Sentimental Going Away to College Gifts

Going away as a college student can be a struggle for some. Whether the student is going away to college, going abroad for experience, or joining the military, going away gifts can be a tricky gift to give. These going away to college gifts are practical as well as sentimental and tie the memories of home to the new experiences each student will go through. From gifting a journal to work through struggles, to a stationary kit to send letters home, and photographs to remember family and keep up while everyone grows, each gift will help stave off homesickness and give your student a boost to keep growing.

Journals

Going away whether to college or spending a semester abroad can be tough. Students will struggle with issues like homesickness, difficult classes, and being in a new place. Gifting a journal, either a personalized memory journal or a notebook specific to writing down their thoughts will help them work through issues and find their place.

DIY memory journal

To give a piece of home, create a memory journal with a simple notebook and add your own stickers, memories, and other ephemera to the pages. As your student uses the journal to document their life they’ll find reminders of you and memories of the two of you together. This is a great gift for those going abroad or far away from home. Plus once it’s full all the memories, both old and new are intertwined, creating a whole new way to enjoy them.

 Blank journal

Alternatively, giving a blank journal, either hardcover or soft, is a great blank canvas for your student to be creative, or just work on a blank page. Going away can be seen as a fresh start or new opportunity, and a fresh journal is a great way to document the adventure. Giving one that’s undated will help your student journal when it’s necessary and not feel like there’s a right or wrong way to work on the page.

Stationary kit

The art of sending letters and notes in the mail may seem old fashioned but it’s a great way for friends and family to stay connected especially with large time differences or students traveling to a foreign country. Putting together a stationary kit with things like nice writing paper, stamps for postage, airmail envelopes, and other decorations will make reporting home more fun. Getting letters in the mail will bring some excitement to being far away from loved ones, and will give a unique way to share their story and experiences while they’re away.

In addition to a stationary kit it may be helpful to include the addresses of friends and family members so letters can be sent back and forth. Students may not have a mailbox or address right away, so including some friendly addresses will make it easier to send mail once they do have a new address. This is also a great way to start their address book, something that may be overlooked with those new to adulthood. Putting all the family contact information together will keep everyone in touch throughout the years and will include more than just the student in the adventure.

Photos

Being away from home can get lonely and having some pictures of those most important to your student can help them work through homesickness. Gifting pictures, whether mailing snapshots to you student while their away or giving them a way to display photos in a dorm room will help your student enjoy friends and family from afar.

Printed photos

Giving the gift of printed photos will help your student carry their family and friends with them. Once they’re established in their new place sending photos in the mail is a great way to decorate their new space with friends, family, and new memories. Many places will print photos in a variety of sizes, both online and in store which makes this gift a special one. Photos travel well in an envelope and will bring some of the magic of home to your student away. These photos will be cherished for a long time and may even decorate their first home or apartment, making this gift well worth it.

Photo board

A photo board can be as simple as a bulletin board, large or small, or a more decorative fabric ribbon board. The goal is to provide your student with something they can display their photos on. A ribbon board is especially useful because you don’t have to use tacks or pins to hang the photos and photos can be swapped out whenever a new one comes in the mail or is printed. This gift is especially helpful in dorm rooms where the walls are often concrete brick. The brick makes it impossible to hang photos with a nail, and most tape won’t stick to the uneven surface.