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Good gift givers study the receiver to achieve positive results. For example, a college-bound student has emotional needs as well as immediate ones regarding schoolbooks, food, and a ‘cool’ roommate.
If you’re in need of a good gift for a college-bound student, prey on their fears, presenting gifts that ease their mind, making it better to study…and partake in other college pastimes.
Intelligence
Even if your student graduated at the top of their class, they have fears about being equally intelligent to others at college. Organization is vital to successful planning. A digital or physical organizer helps students note assignments, upcoming tests and quizzes, and methods of keeping better organization. Seeing is believing, and a graphic organizer provides ability to see organization and progress in motion.
Encroachment
What if their roommate is ‘weird,’ and creates more discomfort than good vibes while living in a small space? You might not be able to do anything about getting rid of a dislikable roommate, but you can heighten the sense of anonymity and lessen their encroachment on personal space with a room divider. The divider’s ability of folding out and in makes it easy to quickly transform the space and limit the presence of unwanted parties.
Safety
Those away from home for the first time feel emotionally insecure as well as physically threatened. It’s intimidating to be on college campuses, some with unsupervised parties, leaving attendants susceptible to violence, sexual crimes, etc. Campus security maintains order, yet a number of students carry pepper spray in the case of an emergency or violent attack.
Hunger
It’s a jaw-dropping experience to be miles away from mom’s refrigerator, where college freshmen previously fed themselves at will. However, living on one’s own necessitates buying and preparing food, two pastimes some college freshmen are unaccustomed to doing. To ease the anxiety of ‘going hungry,’ buy an incoming freshman a quesadilla maker. Dorm rooms, replete with electrical sockets, serve as mini kitchens where students make snacks in between visits to the cafeteria.
Friendship
Some freshmen leave friends they’ve had for the last ten years, arriving on campus without knowing a soul. True friends enjoy one another for a variety of reasons, yet you have to start somewhere. Friendships often begin through shared interests. If you’re sending a ‘gamer’ to campus without a popular gaming system, reconsider the hours of entertainment in addition to the added leverage in attracting friends tied to owning an Xbox or Sony Playstation. Of course, a range of funny posters show that your freshman knows what’s cool and has a sense of humor.
Homesickness
Students of decades ago had to settle for phone calls, letters, and sent pictures to rekindle their sense of home. Today, any freshmen with a mobile device and Skype application can see their moms, dads, sisters, brothers, and dogs via a smart phone, laptop or desktop computer. Settle the anxiety related to homesickness by giving an iPad, iPhone, or other device that ensures they’ll be able to send messages, speak with, and see family members in real time.
