Heading to college is an exciting time for teens who are fresh out of high school. But the transition to dorm life can be overwhelming and stressful too. Here are a few things you can do to make your teen feel more comfortable as they get used to their new college dorm life:
Prep a Few Meals and Snacks
Your teen will probably be really busy unpacking, meeting their peers, and getting to know their surroundings during the first few days after arriving at their college dorm room. They likely won't be thinking about nutrition much throughout the settling process.
So take the time to prep a few meals and snacks that are shelf stable and pack it all in a bag for easy access. Your teen won't have to think about buying or cooking their own meals for the first day or two on their own. Following are some meal and snack options to consider packing:
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Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
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Veggie wraps.
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Instant oatmeal.
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Cereal or energy bars.
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Apples and bananas.
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Trail mix.
In addition to making the transition to college dorm life easier for your teen, you'll have peace of mind in knowing that they'll take a break from the excitement once in awhile to focus on their nutritional needs.
Put Together an Entertainment Package
While the transition to dorm life will be exciting, your teen will probably feel a little lonely during their downtime if it's their first time living away from home. So consider putting together an entertainment package for them that can be enjoyed between classes, before bed, or in the middle of the night when sleep isn't coming easily.
You can pack comic books, magazines, crossword puzzles, and novels that focus on their favorite genre. But don't forget to pack some paper, pens, envelopes, and stamps your teen can write letters to your household and create tangible memories for your family that will last a lifetime.
Send Them a Custom T-Shirt Memory Quilt
An excellent way to make your teen's new college dorm feel more like home is to have a t-shirt memory quilt made for them. Not only will the quilt provide them with optimal comfort while they sleep, but it will help remind them of everyone they love back at home. Whenever they get lonely or want to reminisce, they can always turn to their memory quilt.
To get started, ask your family members and your teen's friends to provide you with one of their old t-shirts. Explain that you'll be using the clothing to create a memory quilt so they'll know to choose something of significance to your teen. Once you've collected the t-shirts, you can send them to your chosen memory quilt provider who will create a custom memory quilt and send it directly back to you or even to your teen's dorm.
