College students understand the delight that arises upon receiving a package from home. The idea that our parents have packed our favorite snacks and extra supplies — along with the fact that we will not have to go out and buy these items ourselves — cheers us up like nothing else.
CampusCube is a company specializing in fun and healthy care packages for college students. The cubes allow parents to avoid the shopping, packing and shipping aspects of sending their child a package. Instead, they simply have to subscribe to CampusCube, and their college student will receive a package every month.
“We founded CampusCube because we couldn’t find anything good to send our own four kids at college,” CampusCube co-founder Lauren Irvin said. “Everything else looked like it came from a vending machine. We know that college students today are very intelligent about the food choices they make and are looking for healthier, good-tasting and environmentally friendlier options.”
The company has different types of packages specific to girls or boys, as well as cubes meant for particular occasions such as birthdays or exams. I was fortunate enough to receive two of my own cubes for this review.
To begin with, I received the girls' October Care Package. Included in this cube were protein bars, popcorn, gum, cookies, Swedish fish, sticky notes, a zipper pouch, packets of tea, exfoliating body wash and a closet air freshener. The cubes are small and easy to store, yet fit a lot in them.
I also enjoyed the samples of pumpkin spice tea and the bag of pumpkin spice kettle corn. These additions accentuated that this cube was meant to embody the month of October. By adding items such as the mini sticky notes and pencil pouch, the package provides another constant need of students. The exfoliating body wash gave a sense of relaxation to the collection, which is something I valued greatly during the stresses of October midterms. Overall, the package stressed the feeling of fall and what college students would like to receive, but with a slight twist.
The second package I received was the “You Got This” Cube, which is meant for test time. Coincidentally, I had a test the week I received the package, so I evaluated the items by asking myself whether or not it was applicable for me at that moment. This package included the staple healthy snacks, in addition to ramen, candy, a stress ball, popcorn, cocoa mix and a mug that said, “You Got This!”
I enjoyed the mug the most since I drink tea and coffee non-stop. This item felt as if it were intended for me. And once again, the snacks strayed from the standard junk food while providing a wide variety of both sweet and savory. Dietary supplements meant for stress and screen wipes were interesting additions that I wouldn’t have thought of myself but were helpful nonetheless.
Upon learning about CampusCube, Sarah Pencak, sophomore, said, “I would enjoy getting a care package like this because it’s easy and convenient for college students who are always so busy.”
In general, I thoroughly enjoyed receiving my CampusCube packages, as they provided me with more snacks and gratifying items than I would typically buy for myself. I think if parents are interested in sending their kids a monthly care package, this is a great way to do that. One reservation I would have about this service is the price. A fall semester subscription of three cubes is $119.85, while a school year long subscription of six cubes is $239.70. Individually, cubes cost around $40.
I believe that purchasing a CampusCube is entirely up to how much parents or students are willing to spend. Though, I will say, recieving a little box of treats is always a welcomed feeling.
Contact lifestyle writer Sydney Collins at sydney.collins@richmond.edu.