Most parents are nervous when they send their student off to college. Soon, after leaving their child at a university hours away from home, care packages follow almost immediately.

For the most part, care packages are unfortunately weighed down with high-sugar and sodium snacks, and useless knick-knacks that will soon be trashed by your student. Fortunately, after experiencing college life for nearly three semesters, I know exactly what a student wants from the home-front.

A Walmart Gift Card

Students are always pinching for pennies, regardless of how comfy they seem with their coins. A good way to give your student money without fear of it being wasted on late-night pizza?

A Walmart gift card is necessary for grocery shopping, or buying other items, like makeup, skincare, or other toiletries. Sometimes, just sending a gift card with the message of “treat yourself” gives your student another reason to smile while they destress.

A Medicine Bag

This one is no joke.

Students are cheap.

Students absolutely refuse to purchase anything outside of food and clothes, and that means medicine will never be on their grocery list.

Even if they are running a 101 fever, limping around from a scabbed knee, or a pounding headache, they will absolutely refuse to purchase medicine because they are so frugal.

Fill a tiny storage container up with band-aids, painkillers, cough syrup and allergy relief. Throw in antibiotic ointment, and cranberry pills for the ladies.

Students are too busy to care for themselves.

A Picture From Home 

This one might not be the most obvious, but students are homesick and their dorm could always use extra decor. Regardless of what time of year it is, students miss their families.

Take a cute selfie from pre-college years, print it out at a local store, and frame it. Send it in the care package, and soon you’ll find your college student placing their new picture on their desk or wall.