<p>She gave me a laundry basket FILLED with a whole bunch of dorm supplies! Filled with:</p>
<p>-June 2008-July 2009 planner
-A TON of pens and mechanical pencils (I hate regular pencils but we both go through them rather quickly, so she understands it XD)
-Dry erase board for my dorm room/door if they'll let me hang it
-Dry erase markers, eraser & board cleaner
-A 5-ft beach towel (it has that new towel fuzziness ^<em>^)
-A Pirates of the Caribbean Jack Sparrow folder (inside joke between the two of us)
-Post-it notes (We're both Post-it addicts)
-Hangers
-Febreeze
-Razors & shaving cream
-Deodorant
-Basic First-aid kit
-Hair ties (we both go through them like mad, can never have too many if your D has long hair and doesn't like to spend a lot of time styling it ^</em>^)
-2-packs of Motrin to keep in my purse
-4 x 6 index cards
-A TON of filler paper
-Highlighters
-Chapstick
Basically everything but the kitchen sink...you get the idea.</p>
<p>It was PERFECT...way less stuff I have to buy. Go older sister.</p>
<p>I would, however, only recommend this if it's a daughter/sister/son/brother/etc. you're shopping for, because you know what brands of everything they like. My sister, for example, was able to buy my favorite pens, pencils, highlighters, etc.</p>
<p>When I went to the University of Colorado, my aunt bought me stock in Vail Resorts because she figured I'd be spending more time skiing than going to school. She was right and the stock has tripled. Some sort of stock is creative and useful.</p>
<p>D's good buddy just graduated from HS and is going to be serving our country as a Marine! I just got an invitation to an open house type of party to celebrate his HS graduation, and I have no ideas as far as what kind of gift to bring. Help!</p>
<p>I am going to do the cookie postcard for D's friend that is going in the service. No matter where he is, he can use cookies! </p>
<p>Don't really know what else people need in the service, unless they're active duty. I sent boxes to Iraq and the best thing ever was the $1.00 punchballs I included!</p>
<p>A friend's D is graduating tomorrow. I think she'd like to be able to make simple dessert things in her dorm. Is there a source for micro-waveable treats and things to make them in?</p>
<p>I didn't read through this entire post so maybe something like this was mentioned. My daughter got invited to so many other kids graduation parties and we didn't want to spend a lot of money. When we took our older daughter to college we had to run out and but some baskic tools to hang things up. So this year for the girls we found a great Pink tool kit at Walmart. It comes in a pink bag and the tools are of decent quality. Even comes with supplies to hang up pictures. They have a blue one also for boys but I really liked the pink one better. We even kept one for my daughter. It cost $20.</p>
<p>Thanks 1soccermom. Maybe I can get a couple of microwave-safe baking pans and then make her some laminated recipe cards and bags of ingredients for a few of the treats.</p>
<p>Yesterday someone gave graduating S preaddressed stamped cards - vouchers for cookies, etc. This great idea was mentioned early in the thread, but...the habitually chatty giver included blank lines on which noncommunicative S must write something about what he's up to in order to receive the cookies. Sure hope she shares with me whatever he writes!</p>
<p>D's friend asked all the mothers of her group for pics from infancy until graduation of the 5 girls. Then, they made a CD of them for everyone in the group. Added music and sayings. Very meaningful and I think the best gift D received. Another friend bought all the 5 matching necklaces (chain and hanger) in silver. They all wear them and remember each other no matter where they are. Another friend took pics of important HS events for the 5 girls and put them into a collage frame. D took it with her to college and her friends were still near to her, even though she was the only one who went far away.</p>
<p>Along the lines of #s 111 and 112, I am doing smallish (200 photo size) "Class of 2008" photo albums (Target) for my D and her 4 close friends. Sorry if this has been suggested, I did not read thru all pages. I tend to be the Mom with the camera at all events. Went back thru my photos from senior year and got enough copies made for all the girls. I think they will like having pics from everything from tennis to concerts, musicals, parades, balls and prom etc. There will be room left over so they can add their own and it's small enough to not take up much room. Also added a glitzy "Class of 2008" 4x6 frame (gotta luv Target) and put in a beautiful pre-prom photo of the 5. May have to add the 20.08 gift certificate!</p>
<p>Great ideas here: toolbox, laundry fixings, cookie postcards, gift cards, $20.09 checks, surge protecters. For college graduation, I am leaning towards university watch, chair or luggage.</p>
<p>We bought a cheap, unframed corkboard square, light enough that it could be hung on the wall with 3M sticky things, and covered it with photos (teammates, friends, family, prom, etc).</p>
<p>I loved walking past his hallmates rooms decorated with posters, photos, artwork, etc. S1 is not the type to bother with any of this, so for him, "ready-made" was the way to go. He stuck it on the wall next to his desk.</p>
<p>The “send cookies” postcard (Post #13) is the most darling idea ever! My kids and all their friends would adore a gift like that! </p>
<p>When my kids went off to college, I took a photo of them during orientation and used it to make change-of-address cards for them to send to friends and relatives. They used them as thank you notes too. Anyway, along with the college P.O. box, I added a line that said “I’m off to college. Send notes (and cookies) to me here!” All their aunties laughed, but no one sent cookies – well, except for me, of course. Your friend sounds wonderful!</p>
<p>A friend told me recently that she gives her nephew a Platinum membership to AAA every year because he drives between home and college a lot. She said he’s used the free towing a couple times and is very thankful for the thoughtful gift.</p>
<p>This thread is brilliant! I am going to give cookie postcards to D, my niece, and all D’s friends who know that I am the mom who runs (and bakes for) all the HS bake sales! I might add brownies (and some of my other specialties) to the list of options!</p>
<p>Since I have never shipped my baked goods before, can anyone tell me how to do this safely? I don’t want my goodies to arrive as delicious crumbs…
Thanks!!!</p>
Your friend sounds wonderful!</p>