How Parents Can Help Their College Student Get Through Finals

Study Time

Finals are a very stressful time for college students but they can also be a difficult time for parents who are desperate for a way to help their child. Being so far away makes it harder to be an understanding and supportive figure for students. But here are some tips to help any college parent be as helpful as possible during finals.

  1.  Encouragement– Every student gets anxious around finals about getting good grades and the last thing they need is more pressure so the best thing to do is just encourage your student to do their best. Remind them that while finals are important they are not the end of the world. You can also give them some useful tips for dealing with stress, such as making a list of everything they have to do and then prioritizing it. Or any great tips for studying that you may have learned over the years. Just remember to stay positive!
  2. Send them something– Nothing brightens up my day more than when I get something from home and this goes double during a stressful time like finals. It can be anything from a card, a funny email, or a care package of their favorite snacks and goodies. All of these things will make your child feel loved and remind them that there is a world outside of finals.
  3. Don’t stress them with stuff from home– Although it’s important to keep your student informed, adding unnecessary stress about stuff going on at home is only going to make them feel worse. There probably isn’t much they can do since they are away from home anyways. Just think about whether it can be put off until after they finish finals and if it can then talk to them about it then.

  4. Plan your travel around their final schedule– If you are coming to the school or are trying to buy the ticket for your child to come home make sure to check when their finals end before making plans. Often professors can’t or won’t move finals due to travel so make sure that they don’t conflict. Also, if you plan to be at the school while your student is taking exams feel free to spend some time with them, but do it around their schedule and don’t take up too much of their time. They probably have a lot to do or, at least, a lot to study and need time to do this. Remember, in a few short days you will have them for the whole summer.
  5. Be Patient– This point is probably the hardest and most important. If you think that you’ve dealt with the worst when you grounded your student from the party in high school, then you have never dealt with them in college when they are desperate for a good meal, sleep-deprived, and stressed out. Just remember that they are going through a lot and they need you to be their rock. Unfortunately, tensions will be high and they will be at their nerves end. Try to be patient and remind them to be patient as well.

Hopefully these tips will help you and your student get through finals with the least amount of stress possible. Remember that it will be over soon enough and summer is right around the corner!