Exam Care Package Ideas

Their lackluster eyes, once bright with the possibilities of their future, now have a hard time seeing across the room. Sleep has become an obligation, eating is a chore, and yes, that smell is coming from their clothes. They’re tired. They’re stressed. They’re getting ready for college finals. Fortunately for them, you remember the intense pressure that finals week puts on students (they are, after all, the biggest hindrances in a perfect GPA) and so you create for them a thing of complete and utter beauty: a care package. Unlike other gifts of college lore, this puppy’s got everything your student needs to ace their exams, including…

1. An Alarm Clock

Hey, we’ll be the first to admit that alarm clocks, which are good for nothing else but telling the time and waking us up, are seldom present anywhere – let alone in dorm rooms. But sending a small one in your student’s finals care package might not be such a bad idea. What happens if they forget to set their phone’s alarm? Or it never makes it to the charger and it dies in the middle of the night? Or it gets buried in their school bag and lost? A lot can happen to a mobile device, but an alarm clock remains at the bedside, safe, sound, and reliable.

2. Breakfast

You’ve been preaching the importance of breakfast for like the past 20 years and now is not the time to stop. With all those late night study sessions, waking up in time for class is enough of a struggle without the mention of breakfast. So, supply them with the makings for decently healthy morning meals on the go. Include granola bars, a variety of oatmeal, and fruit that isn’t quite ripe yet, to make it easy for them to eat the most important meal of the day without sacrificing their study schedule.

3. Snacks

After you’ve gotten breakfast out of the way, think about including some study snacks in your care package too. Brain foods, such as walnuts, sardines, dark chocolate, sunflower seeds, and dried fruits are thought to help boost cognitive functions and improve focus. To make them even better, these snacks are also easy to ship and bring along to class, so your student can have them handy for breaks between exams.

4. Caffeine

Finals are rough. Your child is trying to get through a lot of information in not so much time, which means that they’ll be using every minute they have, which means that sleeping isn’t an option, which means that they will be tired. Really, really tired. So whatever their caffeinated beverage of choice is, this is the time to send it to them. If they don’t have a coffee maker and enjoy a cup of hot Joe, consider sending a small French press along with some strong grounds. If they’re not picky, keep your college student awake by including instant coffee in their exam care packages. Sure, instant coffee is known for being watery, overly sweet, and tasting like dirt, but it’s really gotten better as of late. Just don’t buy the super cheap stuff.

5. Vitamins

What can happen, will happen. Just when your student needs all of their energy, there they are in bed with the flu. Try to keep them healthy during finals week by including lots of different vitamins in their care packages. Choose from actual vitamins, gummies, teas packed with antioxidants, and drink packets that are loaded with the nutrients that they need.

6. Distractions

If they want to get the most out of their studying, it’s completely necessary for them to take breaks. Without a couple of minutes here or there away from facts and formulas, their mind is going to get pretty darn tired. Help them prep for their college finals by making sure your care packages include items that encourage some much needed time away from the desk. Things like jump ropes, Frisbees, and hacky sacks are great because they’ll get your student (and their friends) moving around.

7. Study Supplies

There’s nothing more frustrating than running out of supplies while studying. It slows you down! And your child can’t be diligently prepping for exams if they’re going to the office supply store every hour in pursuit of index cards. Make it easy for them to study for their final exams by sending care packages full of things college students need most. Equip them with notebooks, pens, highlighters, folders, a plethora of sticky notes, and most importantly, a way of keeping term papers together. Some professors swear by staples while others are advocates of paperclips. Send both.

8. Luckiness

While brushing up on some facts may be all your student needs to ace those finals, a backup never hurts. Good luck charms are everywhere these days, so keep your eyes peeled the next time you’re out shopping. If your college student is a girl, bring her luck during that final exam by including accessories that feature charms, like horseshoes, in her care package. As for boys, look for t-shirts sporting his lucky number, shamrock printed socks, or even a laminated ace of spades card to give him a little extra luck come exam day.

9. Essential Toiletries

Who has time to go spend a half hour at the drug store when there are 5 finals to cram for? Not your student. Give them less to do by supplying them with essential toiletry items that they may run out of come exam week. In a care package, send them everything they need for showering, brushing their teeth, and shaving, so they can make it through finals without the stress of having to run errands.

10. Mozart

Yeah, that’s right: Mozart! For a while, studies have been conducted that link music (especially classical) with improving studying. It has to do with the beats per minute (BPM) that makes us relaxed. Scientists have found that 60 BPM, which is almost a standard in Baroque music, has a boosting effect on the mind because of the ornate instrumentation and composition. It helps relax the heart rate, regulate the brain’s rhythm, and create a peaceful environment. So while your child is prepping for those college finals, make sure your care packages include music too. Putting the music files on a flash drive is a great way to save space in your gift and serves a dual purpose, as it may come in handy to your student later on. And if they’re completely opposed to music that’s hundreds of years old, hope isn’t lost. There are plenty of groups that recreate pop songs in the string quartet/chamber music style.

11. Something for Later

There is light at the end of the tunnel! You can help them see it by including things in your college student’s care package that they can use after exam week. Look for tickets to movies that are playing nearby, gift certificates for trendy restaurants, or something you know they’ve had their eye on for a while. For a surprise factor, send this gift wrapped inside the care package with instructions to open it after that very last test is handed in.

Save