mamma mia

[sigerson]

Friday is my mom's birthday!

She recently got into graduate school for environmental management and land use. (She rules.) This means that 3/5 of the immediate family will be in school next year.

This also means that I'm getting her a Grad School Survival kit for her birthday!

Currently, this includes:
--College humor magazine or collection of "Piled Higher and Deeper" cartoons.
--Ramen noodles
--Index cards
--A Guide to Grad School, probably "Getting What You Came For"
--Coffee

I'm not certain what else to include. Any suggestions?

(Mr. Young, any ideas you have about what to give my mom will be duly ignored.)

Comments

[fairoriana.livejournal.com]

A hot pot.

[coraline]

a "bang head here" poster
scissors, labeled for cutting through red tape
extra marbles for when she loses hers
some thyme (labeled "extra time")

[coraline]

oh and i definitely vote in favor of the PhD collection rather than a college humor mag.
where is she going to be attending school?

[sigerson.livejournal.com]

Awesome suggestions!
Ball State University; scenic Muncie, Indiana. She's an older student and very selfconscious about it, so I hope this will make her smile.

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

Chocolate. Maybe chocolate-covered coffee beans?

Mechanical pencils?

Hm, I'm not as good at this as coraline!

[minyan.livejournal.com]

If she happens not to have one, a really good thermal coffee cup with a closeable lid, for running to early morning classes.
Again if she happens not to have one, a bag large enough to carry a notebook in.
And a notebook - maybe the three-subject kind - to put in it.
A good pen. Or an ethernet cable.
Manilla file folders for all those handouts. Silly ones - she doesn't have to bring 'em to class.
A good mix CD for listening to while writing late night papers.

At least, these are all things I'm finding useful (except the manilla folers, which will be really, really useful by the time I remember to get some - I've been stacing papers for months *g*)

[laobscuridad.livejournal.com]

a really good thermal coffee cup with a closeable lid, for running to early morning classes

I highly recommend the OXO travel mug that Bed Bath & Beyond carries. You can seal it up tight, and if you tip it over it won't spill. Only mug I have found that can handle my clutziness. Plus, to drink out of it you don't have to unscrew the lid and create extra pieces; you just pop a button on the top. I love mine.

;-)

[haak0n.livejournal.com]

Quarters, for laundry. :) And a hearty second to the all-nighter mix tape / CD / MP3 list.

Of course, you might want to put together a comparable package for your dad:
-- giant stuffed animal for bedwarming during all nighters
-- sleeping mask, for ignoring late-night homework
-- Ramen Noodles
-- etc...

[laobscuridad.livejournal.com]

pack o'highlighters (zazzle brights are good), and maybe some plastic stick tabs, the more solid ones that won't get crinkly and let you write on 'em.

[nadyezhda.livejournal.com]

A "College" poster (the kind that celebrate Animal House)
Lots and lots of coffee
a "get out of guilt free" card for housecleaning, etc. (I WANT ONE! The Muzh keeps telling me to relax, but still feel guilty. :( )
A backpack

I don't have the Grad School guide! I should find a copy...