How to Help Your College Student Survive Finals

Finals are a tough time for any college student. No matter the subject, final tests can be overwhelming! The accumulation of a semester amount of knowledge and many times making up a large percentage of a student's final grade.

If you have a student in college right now, here are some ways to help support them through this intense time of the school year.

1. Reassure them that it’s OK to feel stress.

Stress in college students is normal, and as a matter of fact, can even be a good thing in small doses. Remind your college student that it’s OK to feel stressed and overwhelmed, but also help them out by giving them resources to manage their feelings. Gift them a premium subscription to a top meditation app like Calm or Headspace. Let them know you are there for them if they need to talk things through. The brain needs time to rest to perform at it’s best.

2. Reach out to let them know you’re thinking about them.

Just a little text or phone call can mean a lot. A simple, “Hey, I’m thinking about you. Best of luck with your finals!” or, “You can do this, I believe in you!” can go a long way. Don’t underestimate the power of positive support. Don’t worry if they don’t call or text you back. Just sending that message can mean so much. Also, ensure them that no matter how they do, you’re there for them and proud of them!

3.  Remind them to eat well and drink lots of water.

Ok, you may do this a ton already, but during finals or other times of high-stress, it’s even more important to mind what they eat and drink. It’s convenient and easy for students to grab fast-food while studying for finals, so how can you help them get some good quality food in the mix? Send them a gift certificate to a food delivery service like Freshly that delivers fresh, complete meals right to their door. They just need to pop one in the microwave for a fast, healthy meal.  

4. Help them get some Z’s
   This one is tough to help with, but getting some good sleep is crucial and can be tough when your college student has a tough schedule or added stress. Offer them some resources to help them get the best sleep. Essential oils and a diffuser for their room can help them relax and get some sleep or even a white noise machine to help tune out external noises. Yes, there are apps that they can use on their phone, but there are studies that show that having a cell phone by your bed at night can actually impact the quality of your sleep. If this is something that you know your college student relies on, a white noise machine and even an alarm clock will help them cut the phone-by-bed tie.

And of course, our favorite…

5. Send a care package

We may be a little biased, but we’re BIG fans of sending a little love through the mail. Sending a care package to your college student gives them a little treat or even some supplies they may need to get them through this next chapter.

Our Warm Hugs package is our most popular, with good reason! Fresh cookies, a new mug, and some hot chocolate will get them through even the toughest study session with a warm fuzzy feeling.

The next best we would recommend for the best finals care package would be our Student Survival Package. Finals are a good time to get a few new supplies, some snacks, and a much-needed emergency stash of Starbucks instant coffee!

What will you do to help your college student survive finals this year?