Students will always enjoy food. So you may want to include some food items they can't find easily on campus or healthy items that you bake. If you are sending perishables wait until weather is cool. Goods will easily spoil in hot weather. Cookies can be baked, layered on sheets of wax paper and place in a cardboard gift box (like inexpensive Xmas boxes). Place this box inside a sturdier heavy duty cardboard box, add padding and your other items. Your student may enjoy baked chips, granola bars, nuts, and other tasty items that won't spoil easily.

Tuck in extras like a first aid kit, sewing notions, tea bags, good coffee, a thesaurus, gift certificate to online vendors like Amazon, or to local shops and restaurants, greetings from family, CD's, stamps, stationary, phone card, mug, oversized tees,etc. personalize it to your student's interests.

Pack everything carefully being sure to tape down caps of any lotions you are including to make them leak proof. Be sure you have plenty of padding in box. Have UPS pick it up at your door by calling their direct 800 number or take it to UPS or to Post Office.

That's kind of package that shows you really care!

Lee Mellott is the webhost for The PATH Weight Loss: www.fatfallacy.com.

To create schedule that serves you best, do right away, because once life kicks into high gear again, it will be more difficult to shift gears and shuffle priorities again.

What to include on your schedule: time to eat at table, to unwind, to do an exercise you really love. You might try getting up a half hour early (if you’re a morning person) or staying up a half hour later, to sit in quiet of your home. Have your mate with you, your pet, or your favorite book. The point is to turn off noise, and turn on a moment of sanity.

What to exclude from your schedule: unneeded activities, excess car time, stressful people. You can’t be all things to all people and, while you’re trimming down your weight, it’s really okay to cut back on your harried time commitments as well. You’ll be more effective if you focus on just a few things at a time. Walk away from stressful people, who just contribute to angst of those around them. You need peace in your life.

These tips are great starters for not only surviving September, but for living a thin and healthy life throughout year.