Help me make a "College Survival Kit"

My brother-in-law will be entering college in 10 days and I’d like to send him off with a few ‘tools’ to help him along.

I had an idea for a College Student Survival kit or a College Student First Aid kit and I need help thinking of things to put in it. So far I have thought of:

[ul]
[li] Aspirin[/li][li] Vivarin[/li][li] Condom(s)[/li][li] A small drink mixing guide[/li][li] A Hangover Cure guide (could use help on different hangover cures)[/li][li] A tiny bottle of Tobasco, mini-Vodka bottle and Bloody Mary mix (for a hangover cure to take in conjunction with aspirin)[/li][li] A roll of quarters (laundry, pay the pizza guy, etc.)[/li][/ul]

That’s it so far but I’m sure there’s other stuff my fellow Dopers can think of. This is mostly meant in fun so go ahead and be crazy in your ideas. That it has some actual benefits is just a bonus.

I swear I didn’t screw up the title and had “College Survival Kit” tacked on to the end of it. I don’t know what happened but if a Mod could fix that I’d appreciate it.

Thanks…

Earplugs.

perhaps a pencil and a few sheets of paper so the parents feel a little better about shelling out all the green

  • Dictionary

  • Strunk & White’s “Elements of Style”

  • Daily Planner w/ important phone numbers pre-installed

  • Stamped, self addressed envelopes (to Mom and Dad)

  • TP

  • Pre-paid phone card

etc, etc.
And yes, ear plugs.

flip flops for the shower. Warts, you know.

a dainty little bucket in which to vomit into, to be used before the hangover guide, for the times in which the toilet is too far away…

and add a sponge and paper towels (same idea).

besides, it can be used to house all ot the stuff when you give it to him.

More lists of college supplies.

Bandaids. Copy of latest and greatest of the MLA-style handbook (citing sources never sounded so kinky).

ah college life one week left and I’m back at school can’t wait. My advice would be FOOD, and christmas lights for decoration.

Actually, I’d say an entire first-aid kit. Nothing fancy, but something that has all the basics.

For a hangover cure: Pepto-Bismol, Gatorade, two Tylenol, and a couple of cookies. The Pepto-Bismol and cookies work for his stomach, while the tylenol and Gatorade work for his head.

Different flavors of Ramen noodles and a microwave bowl to cook 'em in.

There’s a thing you can find in the sporting goods section of pretty much any Wal-Mart or Target store called a “Leatherman” tool – kind of a Swiss Army knife with attitude. It’s a pair of folding needlenose pliars, can opener, screwdriver set, knife, file, and a few of the fancier ones have a scissor as well.

Anyway, I was given one of these things and darned if it isn’t the handiest thing in the whold world for a college kid.

By the time I graduated the pliars had been bent to heck fixing everything from the buckles on my backpack to the hatch of my car, I’d worn the file flat on my finger and toenails, the screwdrivers I’d twisted up fixing the doors tomy dormroom, the knife was encrusted with three years worth of pizza cheese and the can opener was worn to a nubb.

This actually caused me physical pain. Too much into my knives? naaahhhhhh…

You sound like a friend of mine. He has a drawer full of clean, gleaming, razor-sharp Spiderco knives but when he needs to open a CD wrapper he uses his car keys.

Also good to include are:

  • crayons and coloring book for stress relief
  • tacky stick-um for putting posters on the wall
  • a $5 or $10 calling card
  • one of those keychain ID holders for keeping the student ID handy
  • headphones for listening to the stereo without bugging his roommate
  • one or all of Cecil Adams’ books

Skip the christmas lights until he can confirm if they’re ok to have or not. We used to get written up by fire safety for having them in my school, and it only takes 3 write-ups before you get thrown out of a dorm(fortunately, I only got caught once. But they go into people’s rooms when they aren’t there!) Also skip candles.

My baby brother is starting his freshman year this fall, and I made him a kit of sorts too. I included:
[li]A Study duffle bag, so he’ll have something to put stuff in for weekend trips home.[/li][li] tap lights[/li][li] extra long twin sheets set.[/li][li] towel and wash clothes[/li][li] sewing kit[/li][li] woven nylon bag for shower stuff (wont’t mildew)[/li][li] small hammer that has screw drivers in the handle[/li][li] small cd rack[/li][li] various shaving and other hygine items[/li]and some other stuff I forgot about.

Any bookstores or discount stores in the area? Gift cards for Barnes & Noble, Target, Wal*Mart, etc. can be very handy when the cash runs low.

A hot water bottle (great hot or cold for headaches and muscle pain).

how about a dry erase board… good for hanging on doors for messages or writing down those numbers of girls you met that night (you write it up drunk and fix it easy the next day… if you can figure out if that number is a 9 or a 4.)