Cuts, scrapes, minor burns, muscle aches, and common illnesses are going to happen in college. When they don’t feel well or are hurting, the last thing they want to do is find a ride into town to get cold medicine or Band-Aids or wait for an Instacart delivery. It is a good idea to supply them with some basics in a simple First Aid Kit so they’ll be prepared when the need arises.
Our Dorm Shopping Facebook group members often ask for content and container ideas for a college first-aid kit, so you’ll see some creative container ideas below as well! Please keep in mind that we are not medical experts, and the ideas below are meant to help you assemble a college first-aid kit that works for your student. Please seek medical advice for specific treatments and medications for your student.
You can find pre-assembled ‘first aid kits’, and while there are a few helpful things in there, you end up with hundreds of little items you’ll probably never use, as well as ibuprofen and antibacterial ointment that have been in there for who knows how long. A DIY college first aid kit is a better option.
You certainly don’t need everything on this list, but you know your student and what they would use. You probably already have many of these things at home and can just portion out enough to last them the 9-10 months while away at school.
If your student will be taking a car to school, consider a small first-aid kit for their glove compartment.
We have a very popular post written by a nurse in our Dorm Shopping Facebook Group. She posted a 1-page printable list of common conditions and which OTC meds may help each one. She gave us permission to share, but please know that this is not medical advice – please confirm all information with your doctor first. You can print this and include it inside this first-aid kit.
College First Aid – Symptom & Med List Download Now
There are a lot of items on the lists above, so where should you keep all of these first aid items in college? You can get a dedicated first-aid kit box or container, but most are pretty small. The following are other, more creative options that will give you a little more room and flexibility.
In addition to creating a college first-aid kit, now is the time to prepare for the possibility that medical care may be needed during college.
Before you send your student on their way, be sure they have the contact information for the school’s medical clinic and the phone number of a local doctor who accepts your medical insurance or the insurance they will use while in college.
If they don’t already have them, order them their own medical and dental insurance cards to carry in their wallets.
Determine the pharmacy your student will use prior to college move-in! It is much easier to research when you’re not in a time crunch. If there is a branch of the pharmacy you use at home that is convenient to campus, that should be an easy option, with your student’s information already on file.
Once our students become legal adults (18 in most states, 19 in AL, 21 in MS and NE), we, as parents, do not have the legal right to access their private information or make healthcare decisions if the student cannot give verbal permission. If they are unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, you may not be able to make medical decisions or handle their finances during that time period. Please have your student strongly consider a Young Adult Healthcare and Durable Power Attorney.
Mama Bear Legal Forms was created to reduce the costs of having an attorney prepare this paperwork. It is a helpful and straightforward online service that walks the young adult through decisions (including DNR and end-of-life decisions) and produces the powers of attorney based on the answers. In most states, the student will need to sign in front of a notary, although some states’ rules vary on the signatures required and notarization. You can learn more on the Mama Bear website and use our group-negotiated discount code PSA20 to take 20% off your purchase.
Once the forms are completed and signed (the student cannot sign until they are legally an adult), Mama Bear has a free app that scans the documents and saves them to each family member’s app so they’re always close at hand if needed.
Ultimately, the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ve prepared your student to handle expected and unexpected situations is priceless. You can work together to create a well-stocked and accessible college first-aid kit, predetermine local medical facilities and pharmacies, and put important legal paperwork in place.
This article and its writers do not recommend any medications. Just suggesting some things that we have used or think could benefit your student. As always, seek the advice of a medical professional before taking any medications.
Our Dorm FAQs Article covers all of the questions frequently asked in our Dorm Shopping Recommendations & Deal Alerts Facebook group. The Facebook group is also a great source for prior years’ move-in pictures for decor and organizational ideas.
Also, join us on Instagram for tips, helpful reminders, and how-to videos to help for all things dorm and college, including planning, budgeting, shopping, packing, and moving in and out of college dorms and apartments.
Our complete Dorm Essentials Guide is available here.
Also see these important tips and tools for dorm and campus safety.
Still have questions? Please comment below, or come ask us in the Dorm Shopping Recommendations & Deal Alerts Facebook group. So much great info in the group, along with hundreds, maybe thousands, of move-in pictures from recent years to give you ideas and inspiration.
=> Please share this article with your dorm-bound friends and their parents. I would love for everyone to understand how to create a college first-aid kit before they start shopping!
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