Tips For Fabulous Finals Week Care Packages

Finals week is a popular time for parents to send care packages to students.  There are a number of online merchants who will send basic care packages to your student and a Google search will turn up dozens of them offering various packages in various price ranges. Most students, however, prefer the personal touch and sending a care package is not difficult if you follow these tips.

1. If you send baked goods, try to send soft items such as unfrosted cakes or cupcakes, muffins, brownies, or bar cookies. *Cookies that are crisp will turn into crumbs during shipment.
2. If you are sending a cake, brownies/ bars, cupcakes or muffins, simply bake it in the pan (the recyclable aluminum or non-stick varieties work well and come with a cover) and send the entire pan uncut to preserve freshness. This method also works well with rice crispy treats or other bars that do not require refrigeration. 
3. I'm also a fan of the gingerbread house kits available in stores during the holidays. No, it's not like a homemade gingerbread house, but it's a fun and yummy distraction from the stress of studying for final exams.
4. Send your child a specialty item from your hometown or something else he can’t get on campus. You may also consider sending items that are expensive for him to purchase himself. Even “K-cups” can add up if he uses more than one or two per day.
5. Send a pizza party from the internet. Most national pizza delivery chains (think Pizza Hut etc) and many local ones, offer online ordering of pizzas, snacks and drinks. Average cost for a large pizza, wings, and drinks for a party of 4-6 is $40.00 plus tip. Be sure to make arrangements with your child in advance so he knows when the party will arrive and can invite his friends.
6. * Commuting students love care packages too! A gift basket of favorite snacks or gift cards to shops or restaurants on or near campus left outside your commuting student’s bedroom door says, “I love you” and is just as comforting to a student living at home too! the gift cards will be welcome while he's studying on campus instead of at home.

7. I'm a big fan of the pre-paid priority boxes from the USPS. Not only are they generally a good size for a care package, they are automatically tracked so you know when the package arrives. 

Surviving Low Final Exam Grades

Students who earn a low final exam grade can be deeply disappointed, but you can help them gain perspective by remembering some of these tips:

• If your child calls about failing a final exam, listen and let him or her express their disappointment. Unless they specifically ask your advice, just be their “shoulder to cry on” and let them know you’re still proud of them for trying hard and you are willing to help them work out a plan to salvage a low GPA after final exams week.
• Remind them at the they will take between 40 to 50 classes just to earn an undergraduate degree, so one low final exam grade, in one class, will not damage their entire academic career as much as they think.
• Ask if the class can be repeated during the summer. If so, the student may consider repeating the class to raise the grade. Some colleges and universities allow students’ grades in repeated classes to replace the original grade in the GPA calculation. A review of the institution’s grading or “academic forgiveness” policies can shed light on whether or not your child’s college has such a policy.
• Offer a reality check. Students on a semester term have 16 weeks to earn the grade they want in the class, so trying to make an A on a final exam for a class in which the student has a D average simply isn’t realistic. This is not to imply that the student should not bother to study, but sometimes students need a reality check that only a parent can give.
• Ask if they need a certain grade in the class to graduate? If not, it is wise to simply accept the grade and not worry about repeating the class. Students are often worried about not having a 3.0 or higher GPA to post on their resume, but many students post their “major GPA”, or the GPA in the classes taken only for the major requirements, on their resume too. This allows them to essentially explain an F or D in a non-major related class that may have no bearing on their future employability or graduate school admission.
• Stay positive even when your child is not. During final exams it is important for your child to focus on the exams as they come and not worry about disappointment or criticism from parents. I firmly believe that constructive criticism is necessary, but expressing your disappointment or critiquing your child during final exams is counter-productive. Be positive and supportive now, and worry about expressing your concerns or disappointment later. After final grades for all their classes are posted, your child can evaluate what worked and what did not in terms of studying, prioritizing projects, and time management, and can develop a plan to improve their grades in the future. 

Packing Up and Moving Out After Final Exams

Most college students are expected to moving out of residence halls, campus apartments and Greek houses immediately or shortly after their last final exams. Since it would be almost impossible for RAs or other student housing staff to check residents out of rooms all on one day, most universities encourage students to move throughout finals week. But, students don’t have to wait until finals week to start cleaning and packing. In fact, accomplishing small “moving out” tasks before finals week is ideal because it leaves students with one less task to worry about during exam week.

Students will find it easier to move, clean, and also study for exams if they take some time now to clean and pack before final exams. Suggest that your child pack off-season or other non-essential clothing and bedding now. This is also a great time to de-clutter and create an environment that is more conducive to study. Here are some tips to share with your student about packing up and moving out.

Essential items: Packing tape, boxes (try to find boxes headed toward the recycling bin), large heavy-duty or “contractor” trash bags, paper or material in which to wrap fragile items.

• Almost all colleges and universities have stacks of cardboard boxes that are broken down and waiting to be recycled. Students can usually ask food service employees or managers to point them toward where these boxes are stored so they can use them for moving.
• Large trash bags are great for packing and moving coats, bedding, and other bulky items that will not fit into boxes.
• Consider packing and stacking items that will not be needed during finals week. Most students will only need; a week’s-worth of clothing, books, class notes, computers and other exam essentials, and enough food/snacks for finals week.
• Wrapping fragile items in bedding or clothing instead of paper will save paper and hassle during packing and unpacking.
• Try to pack like items together. Some items, like alarm clocks or summer clothing, will need to be unpacked and used at home while others, like kitchen items used only at college, can stay packed in their box until the next academic year. Try to keep these items together.
• Try to move or ship items home before finals week begins. Less clutter means fewer distractions while studying. If your child attends college close to home, consider making a campus visit to move items the weekend before exams. If he’s far from home, he may consider packing and shipping boxes instead.

Blue Books and Scantrons: Final Exam Essentials

If your child is taking final exams soon he’ll probably be studying a lot, but there’s one way he can prepare for exams that doesn’t involve studying at all. It involves purchasing the correct Blue Book or Scantron forms. No matter how techno savvy college students are these days some things never seem to change, and most students will still take exams using pencil, or pen, and paper.

Blue Books – Are exactly what the name implies.  These slim paper booklets with the traditional blue covers, approved at most colleges and universities for essay and short answer exams, range in size from 8.5 x 7 inches to 8.5 x 11 inches and usually contain 4-12 sheet of wide ruled paper. Some professors will allow students to choose their size and number of pages while others specify a certain size.

You may think it’s easy for students to cheat using Blue Books since they can hide notes within the pages of the book, but usually students will pass in their blank books at the beginning of the exam and the professor will shuffle and redistribute them randomly to all members of the class.

* A Green Book also exists and is just a recycled, earth friendly version of the Blue Book.
 

 

Scantrons – Remember all those “fill-in-the-bubble” exams and standardized tests you took in K-12? Well, if you remember what those test’s answer sheets looked like you have a good idea of what a Scantron form looks like. There are dozens of varieties of these forms from narrow, 3.5 x 8.5 inch, 30 answer forms, to 8.5 x 11 inch double-sided, 240 answer forms. Whatever size they are, they all can be electronically scanned and scored in the same way and are used for multiple choice and true false question exams.

Whatever your student needs for his exams, it’s always a good idea for him to buy in advance and buy extras as well. These forms can always be purchased at campus books stores, as well as some big box stores in college towns, and they are also often distributed for free by academic advising offices, tutoring centers or the campus library.

Tips for Care Packages During Finals Week

Finals week is a popular time for parents to send care packages to students.  There are a number of online merchants who will send basic care packages to your student and a Google search will turn up dozens of them offering various packages in various price ranges. Most students, however, prefer the personal touch and sending a care package is not difficult if you follow these tips.

1. If you send baked goods, try to send soft items such as unfrosted cakes or cupcakes, muffins, brownies, or bar cookies. 
2. If you are sending a cake, brownies/ bars, cupcakes or muffins, simply bake it in the pan (the recyclable aluminum or non-stick varieties work well and come with a cover) and send the entire pan uncut to preserve freshness. This method also works well with rice crispy treats or other bars that do not require refrigeration. *Cookies that are crisp will turn into crumbs during shipment.
3. Send a birthday or special occasion cake uncut with packaged frosting, sprinkles and candles, if they are allowed. Include a set of plates, napkins and forks so your child can have a party without having to bake.
4. I'm also a fan of the gingerbread house kits available in stores during the holidays. No, it's not like a homemade gingerbread house, but it's a fun and yummy distraction from the stress of studying for final exams.
5. Send your child a specialty item from your hometown or something else he can’t get on campus. You may also consider sending items that are expensive for him to purchase himself. Even “K-cups” can add up if he uses more than one or two per day.
6. Send a pizza party from the internet. Most national pizza delivery chains (think Pizza Hut etc) and many local ones, offer online ordering of pizzas, snacks and drinks. Average cost for a large pizza, wings, and drinks for a party of 4-6 is $40.00 plus tip. Be sure to make arrangements with your child in advance so he knows when the party will arrive and can invite his friends.
7. * Commuting students love care packages too. A gift basket of favorite snacks or gift cards to shops or restaurants on or near campus left outside your commuting student’s bedroom door says, “I love you” and is just as comforting to a student living at home too! the gift cards will be welcome while he's studying on campus instead of at home.

When should I send care packages? Anytime!

Students love getting packages from home throughout the year, so really anytime is good, but in general there are about three to five times during the year that most families send packages.

Move-in - This can just be a package that you leave at the residence hall front desk as you leave after dropping your child off at college. It will probably take a few days for your child to even check his mailbox (most students rarely receive actual mail these days) so he will wonder how you sent this package so fast. Typical items to include are a handwritten note of encouragement, favorite homemade treats (nothing that will spoil too quickly), a few pre-packaged meals or snacks. Pictures from the family pet are popular as well, as is a little cash.

Mid-term exams - If you know exactly when mid-term exams will be, send the package to arrive the week of exams or if you don’t know, you probably can’t go wrong sending it right in the middle of the semester. This package can also include snacks, notes and gift cards to local restaurants or shops.

Get well package - This is an easy package to assemble and can contain cough drops, hot tea bags, chicken soup mix, crackers and a small supply of over-the counter medications for cold and flu. Chances are high that your child will get sick sometime during the first two months of the semester, so have this package ready to send when you hear that he’s ill.

Finals care package -These are the most popular and usually include a combination of healthy and maybe some not-so-healthy snacks, handwritten notes of encouragement for each day of finals week and quick, heat and eat meals like Easy Mac, soups, and stews.

Additionally, don’t forget holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving and birthdays.

Whenever you decide to send care packages, make sure that your student knows they are on their way. Students don’t check their mail very often and there’s nothing worse than finding a month-old care package, full of moldy cookies behind the mail desk of a residence hall.

*I am a big fan of the U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail boxes. These can be picked up at your local post office and you can either pre-pay the postage on them or pay online and print the postage yourself, so all you need to do is fill the box, tape it up and drop it in a mailbox.  The boxes are also trackable and pre-insured, which is handy when you want to know whether or not the package has been delivered.