Category / university

by Kelly Mattei

Youngest in the Grade

Youngest in the grade.

My daughter just turned 20 a few days ago. She’s a sophomore in college, living her best life. My husband and I traveled to her university to celebrate her, and a good time was had by all! In fact, we are still enjoying our time with her and her friends! It did, however, make me think about how fortunate she is that she will turn 21 at the beginning of her junior year in college. She is definitely not the youngest in her class, and believe me when I say I tried to design it that way.

I was one of the youngest in my grade growing up. I wasn’t the youngest, but with a late May birthday, I definitely wasn’t one of the older ones. Add in the fact that I was short with a round little face, so I looked even younger. I was among the last in my grade to get my driver’s license, and then, in college, I was one of the last of my friends to turn 21…after the end of my junior year of college!

Some of you who didn’t experience that might not think it matters. Maybe it didn’t matter at all to some of you when you were growing up. It mattered to me. I hated that I was among the last in my grade to get my driver’s license, and in college, I especially hated that I was among the last of my friends to turn 21. It mattered…a lot. It mattered so much to me, in fact, that I literally had a countdown from my 20th birthday to my 21st. I could tell you exactly how many days, hours, and minutes it was until my birthday. Yes, I would actually say things to my friends like, “I will be 21 in exactly 163 days, 7 hours, and 22 minutes.” Annoying? I’m sure. Weird? Probably. But I wanted to be 21.

It makes me wonder about the kids who skip grades. I’m not condemning that concept, so don’t come at me. I will fight back, you know. Personally, for me, it would have been a terrible thing to be the youngest among my “peers,” especially if I were a year younger! Lots of people in college don’t want to be the one who can’t go to the bar when everyone else can. I have a friend whose daughter is the youngest in her friend group, and when Taylor Swift was in Nashville, the daughter was one week shy of her 21st birthday. All her friends were in Nashville and able to go out to bars, but she couldn’t go to all of them. She could go to the 18+ or 19+ bars, but not the real bars. She felt left out of the fun.

When I was a little girl, in first and second grade, it was recommended that I skip a grade. My mother, in her wisdom, refused. She would point out how small I was. And she would also say, “She does not need to be behind the curve socially. No, she’s staying where she is.” She was wise. No, I’m not saying you are unwise if you let your kid skip a grade. You do you. I am saying I definitely would not have been socially ready for college a year earlier. I will say I see a lot of great athletes who are young in their grade at school and could have been even greater athletes if they’d had another year to grow. My child was eligible to go to kindergarten in North Carolina in 2008, but I wanted her to do a year of transitional kindergarten. I didn’t want her to be the youngest in the grade. I wanted her to have the most athletic opportunities she could have, if she wanted them (she did). I wanted her to be among the first to get her driver’s license, and among the first to turn 21 in college.

By giving my girl an October birthday, I ensured that she will be among the first to turn 21 in her class in college. She has thanked me many times for it. My husband and I were thrilled that she was among the first to turn 16, because it meant she would be responsible for driving herself, instead of being dependent on other teens. We trusted her driving, because we taught her, and we made her have double the number of practice driving hours required by the state of North Carolina to get her license. With 120 practice hours, she was a fairly experienced driver for a 16-yr-old.

So now I’m wishing a belated Happy Birthday to our 20-yr-old! That sounds weird to say. She will be 21 in 350-something days.

***I’m not an educator. I’m not a psychologist. I’m not qualified in any way to say whose kid should start school when. I’m a mom and a person who turned 16 and 21 after all her friends. I’m not offering parenting advice or educational advice in any way, shape, or fashion.***

by Kelly Mattei

Take a Car to College?

Take a car to college?

Our daughter is a sophomore in college about 450 miles away from home. Last year, when she was a freshman, we sent her with her car. Her university does not discourage freshmen from bringing cars, and honestly, we are a driving family. We are people who like to “have our own horse.” Is it control? Maybe. I don’t need to control everyone else, but I do need to control me, and well…the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

The Facebook Parent Pages

Ahhh…the Facebook parent pages…a great source of entertainment. If you have a child who will be attending college soon or is presently attending college, all you have to do is go to the parent pages for the university to see every possible opinion on every possible topic you can imagine. Questions I never even considered asking pop up daily, and often, I get a good laugh. The latest entertainment on the parent pages for my daughter’s college is the discussion of cars on campus. One parent from out-of-state posted, asking if other parents had an opinion about their child taking a car freshman year. You can imagine the responses! Or can you?!? Holy smokes!

Some parents said they didn’t think any child needed to take a car to college. Several said, “I recommend no car.” Others said, “I think no child should take a car freshman year.” Bah humbug! I didn’t say anything in response, but I was thinking, “You do your thing, and I will do mine.” Some complained about parking issues. My daughter lived on campus last year and is living on campus again this year…no issues with finding parking so far. Yes, I had to purchase a $400 parking permit for fall and a $265 one for spring, but that goes with the territory. I actually feel pretty good about that, since it also offers roadside assistance anywhere on campus. Her university definitely doesn’t discourage freshmen from bringing cars. Heck, her university built a parking deck just for the girls who lived in her freshman dorm! Several parents on the parents page were like me and said they sent their kids with cars. One said, “I’m so glad mine has her car!” Amen, sista! Me too! Does that mean I think parents who don’t send cars with their kids are making a mistake? Nope. Nope. Nope. I will say it louder for those in the back: You do your thing, and I will do mine. Clearly, we all do things differently, and you know what? That is absolutely OK.

Do I think a car is a necessity at my daughter’s college? No. Will students survive without it? You bet. Mine would survive without it, but as my mother would ask, “Is that what you want her to do? Survive? Don’t you want her to thrive?” I know having a car is not important to everyone. I have a friend whose daughter didn’t even learn to drive until she had graduated from the University of Florida. It simply wasn’t important to her. Our daughter, however, is happier if she has a car. She is her mother’s daughter. You know how couples have code words for getting out of parties or social situations? You know…your husband somehow works “unicorn” or “confetti” into a sentence at a party, and you know he’s ready to go? Well, in our family, we look at our cars as our own “way out” when we need it. Cars are our mode of transportation, but they are also our “escape.”

Another reason for her to take a car? Our daughter undoubtedly has more driving experience than most people her age. She probably has more driving experience than people who are several years older than she is! Before she got her license, she had 120 driving hours, double the required amount in the state of North Carolina. I insisted that she have double the hours so she would feel comfortable behind the wheel of the car. In the four years that she has had her license, she has likely driven 100,000 miles. Therefore, I trust her instincts and reflexes better than I trust most other people’s instincts and reflexes. Personally, I would rather she drive herself than ride with most other people. For us, there is also the question of how to get back and forth to the airport without a car. The airport is about 45-50 minutes from her university. If she doesn’t have a car, she becomes dependent on friends or a car service that only books as groups on busy days, meaning she, potentially, could have to wait up to two hours after her flight arrives. Nope. For me, that is not an option. I want her to be able to get off the plane, into a car, and back to school as efficiently as possible. And depending on friends to do it? Well, if the friend is not on the exact same flights on the outbound and return, then it might not work out. Even if the friends are scheduled on the same return flight, they might miss a connection (we live in a hub city with nonstop flights, so we won’t), and then there’s a problem. That’s just not something I’m willing to worry about, especially since sending her car is not a hardship on us.

Maybe parents should make a list of pros and cons if they have trouble deciding. It was an easy decision for us, but if I had to make a list of pros and cons for us, I guess it could look like this:

  • Pro: she can get anywhere she wants when she wants
  • Pro: she doesn’t have to ask other people for a ride or take a shuttle service to the airport
  • Pro: she feels more independent
  • Pro: we don’t worry as much about her driving as we would if she were riding with someone else.
  • Pro: she’s happy
  • Pro: she can drive to visit friends or family in other cities (or at other universities) when she wants
  • Con: finding parking for some people, but it hasn’t been an issue for her at all

Honestly, for us, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. I can’t think of another con.

The moral of the story? If you are considering sending your child to college with a car, and the college/university is OK with it, you do what is best for your family. ***If your student’s university discourages it or doesn’t allow freshmen to bring cars, obviously, they shouldn’t take a car.***We all think differently. You might not want to have to worry about the car. You might not want to have to worry about the kid with the car. You might not want to buy the parking pass. Maybe you can’t afford a car to send with your child. Whatever…everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do. That’s one of the great things about parenting: we all make our own decisions based on our own experiences and our own beliefs.

If your student takes a car, I do recommend that he/she has the Life360 app on his/her phone. Browse their plans to see which one works best for your family. My daughter was in an accident last year, and Life360 dispatched police and called her to see if Medic was needed. Life360 also offers roadside assistance with upgraded memberships. Also, I like having extra “roadside assistance” options. I recommend a AAA membership for peace of mind when roadside assistance is needed. AAA follows the member, so even if she is in someone else’s car and needs roadside assistance, they will help. See the AAA website here.

Bottom line: I took a car to college, so I see nothing wrong with my child having hers. We believed she would be happier with a car to drive. Therefore, we sent the car with her. End of story.

****Amended to add that we have set rules for the car:

  • NO ONE else drives it, unless it’s an emergency situation (like my daughter is incapacitated)
  • Try to park under/near a light
  • Call me if any dashboard lights come on
  • Never let the gas tank get below 1/2 tank
  • Know where the wheelocks are
by Kelly Mattei

High School Homecoming Dresses

High school homecoming dresses.

Need a homecoming dress for your high school student? Well, they don’t wear what we wore in the 1980s. Remember how we wore blazers with skirts? We looked like moms on the field…completely covered and wearing a gigantic mum corsage. Honestly, I wish they still did gigantic mum corsages everywhere, but I’m so glad they got away from dressing like moms.

Not gonna lie…the dresses recommended below are the same dresses I recommended for college cocktails, but you might have missed them because you weren’t in the market for a college cocktail dress. I had parts 2, 3, and 4 of that series too, but I’m not going to republish them. If you’d like to see them, you can see part 2 here, part 3 here, and part 4 here. And one more here.

Happy shopping!

  • Superdown Lennie Wrap Dress. Very popular style short dress. Only $34 on sale here.
  • Superdown Vivienne Ruched Dress. Another short style. Only $48 on sale here.
  • Superdown Tamzin Mini. You’ll see lots of Superdown listed, because they are popular and inexpensive. This one is $39 on sale here.
  • Superdown Lena Cowl Mini. These cowl styles have been popular. This one is one sale for $46 here.
  • Superdown Corine Ruched. Cute blue style with ruching. On sale for $43 here.
  • House of Harlow Edie Dress. Two versions of this great dress. See the long sleeve version for cooler nights on sale for $100 here. And the gorgeous sleeveless version for $218 here.
  • Lovers and Friends Kim Midi. This one is a rich shade of green for only $110 here. There’s also a long gown version for $296, in blush or black, here.
  • Elliatt Sloane Long. A lovely satin in seafoam. On sale for $174 here.

by Kelly Mattei

College Cocktail Dresses, Part 4 (Amazon)

College Cocktail Dresses, Part 4 (Amazon)

For Part 4, I decided to find some good dresses on Amazon. Anyone with Amazon Prime membership knows the benefits of ordering from Amazon…free shipping, easy returns, etc. If I need something quickly, I often order from Amazon. Plus, some of these prices are so great that you won’t get upset if she only wears it once! Without further ado…I bring to you…cocktail dresses from Amazon:

  • Pretty Garden Short Satin Dress. This one is super cute and comes in lots of colors. Priced at only $53.99, maybe you’ll get more than one? I tend to do that…when I find something I like, I get it in lots of colors. See this great short dress here. Or you can find the same basic dress from Zesica here for only $45.99. However, I prefer the colors on the Pretty Garden listing, but that’s just personal preference.
  • BTFBM Satin Maxi Dress. $35.99??? This awesome dress starts at just $35.99. It’s a maxi with a gorgeous halter neck that comes in 13 different colors, with each color priced differently, but the wine color is $35.99. All the others are under $55. See them all here.
  • BTFBM One Shoulder Ruched Mini. It’s not sparkly, but it’s gorgeous with one sheer sleeve. Priced at just $36.99, this dress comes in 15 colors, so pick one or two or three at this price! Purchase here.
  • Lyaner Satin Mini Tank Dress. I have actually seen this style on several girls over the past year. It’s another one that’s offered in 15 colors and priced right at just $38.99. Purchase here.
  • Pretty Garden One Shoulder Long Dress with slit. Need a full-length dress? This one could be the answer! Priced at just $52.99, it’s offered in lots of colors. Purchase here.
  • Wenrine Women’s Mesh Long Sleeve Square Neck dress. This dress is flattering for lots of body types, and the long, sheer sleeves give it a more fall/winter look for cooler months. Priced at just $39.99, this one comes in lots of colors, some of which are great for now, and some of which are perfect for fall/winter/holiday. The square neckline gives it something different. See it here.
  • Caracilia Satin Maxi. Another long dress, this one is a classic and priced under $45. See it here.
  • Lots of dresses on Amazon. If none of the above feature what you’re looking for, you can see lots of offerings on Amazon here.

Happy Shopping! Get those dresses now, so she won’t panic at the last minute!

by Kelly Mattei

College Cocktail Dresses, Part 3

College Cocktail Dresses, Part 3.

Here’s the third installment of the series, featuring cocktail dresses for college students. This one features ten dresses of varying lengths, colors, styles, and prices. Let’s go shopping! If you haven’t found anything yet, don’t fret! There will be more coming tomorrow! (I need to watch football today.)

  • L’Idee Gala Mini. Want a different color? Try this dress in Sunset! Regularly priced at $350, this one is on sale for $123! Very popular style. See it here.
  • Show Me Your Mumu Jasmine Dress. A popular halter-style dress that comes in lots of colors and is priced under $150. See yellow and pink here. See it in black here. Ivory here. And a lovely bellini color here.
  • NBD Lila Gown. This full-length dress also comes in several colors. See it in champagne ($122) here. Mauve pink ($194) here. Or navy ($228) here.
  • Blaine Mini Dress. This one is a steal at $30! Long sleeves, ruching, mini. Get it in red or teal here. Great for fall or holiday!
  • Montrose Mini. This one is offered in glorious purple or pink. At $111, you almost have to get it. See it here. I could totally see my daughter in the purple.
  • Kerrie Deep V Mini. Priced at just $70, this dress comes in pink or green. Super cute! See it here.
  • Joyce Mini Dress. This cheetah print, long sleeve number is on final sale for $42 (orig $168) at Revolve. See it here.
  • Amelia Gown. This black, full-length gown is beautiful and on sale for $153! See it here.
  • Old Money Gown. With a plunging neckline and tiered skirt, this black gown is simply gorgeous. Originally $325, it’s on sale now for $195. Purchase here.
  • Lovers and Friends Lazo Gown. This one is on sale for $188. It’s red, and it’s dramatic. Purchase here.

Happy Shopping! Come back tomorrow for more suggestions!

by Kelly Mattei

College Cocktail Dresses, Part 2

College Cocktail Dresses, Part 2.

Y’all seemed to have liked the first part of this “series,” so I wanted to get the second part out there quickly! More college cocktail dresses! As I mentioned before, I am featuring dresses I have seen college girls wear over the last year, and I’m trying to pick dresses I think they would wear. I’m also trying to keep the price point down, because we all know that, because of social media, our girls only want to wear a cocktail dress once. After they post a picture in a dress, they can’t post another picture in the same dress!

So here we go…more cocktail dresses!

  • Amanda Uprichard Arial Gown. This full-length gown is offered in several colors at different prices, but the blush one is $193…a great price for Amanda Uprichard. Also offered in pink, black, thyme, and fire…all at different prices. Purchase here. The fire version is $251 and can be seen here.
  • Amanda Uprichard Joanne Dress. This one is a winner. Its a style I have seen several times and seems to flatter almost everyone. Priced at $104, it’s a deal. The color is great too. Purchase here.
  • Lovers and Friends Poppy Mini. This one is priced higher at $269 (reg $359), but it’s a dazzling long-sleeve number in navy. Check it out here.
  • Superdown Sophie Draped Long Sleeve Mini. Offered in eight colors with prices starting as low as $32 for the Kelly Green version. See it here.
  • Indah Anjeli Maxi. Priced at $145, this maxi is a lovely fuschia with a deep-V neckline. Purchase here.
  • Superdown Harlow Mini. Definitely a mini, this is offered in red, pink, green, or white, starting at $68 here. Or see it in black here.
  • Song of Style Tucker Mini. This long-sleeve shimmering mini is glorious! My daughter wore it once, and she loved it. Priced at just $107, she’ll look like a million bucks! See it here.
  • Show Me Your Mumu Shimmy Mini. This black sequined dress has one shoulder with one long sleeve, so it’s different. Priced at $134. Purchase here.
  • BCBGeneration One Shoulder Cut Out Dress. Slightly conservative, this one is priced right at $44! See it here.
  • Michael Costello Cecelia Gown. Starting at $149 for the pink version, this dress is also offered in white and black for $177. It’s a gown that’s great for the tall girls out there! See it here.

More to come! Part 3 will be out with more dresses within 24 hours!

by Kelly Mattei

College Cocktail Dresses, Part 1

College Cocktail Dresses, Part 1.

When I went to college in the 1980s, I didn’t own what I considered to be a cocktail dress of my own. I had dresses I had worn for various events, but I didn’t have anything that I equated to a “cocktail” dress. Back then, we couldn’t just order things online. We actually had to go places to shop, and in Tuscaloosa, the shopping wasn’t spectacular. Fortunately, my mother would purchase dresses and mail…yes, mail…them to me. She had a good eye.

My daughter is in college now, and I find that she needs cocktail dresses regularly for various events. Fortunately, the internet is a real thing, and online shopping is super easy, so I’m going to share some great dresses I have found that she (and possibly your daughter) might like…without breaking the budget! I’m also including dresses from Revolve I have seen on college girls. Keep in mind, Mom, that these are not your 1980s cocktail dresses. Seriously…happy shopping!

  • Superdown Lennie Wrap Dress. Very popular style short dress. Only $34 on sale here.
  • Superdown Vivienne Ruched Dress. Another short style. Only $48 on sale here.
  • Superdown Tamzin Mini. You’ll see lots of Superdown listed, because they are popular and inexpensive. This one is $39 on sale here.
  • Superdown Lena Cowl Mini. These cowl styles have been popular. This one is one sale for $46 here.
  • Superdown Corine Ruched. Cute blue style with ruching. On sale for $43 here.
  • House of Harlow Edie Dress. Two versions of this great dress. See the long sleeve version for cooler nights on sale for $100 here. And the gorgeous sleeveless version for $218 here.
  • Lovers and Friends Kim Midi. This one is a rich shade of green for only $110 here. There’s also a long gown version for $296, in blush or black, here.
  • Elliatt Sloane Long. A lovely satin in seafoam. On sale for $174 here.

More to come! I’m loading them as fast as I can!

by Kelly Mattei

Sorority Initiation Dresses

Sorority initiation dresses.

Congratulations! Your daughter has pledged a sorority. She is excited. You sent her a bid day gift, and she likely went on the pledge retreat.

Now what?

You should receive information soon about how to pay the bills. You should receive information about the chapter’s parent page on Facebook. And you likely need to get a white dress for your daughter to wear for initiation. At most schools in the south, sorority initiation occurs in late September or October. You will likely receive information about the date soon. Most sororities require a white dress, so find out if your daughter’s is one of them…and go ahead and order it! After initiation, they can hang onto the dress and possibly use it for Pref Night during recruitment next year! ***First, make sure they need a white dress, and find out if it needs to cover shoulders or not.***

Here are some great options from Amazon that won’t break the bank:

  • From Zesica at $49.99, a tiered white dress. Purchase here. (below)

  • Also from Zesica, at $45.59, a midi dress with shoulder ties. Purchase here. (below)
  • From Soly Hux, a flowy maxi dress, at $47.99. Purchase here. (below)
  • From Febriajuice, at $39.98, a maxi with spaghetti straps. Purchase here. (below)
  • From Exchic, a round neck, short-sleeve dress that covers the shoulders, priced at $27.85. Purchase here. (below)
  • For more options on white dresses at Amazon, click here.

Happy Shopping!

by Kelly Mattei

Mom, I Feel Terrible

Mom, I feel terrible.

If you followed me last year, you know that in September, I received a call from my daughter, and the first words out of her mouth were, “Mom, we’ve been in an accident.” I was in the Bahamas, and she had flown home from college for the weekend. It was not the call I wanted to receive. Fortunately, everything turned out fine.

She is now in her sophomore year and has been back at school since August 2…about four weeks. She had to go back early to prepare for sorority rush for a week before actual rush the following week. In the middle of rush week, I received a late night phone call. When I picked up the phone, she immediately sad, “Mom, I feel terrible.” I could hear that she was trying to choke back tears, so I jumped out of bed and went to the loveseat in the keeping room off our kitchen, so I could talk with her without disturbing my husband. By the sound of her voice, I knew she really felt terrible.

It broke my heart. If you’re a mom who has ever had to deal with a sick child far away, you get it. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to hear your tearful child telling you had badly she feels. I looked at the clock: 12:35am. And I started asking questions. “What’s wrong? Is it your stomach? Where does it hurt? Do you have fever?” You know…all the questions you ask when you are a mom. I seriously considered just getting in the car and going down to her university 450 miles away, but I had taken some sleep meds, so that wasn’t an option. It might have been an overreaction if I had done it, too.

She explained that she was experiencing nausea and chills. First, I needed to make sure it wasn’t appendicitis. I asked if she had pain in her lower abdomen. No, just nausea. I told her to lie on her left side and extend/flex her right hip. No pain. I told her to stand up for just a minute and jump up and down. No pain. Since I felt pretty sure it wasn’t appendicitis, I recommended she take some nausea meds. I asked, “Can you check your temperature before you do that, though?” “I don’t have a thermometer.” What?!?!?!?! I know I sent one last year, and I thought it was still in her medicine box, but I guess not. Note to self: send the girl a thermometer.

She was sick for a few hours…like really sick. I went back to my bed to grab my pillow and a blanket to take to the sofa and kept her company over the phone while she sat in the bathroom floor. Poor baby. It is so hard to know your child is sick so far away! She finally went back to bed and fell asleep at about 4:00am. I encouraged her to sleep most of the next day, even though she would miss one day of rush festivities. She was exhausted and did not argue with me. No one else living with her ever got it, so maybe it was foodborne? (When she felt better, I talked with her about making sure food is cooked properly…and how, in a restaurant, if the food isn’t really hot, don’t eat it.) We will likely never know, but I do know I need to make sure her medicine box has everything she needs! Wondering what that might be? Here are some suggestions:

  • Thermometer. Honestly, I always knew mercury thermometers were accurate, but we can’t get them anymore. I don’t always trust a digital thermometer, but to see the one I trust most, click here.
  • Band-Aids. I prefer actual Band-Aid brand. I like to have some blister Band-Aids and some flexible fabric ones. See a variety here.
  • Tylenol and Motrin. They need both. Tylenol is good for fever and headaches. Motrin is great for body aches and inflammation.
  • Flonase.This is my go-to when we have sniffles or cold symptoms. It doesn’t make me sleepy like some cold meds, but you can take it in conjunction with your preferred cough and cold meds. Order here.
  • Benadryl tablets. If your college student thinks he/she is having a mild allergic reaction, Benadryl can halt the reaction. Get tablets here.
  • Benadryl cream or spray. Insect bites? We use Benadryl cream and/or spray for wasp stings, bee stings, ant bites, even mosquito bites. Get cream here and spray here.
  • OFF insect repellent. Two people in Alabama died recently from Equine Encephalitis. Since our daughter is in college there, I sent her some OFF! Spray and told her to use it. Get it here. I will be taking some in a spritz bottle with me when I vacation in Panama in October. Get the spritz bottle here.
  • Tums and Pepto-Bismol. Get Tums here. Get Pepto here.
  • Cough and Cold Meds. Since everyone seems to have their own preferences on this, I’m not going to recommend a certain brand. Just make sure your college students has some cough and cold meds on hand.
  • Alcohol wipes. Get them here.

Basically, you want to make sure they have anything they might need. And yes, a thermometer is one of those important things…duh!

I hope you don’t ever receive one of those middle-of-the-night calls.

by Kelly Mattei

Sorority Party Box

Sorority Party Box.

Last year, my daughter pledged a sorority as a freshman at a big state university. Soon thereafter, a friend of mine sent her a “party box,” which turned out to be a fun, thoughtful gift that was absolutely perfect! Wondering what’s in a “party box”? Short answer: it should contain things she could likely use at themed parties or mixers, so the new sorority pledge is prepared for almost any themed party! Or at least she will have some useful pieces! If you know someone who has recently joined or is about to join a sorority at a big state university in the south (I don’t know anything about Greek life in other parts of the country), chances are she could use a party box too. Below, see some common items that are great for party boxes. You don’t have to get them all. Pick and choose which ones you want to add to your personalized party box:

  • Colorful glasses. These can be used for lots of different themes, whether it’s a color theme, a hippie theme, a neon theme, or something else. Get a multipack here. Or a neon multipack here.
  • Colorful bandanas. Again, the multiple colors can be used for a color theme, but bandanas can be used for a hippie theme, a cowboy theme, or even a pirate theme. Get here.
  • Hippie glasses/headband sets. The theme on this is obvious, but they could be used for a lot more too…Renaissance theme, for instance. Get here.
  • Face paint crayons. College girls love the face paint. Get here.
  • Tutus. Get multicolor here. If you already know sorority color (blue for ADPi or Kappa, Green for KD, Pink for Phi Mu, etc), you can get a 2-pack in her sorority color here.
  • Superhero capes and masks. Multicolor pack of 7 here.
  • Colorful knee high socks. These can be used with lots of different themes: color, neon, Barbie, silly…basically anything. Get here.
  • Colorful leis. For an island or Hawaiian theme, or even a summer or pool party theme, these are great. They’re also great for a color theme. Get here.
  • Grass skirts. Same as above…Get here.
  • Colorful wigs. What themed party isn’t more fun with a colorful wig? Get here.
  • Cowboy hats. Great for color themes or an obvious cowboy theme. Get here. Or see a variety of options here.
  • Disco Skirts. Disco is a popular theme. Pair one of these skirts with a tank top and some of the colorful glasses…you have a costume! Get here.
  • Tie dye T-shirts. Throw in a few tie-dye t-shirts for good measure. They will definitely get used. I recommend size L or XL for almost any college girl, because they can do a lot more with oversized t-shirts. Get here.
  • Multipack of plain t-shirts. College girls can turn a plain t-shirt into whatever they want it to be. These are a great, inexpensive addition. Get them here.
  • Feather Boas. A girl can always use a boa. Get multipack here.
  • Light-up accessories. Any light up item gets extra fun and extra attention at a theme party. Purchase some light up boas and glasses here.

When I say my daughter loves her party box and uses the items from it regularly, I mean she loves it. My friend included enough items in the gift, so my daughter can share with her sorority sisters when they need things too. It is a fun, useful, thoughtful gift that will definitely be appreciated by the recipient!

If you want to surprise a sorority pledge you know with a party box, you can do it in a cardboard box, or you can put it in a plastic bin with a lid. See some bins on Amazon here.

This is guaranteed to be a welcomed gift! Seriously, she’ll love it! In fact, I’m going to send a few new items for my daughter to add to her party box now!

Happy Shopping!