How to REALLY be prepared for college

Ah, freshman year. Independence...Freedom...Responsibility (that last one might take a little practice.) As always, it’s easiest to begin with the little things - and at the beginning. That part of the process where forethought, planning and preparation, we later learn, turn out to be decisive. We begin by shopping for schools. We compiled a list that makes sense (reach, realistic and safety schools). Before we knew it, time and applications and AP exams had passed; Jake had gotten into a school that he loved and that we were pretty sure we could afford (and that wasn’t too far from home). All of a sudden, we were at the beginning of that dreaded final step: packing.

Let’s be honest, teenaged boys don’t always make the best choices about hygiene or its products, but luckily, we know a place where we can find everything we want and he needs, whether we choose from one of their already assembled kits or create one of our own, customized for Jake’s own needs and proclivities.

We wanted to make sure Jake got off to a great start so we began our planning by building a kit for him. We selected a black bag with a generous handle to keep his dopp kit nice and tidy. It was very durable (in fact, we still use it today). First impressions are often lasting impressions and therefore quite important. We picked out the Herbal Essences shampoo and matching Hello Hydration formula conditioner because a freshman boy needs to smell great, and it’s a brand we all trust. You should’ve seen how his hair shone when we dropped him off for the beginning of what would become the adventure of his young life.

We went with Crest 3D whitening toothpaste; it is Jake’s favorite after all...and pairs perfectly with the Scope with Crest Mouthwash. It tastes great, is very refreshing, and was just the right size for him, and, let’s face it, if he is going to be at the occasional college party, we hope his breath is fresh! To ensure that winning smile was in good hands for his social events, we chose a soft bristle Colgate Toothbrush. But what is a great smile without a smooth and handsome face to frame it? Gillette Mach 3 Razors combined with Barbasol Shave cream was perfect. If we had not done everything in our power to make Jake as dashing and adorable as possible, we certainly gave it the old college try.

With the drop off on campus came the inevitable tears…even Jake didn’t escape with dry eyes. We grabbed some tissues we were now especially glad we had thought to include in his kit.  It turned out the comb came in handy too, to tidy up after all the hugs and promises to call every day and text after every class. We know…maybe we should give him more space, but he still feels like our little boy. On our way back home, we stopped off in a hotel, and I was so lucky that I had purchased a few individual items twice (ones for Jake and for me!), so I could unwind with my Olay Body Wash and put my face back in order with the Vanity Pack. That next morning, the drive home was easy because we knew that Jake (maybe we should be calling him Jacob now…) was at a great school and that he had a dopp kit to keep him in good graces with his peers as well as his professors. Until we sent him a care package to replace all his necessities, that is!