Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 3

College Search With AI: Here’s the Guide You Need

As my daughter began her college search we soon found ourselves drowning in information. Sure, there were plenty of public lists and rankings on social media, but when it came to what she actually wanted in a school, how could she find the best fit? AI would be the answer to creating an organized and personalized college list.

We started using AI, ChatGPT not as a shortcut but as a research assistant. (Shutterstock: Kit Leong)

We needed to gather all the important information, refine what actua...

Pediatrician and Mom:My Son Left For College; I Didn’t Expect To Feel This Way

It’s been 11 days since I dropped off my firstborn at college, 2,458 miles away. The tears started again as I was lacing my shoes for my run this morning. I should have removed my shoes and returned to bed, but what would happen afterward?

I’d cry and fall back asleep, and then what? I’d already gotten 9 hours of sleep the night before, the night before that, and the night before that — more sleep than I’ve had in at least twenty years — the first time in years that no amount of sleep is the cor...

Labor Day Deals: 40 Popular Gifts for Teens, College Students, Young Adults (2025)

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Fall is in the air. Whether you love the crisp mornings and cozy sweaters or you’re still clinging to the last rays of summer, Labor Day marks the perfect moment to refresh, reset, and take advantage of some amazing deals. From dorm must-haves and back-to-school essentials to birthday and holiday gifts, to  little luxuries that make home feel extr...

Labor Day Deals: Popular Gifts for Teens, College Students, Young Adults

We are a reader-supported site and receive compensation from purchases made through these links. See more about our Privacy and Affiliate policies here

Fall is in the air. Whether you love the crisp mornings and cozy sweaters or you’re still clinging to the last rays of summer, Labor Day marks the perfect moment to refresh, reset, and take advantage of some amazing deals. From dorm must-haves and back-to-school essentials to birthday and holiday gifts, to  little luxuries that make home feel extr...

How to Survive Your Teen’s First Month at College

I’ve often thought that those first few months of college can be like the first few months after a new baby is born. The time spent equally as enchanted by this new life as it is tormented by doubts and insecurities and the nagging fear that “this was a terrible mistake.”

For parents, the first few months of college are like the first few months after a baby is born. (TBKilman) Moving into college in the 80s was nothing like moving my daughter into her dorm

I moved to college in 1980s. Two cars l...

20 Ways to Save Space In a College Dorm or Apartment: The Container Store (2025)

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My younger brother is moving into his first college apartment this summer with two friends. He’s looking for ways to store all his stuff and make the space more functional. Think three guys, small space. So, I took him on a shopping trip. 

I found so many things when I took my brother shopping for his college apartment at The Container Store. (Cr...

My College Freshman Went to The ER: What This Mom Learned

The tone of my son’s voice was different than it had been earlier in the day. His breathing was labored and he was so congested, I could barely understand what he was saying. Yet, I managed to string together some key words like “tingling in my legs” and “really stiff and sore.”

I tried not to panic when I got the call from my son that he was in the ER. (Pixabay from Pexels)

I was processing as quickly as I could while trying not to panic. He had already been to the campus Health Center and gotten...

College Care Packages From Home: 50 Great Ideas (2025)

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As a first-year college student, nothing made me smile like knowing I had one of my mom’s college care packages waiting for me at the dorm. It started with an email from the mailroom saying a box would be available for pick-up that afternoon. It was hard to focus on the differences between classical and operant conditioning that my psychology prof...

9 Best Places to Order College Care Packages for Your Teen (2025)

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Students love getting a college care package from their parents, the people who care about and miss them the most. Consider sending something when they first move into their dorm, when they are studying for midterms or final exams and/or for their birthday. A reminder from home is always welcome, especially if it includes treats they can share wit...

27 Fun College Care Package Ideas Under $20 (2025)

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You’ve shopped, packed and had your tearful or non-tearful goodbyes. Everyone is beginning to adjust to the new normal. And, would’t now be a lovely time to send your kids a little something to remind them of home?

College care packages from home will remind your student they are not forgotten! (Shutterstock Rocketclips, Inc.)

Nothing will make ...