College life can be rough. Living with three roommates and balancing work, school and your social life, all while living on a minuscule budget and eating ramen five nights a week.

But it could be worse.

Imagine living in a crowded tent with no plumbing, working 15-hour days in 100 degree weather, all while you’re half way around the world from your entire family for up to a year or longer.

For service men and women who are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, this life is a reality. Even with the president’s recent decision to withdraw 30,000 troops by next summer, tens of thousands of men and women will still be stationed overseas; and they need our help.

While many servicemen and women have wonderful support networks, there are others who do not, and for the wounded, sometimes these support networks are unfortunately not enough.

This is where American citizens come in. Even a broke college student can help.

For those who want to help a soldier one-on-one, a website called soldiersangels.org will help you “adopt” a deployed soldier.

The site provides the name and contact information of soldiers. Then an “angel” is asked to write at least one card or letter a week and send one to two care packages a month for the duration of the deployment, usually 6 -12 months, or longer.

For those who want to help but cannot make a long term commitment, for $25 OperationUSOCarePackage.org will send a pre-made package containing specially requested items, like snacks and hygiene products, with your personalized message.

For all the ladies out there who love a man in uniform, a site called freedomisnotfree.com is selling the “America’s Heroes Calendar” which features shirtless Marines to raise money for wounded troops and their families. The calendar goes for $15, which is then allocated to help wounded troops by a board of Purple Heart recipients.

For all you “Colbert Report” fans, consider picking up a WristStrong bracelet from comedycentral.com. Proceeds from the bracelet, which is intended to raise wrist health awareness and get a good laugh, go to the Yellow Ribbon Fund, which helps wounded soldiers and their families.

Although packages and donations are always needed, there are other ways you can help. Next time you see a soldier take a second to shake their hand and offer thanks. Words and actions will be appreciated, for example, buying a drink if you spot a soldier in a bar.

Even if the troops cannot come home right now, home can be brought to the troops.

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