? cocoa?
• Allergies / sensitivities / dietary restrictions?
• Prefer a sort of FOOD-BASED box or more of a NON-food-based box?
• Favorite color, in case something has a color choice?
• Would hair elastics or hair clips be of any use?
• Anything else that might be helpful to know?
I added a section about answering as many or as few questions as desired, and said that I could also do it no-answers-all-surprises if preferred.
I think in the past I’ve asked about favorite scents, which can be useful. Someone might say “Vanilla and lavender!” or “Anything floral!” and then you have a whole world to choose from. Or they might say “Nothing floral!” or “Unscented only!” and then you know.
For college students, I would definitely ask about school supplies and snacks; I’d add a sub-question about salty/sweet—like “Favorite snacks? salty/sweet?” in the hopes of getting more info. And I might add a question such as “Room decor/theme, if applicable?” It might not lead to anything, but you could get an answer like “DAISIES!!” or “NEON!!!” or “STAR WARS!!” or “NOTHING YELLOW!!” and then you would have something to really dig your teeth into.
After “Favorite color, in case something has a color choice?,” I might add “Favorite animal, in case something has an animal choice?”
I might also add some sort of question about the ideal time to get a care package, depending on how willing you are to work with that. “Any particular ideal time to get a care package, or random?” Maybe someone would say “Finals week!” or “My birthday November 3rd!,” or someone would mention a day they knew would be a sad one for them, or maybe someone would say they would LOVE a Halloween box.
I think some kids might not fill it out but, looking at my own kids of this age, I think it would be because they put it aside to do it later and then forgot about it, rather than that they thought it was silly. I tried to think of a way to add a lighthearted deadline, but all my ideas sounded kind of…mommish. Not that there’s anything wrong with mommish!
More ideas for useful questionnaire questions?
I love the care package idea! I’d love to send or have received such a creative idea.
When I had a lot of graduation parties of close relatives, I’d do a laundry care package – roll of quarters, small detergent, collapsible hamper or laundry bag, and sometimes I’d consult their mom for size and get a college t shirt with the label “emergency back up shirt for when you are out of laundry”
It was fun and many of the recipients brought up that gift years later.
Since I have an incoming college freshman, just a head’s up that most laundry in colleges don’t take quarters anymore!
I didn’t realize this until someone asked the question on one of our college tours!
I will get my cane and see myself out. LOL
This totally makes sense but also kind of boggles my mind.
I’ve never heard of graduation parties other than the grads having parties with their friends! Is this an American thing, or is it because my oldest won’t hit that milestone for another year? Canadian readers weigh in, because I’d like to know if I’m neglecting a tradition and should be sending money to friends’ kids and have been unknowingly snubbing people!
I do, however, have experience at receiving care packages, because my mom would sometimes randomly send me boxes of treats when I was in university. I think my favourites were honestly things I could share with my friends – my mom was prone to stuffing boxes with chocolate bars – and I got into the habit of opening them in the cafeteria. It only backfired once, when there was a pair of new underwear right at the top of the box.
For the survey, maybe asking about what sort of phone they have? I have a feeling charging cords/blocks go missing or get broken a lot, and gift cards that match the phone to download music or apps might be useful? A friend has a super-short charging cord she got at a dollar store and it’s the perfect thing to use to charge your phone from a charging block in your backpack or purse, so those might be a good idea for a package with this theme. I’m making a mental note for myself as these may be good ideas for stocking stuffers.
Fellow Canadian here who has lots of American friends: the graduation party and gift thing is definitely bigger (a lot bigger) in the US than in Canada.
This is a very thoughtful idea from Kelsey and I don’t think anyone would think of it as silly.
Beth, your second sentence is freaking me out: did I come across as implying Kelsey’s plan was silly? I hope I didn’t because I certainly didn’t mean to! I would have thought that chiming in with some suggestions showed that I thought it was a neat idea and was trying to help with the brainstorming!
The letter writer to Swistle said “is this dumb?”
that’s what I interpreted the “this is not silly,” Was directed at.
Shawna, Beth is having trouble making replies work (I too have had patchy trouble with replies, why can’t things just WORK??) and has emailed me asking me to post this for her:
********
Omg!!! Sorry for not being clear! The 2nd bit about not being silly was to Kelsey who asked whether some students might find it dumb or not respond.
Your response was great!
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Whew! Thanks for the reply Beth and setting my mind at ease! And thanks Swistle for posting!
Hopefully other people also find this amusing and are not scandalized…but I read somewhere a few years ago that having a spare phone charger is the new having a spare scrunchie for college aged gentlemen types…considerate, but maybe also a sign that they have a lot of overnight guests? (Not that I ever knew anyone who kept spare scrunchies around, but apparently that was a thing?)
Interesting! I’ve never heard of having a spare scrunchie, but I used to keep a contact lens case and some generic contact lens solution around, and I didn’t wear contact. I wouldn’t, by any stretch, have said I had a lot of overnight guests, but it did come in handy the odd time when someone (either a romantic interest or even just a platonic friend) stayed late and it was easier to just crash with me than go home.
Snacks are almost always a hit. I vote for a mix of sweet and salty. Also most enjoy microwave popcorn, which lets your gift have more shelf life.
I don’t think you can go wrong including even a cheap fleece blanket.
My daughter received a tackle box of various dollar-store first aid items for stuff like colds, stomach ills, and small injuries. I picked up some single-serving microwave containers of Campbell’s soups for the inevitable sore throat. Something like that is nice for when even going to the dining hall is too much, or also for when they miss meal hours but don’t want to order delivery.
Avoid candles even for the biggest fans, because dorms typically don’t allow them.
Popcorn is essential for dorm life, I got my daughter a microwave popcorn popper which she never used, my son took it to school two years later, just graduated and still travels with it.
https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/tools-gadgets/tools/ctg-00-mpm/
What a fun idea! I also love the check amount. I hope I remember that for when my kid graduates. One question I have that you might have figured out. How will you know where to send the care package? If they return the questionnaire in the summer, they might not have their P.O. Box or whatever (it was a question I was pondering if you should include). Otherwise, will you reach out to a parent? Do you have the parent contact info or does that need to be a question?
If you know their school name, Google “school name student mail” will usually let you know how to address a package. Not all schools require box numbers, so this would be a good way to check.
My only comment would be to make it an online survey if you can! I feel like they’d be more likely to fill it out on their phones.
Ohhh, this is smart. I know you mentioned a stamped envelope, but I’m almost certain your return rate would be better if you texted (not emailed) them a link to a Google survey you created.
Yep, look into a Google form – they are pretty fun to make!
And I suggest asking if there is anything they NEED – so they’re not afraid to ask for super practical things.
I thought the same thing and I have a daughter who just graduated. If you can have an option where they scan a QR code to take them to an online survey, I think you would get more replies.
I came here to say the same. My kids are 1000% more likely to do something if they can do it on their phone. The teens I know are all very familiar with Google docs, that seems not too difficult? (Says someone not actually doing the work) Or maybe there is some service like Survey Monkey that would make it easy? Such a nice idea!!!
I was going to suggest a google form also! Even better if you can make the link a tinyurl and text it to the students. I love this idea, BTW!
I love sending college care packages! The shipping can get pricey, so I recommend picking light stuff as filler. The things they’ve seemed to like the most are microwaveable cups of mac & cheese, gift cards to places near campus (Slim Chickens is a favorite here in the south!), and throat lozenges for the cold/flu they will definitely get.I try to save up those $5 gift cards Target gives for some sale items, so I’ll stick some of those in, and maybe some funny/cute napkins from the kids’ party aisle.
I would make the survey via google forms or similar. And also make sure you tell them when you send something. My college age family NEVER checked their mail. I would send random cards with a $10 or $20 bill inside and they never mentioned it. Come to find out at Thanksgiving they don’t check mail. They went back to school to find a stack of things (not just from me). Even when they moved to apartments I’d have to tell them that something was coming because they’d go for weeks without checking their lockbox.
This is going to sound silly, but some college students don’t know how mail works. Packages don’t typically go to dorms, they go to wherever the PO Boxes are. I worked at a large university for nine years and I’d have students admit to me sheepishly that they’d missed critical correspondence because they didn’t think to check their PO Box. So perhaps send a text or tracking info to the student when you do send off their care package.
I think it’s the thought that counts, so whatever you send will make an impression on your freshman. Cash is always welcome. Perhaps a local treat if they’ve moved further away.
If you can figure out a way to make your questionnaire a Google form, I think you will get a much higher response rate!
I have 1 child in college—she loves to get the normal stuff (snacks, small gift cards to Starbucks, places to eat near her etc). I also try to throw in something that’s very “from home” like a copy of our weekly local town paper or the high school paper (where her siblings still go).
I haven’t tried it, but is there a way to give Door Dash, Uber Eats etc gift cards? During times of stress or busyness I know she orders delivery and that can be pricey.
Oh, this is so fun!
Is there a specific school supply they either need a lot of or like to have a big collection of? When I was in college I was constantly running out of those little sticky page marker things. I don’t remember *needing* a huge variety of highlighters and colored pens, but I liked having them anyway. You could find cute/slightly nicer versions of the things they request, so it feels more like a gift and less like something they’d have bought for themselves at the student store.
What’s the cooking/food storage situation in their dorm? If their floor has a shared kitchen, a box of cake or brownie mix might be fun. If they’re allowed to have a kettle, they might like tea or instant soup. If they only have one small cupboard to store snacks, maybe give them mostly non-edible items.
What’s the weather like at their college? If they get cold winters, they might like some cute warm socks or a travel mug for hot drinks. I went to college in a place that gets a lot of hot weather, and one time my cousins sent me a huge package of water balloons. Huge hit.
My son just graduated from college and what we sent was almost always sweets– homemade baked goods, cocoa packets, Pez with seasonal dispensers, or seasonal boxes of candy (Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter). I know his grandmother used to send single-serve bags of nuts.
I’d suggest:
– breakfast/food bars that can be slipped into a pocket on the go or put in a bag as an emergency food
– travel umbrellas
– liquid IV rehydration packs, esp if they are active/ in a hot place
– Justin’s nut butters, a favorite shelf-stable protein option. (I might look for a safe nut/seed butter ESPECIALLY for people with peanut allergies, because that can really limit dorm room meal options.
– if they like spicy, a good chili crisp (great on popcorn)
– sunscreen and moisturizer/hand cream minis
– Chico bags
– first aid kit
This is so fun! It’s a little late now but we had a grad party for our kid and said “no gifts” but if you are determined to bring a gift bring some small thing to throw into a care package. Then I had labeled boxes for each months and folks could put their very modest gifts or notes of encouragement or whatever into any box. Now I just have to fill them up with cup of noodles and fresh cookies and remember to ship them each month. 😂. Granted this is for a kid who is oddly obsessed with the idea of care packages. And has been citing that as a future college highlight! Folks who attended the party were mixed. Some thought it was super fun. Some thought it was weird. Many missed the memo entirely (it was explained in a small insert in the invitation)
I LOVE THIS IDEA SO MUCH. A care-package party!!! With boxes labeled with months!!
I agree, that is a super-fun idea!
Thank you for posting, Swistle! I’ve loved reading all of these responses – I did not end up making a Google form, but that will be my next step if I don’t hear from the students. I also really like the monthly care package idea and will tuck that away for the future.