Beverly | College-Bound Family Society

Moving from Jacksonville, FL, at first glance, I did not think Valdosta offered much for me in the way of local restaurants. In the years since moving here, I have found some tasty options. This is a list of either restaurants or specific food items that are my favorites.

I'm Beverly — a school counselor with 25+ years helping families navigate the high school-to-college transition — and every graduation season, I get the same question from two very different people. The family friend who says: "I want to give something useful, not just a card." And the parent who says: "I'm trying to make sure my kid has everything before they leave." This list is for both of you. These are the unglamorous, unsexy, deeply practical gifts that college students reach for constantly — and almost never think to put on a list. No picture frames. No "Congrats Grad" balloons. Just the shower caddy, the power strip, the first aid kit, and the other things that will matter at 11pm on a Tuesday when no one is there to help. Every price point is represented, because loving a kid well doesn't require a big budget — it just requires knowing what they actually need.

As a school counselor with 25+ years working with college-bound students, I've watched teens arrive on campus unprepared — not academically, but in the skills that actually determine whether they stay and thrive: managing their time without someone reminding them, building relationships with people who are nothing like them, and knowing who they are when things get hard. This list is the reading I recommend to teens who want to get ahead of that curve. No textbooks, no assigned reading vibes — just great stories and readable nonfiction that quietly build the habits, self-awareness, and social confidence your student will need from day one.