By KATIE CHRISTENSEN
christensen@newsroom.byu.edu
New students attending BYU might have received a finals survival kit this morning filled with goodies and messages of love, but students that didn't get the kits should not feel they were forgotten.
Sarah Sandberg, president of the student alumni network, said the survival kits help many new students during their first finals week at BYU.
'We create boxes for them -- freshmen final survival kits,' Sandberg said. The kits include a t-shirt, pencils, snacks and a personalized letter from home, she said.
The alumni network sends letters to all parents of new students to see if they want to buy a kit to help their child cope with finals, Sandberg said.
Sandberg said there will be 1,300 students, either freshmen or new transfer students, that will receive a survival kit this year.
'We've raised funds, but we don't do it to raise funds,' Sandberg said. She said it is mainly just something the student alumni network and the alumni likes to do for new students during finals.
Sandberg said there has been a lot of positive feedback from this service.
Sandberg said last year a female student from Russia received a survival kit and began crying when she discovered it was from her parents. The student had not been able to contact her parents for days, and then she got the kit, Sandberg said. The kit had a personalized letter to her from her parents.
The kits really mean a lot for the students who receive them, Sandberg said.
But what about the new students that do not receive the kits? Sandberg said she has wondered whether new students who do not receive survival packages feel bad. She said she has never received any negative comments concerning this matter.
Cathy Haddock, 23, a senior from Meridian, Idaho, majoring in public relations, said she felt bad because everyone in her whole apartment received one except her.
'I felt forgotten,' Haddock said, 'but I know my parents still love me.' Haddock is the volunteer coordinator for the delivery and production of the kits.
Haddock said the whole purpose of the kits is to help new students through their first finals. She said it did not help her when all of her roommates were getting letters from home that said, 'I love you,' and she did not receive anything.
Haddock said she hopes she is not promoting the feelings she received as a new student.
Tara Powell, 20, a junior from St. George, Washington County, majoring in elementary education, said last year, students tried to get her to deliver the kits, but she declined.
'I think it's a ridiculous idea,' Powell said. 'I didn't need one as a freshman, so I don't think they do. I was a competent and capable freshman, and I didn't need to be babied.'
Dan Parkinson, 22, a sophomore from Lindon, Utah County, majoring in history, said the kits are just a fun project.
'I wouldn't say they are essential to their survival during final week, but I do think it's a nice gesture to new students made by their parents to show love and support,' Parkinson said.
Parkinson, the activities coordinator for the student alumni network, said he never got a kit, but he does not feel his parents love him any less.
Besides, Parkinson said, 'It gives the students that did receive the kits the opportunity to share with students maybe not so privileged.'