FLOWER STORIESGuides
Choosing Flowers to Send for the Start of a New Semester
What changes when the delivery goes to a dorm, a lab, or an office
What changes when the delivery goes to a dorm, a lab, or an office
A quick search will tell you that sunflowers and gerberas make good gifts for the start of a semester. The hard part comes next. The recipient lives in a dormitory, you do not know what to write on the ribbon, and there is almost certainly no vase, so you wonder how many days the flowers will last.
This post covers only those three questions. We skip the flower-language explanations.
The flowers can be the same, but the message and the arrangement should differ. A light, casual line suits a student. A short, formal line suits a professor. A new employee needs a message that does not put them on the spot.
Sunflowers are large, so one or two stems already have presence. Gerberas come in many colors and are not expensive, which makes them a good fit for a friend or a junior. Lisianthus has a calm, understated look, so it works well for a professor's lab or a manager.
| Recipient | Suitable flowers | Example ribbon message | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student starting the semester | Gerbera, sunflower | New semester, your own pace | Small bouquet |
| Professor or lecturer starting the semester | Lisianthus, greenery | Looking forward to the semester ahead | Flower basket |
| New employee | Lisianthus, gerbera | Congratulations on your first day | Low flower basket |
| Junior researcher or teaching assistant | Sunflower, greenery | Cheering you on this year too | Bouquet |
One line is enough. Arrive in Bloom writes the ribbon message by hand on your behalf, so just enter the recipient's and sender's names accurately when you order.
Most dormitories do not allow outside visitors. The courier cannot go up to the room, so the recipient has to come down in person, which means the recipient's phone number must be correct. Arrive in Bloom's courier calls the recipient on arrival, and the number must be a Korean phone number.
In a lab, the professor is often away teaching. If you also note the department office or a teaching assistant's name, they can accept the delivery instead. Deliveries run between 08:00 and 20:00, so it is better to schedule for the afternoon to avoid class hours.
When sending to an office, go one size smaller. A large arrangement on someone's desk on their first day can leave them feeling awkward. A low basket or a bouquet that fits in one hand is enough.
Same-day delivery orders close at 5 p.m. Orders placed after that are delivered the next day after 10 a.m. To have flowers arrive on the first day of the semester, order before 5 p.m. the day before.
It is safe to assume there is no vase in a dorm room or at a new employee's desk. In that case, a flower basket with water-soaked floral foam is a better choice than a bouquet. The recipient can leave it as it is without touching it.
Among the flowers themselves, lisianthus lasts the longest. Its buds open one after another, so the arrangement holds its shape for more than a week. Gerbera stems are weak and tend to droop, so it is worth checking that the stems have been reinforced with wire. Sunflowers drink a lot of water, so a basket suits them better than a bouquet.
Greenery such as eucalyptus and ruscus remains after the flowers fade. If you ask for fewer flowers and a generous amount of greenery, the arrangement will hold its place for more than ten days.
Placement matters too. Avoid spots in the direct path of air-conditioner airflow and direct sunlight by a window. After delivery, Arrive in Bloom sends an unedited photo of the actual arrangement, so you can pass that photo along to the recipient with a quick word about where to put it.
See the semester bouquets and flower baskets on the Arrive in Bloom page.
The recipient's Korean mobile phone number. The courier cannot enter the building, so on arrival they call the recipient to come down and collect the flowers.
Order before 5 p.m. the day before. Orders placed after 5 p.m. are delivered the next day after 10 a.m.
A flower basket with water-soaked floral foam is better. It can be left as it is without any care.
Lisianthus. Its buds open in sequence, so the arrangement holds its shape for more than a week.
We deliver nationwide in Korea, to dorms, labs, and offices alike. We write the ribbon message by hand on your behalf and send a photo of the actual arrangement after delivery.
Published September 22, 2026 · by Arrive in Bloom · Flower Editor
