Moms have been sending care packages to college students since, well, certainly since I was in college. Like most students, I loved getting a surprise box in the mail–it made life at college more homey. Besides, who doesn’t love a surprise?

If there’s a college student in your life, you’ve probably sent care packages a time or two, yourself.  So, I was interested to find a mail order subscription business that curates and sends a monthly care package to college students.  It’s called a Pijon Box and can be customized for men or women, or a subscription can be gender-neutral. Each month’s box can contain snack items, hygiene products, cosmetics and housekeeping products–even fun stuff like playing cards or ear buds.

It’s a great concept, so when Pijon offered to send me a box to review, I was all for it. Especially since it was timed to arrive when my grad student nephew and his law student friend (now an honorary nephew) were due for a visit and could pass judgment from a student’s point of view.

Corn chips: $3.99 value; TOCCS Panorama ear buds a score at $29.99 value

My box was the women’s version, but the products seemed pretty gender neutral. The theme of this month’s box was Get Energized, and several of the products aimed to help do just that.

I was thrilled to find a pair of killer ear buds in my sample box. They’ve got a built-in remote, they’re noise cancelling and shaped to fit the ear. Practical AND fun. And a great workout accessory. (Get energized, get it?) I kept those!

The bag of Gran D’Oro all-natural garlic herb tortilla chips were a perfect snack, combined with a yummy and garlicky hummus our neighbor made. I know, I’m mixing ethnic foods and it’s a whole lot of garlic– but it worked. Also great with a soft cheese. They were a hit.

$2.99 value

The boys didn’t get any of the Revolution tea because I drank it myself.  I began with Peach Mango Green tea–loved it. The Blackberry Jasmine Oolong was also fruity-good. I saved the fragrant Raspberry Black Tea for last and it didn’t disappoint. The silky flow-through infuser teabags are a favorite delivery method and I’ll be buying this brand again. Oh-so-delicious. And caffeinated for energy. This was a winner.

$6.99 value

My hair is fine and although my stylist insists it isn’t thinning, I think it is, at least on top. Plus, many products make my fine hair limp, so I use very few and haven’t tried a thickening product in years.  I wondered how I’d like Not Your Mother’s Plump for Joy. It exceeded my expectations. Spritz a few times into your hand and apply from ends to roots.  What a great product this is for adding volume and texture to my hair! The bottle is generously sized, a little went a long way and I’ll be buying more when I run out. For certain.

Energems: 2 packs aat $2.99 each, a $6 value

I’m afraid of Red Bull and prefer to take my caffeine in coffee. But the boys love their energy drinks and I was pleased to have these little chocolate pick-me-ups on hand for them to try.  The little candies offer B-vitamins and caffeine to help boost energy levels. My nephews did an all-nighter, flying to NYC from SFO and driving on to Syracuse, so they saved these for their trip. The report that Energems are tasty and gave them a bit more energy without any side effects, such as racing hearts. They say “thumbs up.”  Let me quote one of them:

“…6 bites for my initial serving, and on little sleep and being that it was late at night, I definitely felt the effect in addition to being much more alert as I made the night drive home from NYC to Syracuse.  I would certainly recommend them to a friend and would use them in the future potentially as an alternative to a couple cups of coffee or something like a 5 hour energy/red bull.”

“I love that peanut butter,” the other one told me.

From this single box I can see that Pijon boxes are nicely curated for their target customers.

The Pijon Box is such a cool business idea–a subscription is an easy way to treat the college kid in your life. Boxes ship monthly on a semester schedule and you can choose from several subscription plans.

Pijon has a social mission, too. A portion of the proceeds helps provide essentials and hygiene items to homeless and under-served kids. I like this whole program a lot.

So, if you’re a busy mom, grandmom or auntie and would love to make a college student’s month, the Pijon Box is a great choice.

Pricing is from $23 to $29 depending on the subscription type you choose. Click HERE for the website.