Parents: Send Some Love this Valentine’s Day

Send Some Love this Valentine’s Day

By Mary Jane Dellafiora

Soon it will be February 14, Valentine’s Day. It is a good time to talk about sending Care Packages to your UC Davis student. In this time of cell phones, texting, email and social media, we keep closer contact with our family members than we did in the past. And you may have a student who never checks his or her “snail mail” box. But every student enjoys one old-fashioned gesture delivered to him or her, a care package. Modern quick door-to-door delivery service has spoiled us with convenience. Use it to send some affection and a quick “have a good day” for a special occasion, or for no reason at all!

This seemingly antiquated gift can be appreciated more than any quick phone call, tweet, Instagram or Facebook post. It can take little time, effort or expense on a parent or loved one’s part. Simply fill a small box with study break provisions like coffee and favorite snacks like crackers or chips. Maybe you can add especially “healthy” ones like granola bars or trail mix, or well-loved treats like homemade cookies. (Chocolate chip still rule in many families.) You can throw in a forgotten-at-home favorite T-shirt or a new one, just to try to expand that wardrobe. Every student appreciates putting off laundry a few more days with a pack of new socks or underwear. Students appreciate always-needed school supplies like pens, a small pack of notebook paper or highlighters. If exams are approaching, throw in number 2 pencils, exam books or those magic erasers that seem to sell out every time your student needs them. Include a note, a photo or a card and you have something fun that brightens someone’s day and reminds him or her that even in stressful times when you feel far from home, someone is thinking about you.

To save time, parents have organized care package groups in neighborhoods to purchase certain items to share, then gather together to assemble the boxes for each student. But even the busiest parent can provide this gift for a student. Various services also provide care packages that you can order online or via a telephone call. In Davis, the Davis Creamery prepares celebration packages that can be prepared for any occasion, including ones for “exams.” National online companies also prepare packages of various prices to fit every occasion and deliver them to students attending UC Davis.

There’s “cyber-love” and there’s sending love. Take advantage of the opportunity to do either and Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

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