Last Updated on November 20, 2023
Last year, I sent my son and his friends in the dorm College Finals Survival Kits. They were meant to be a fun pick-me-up during a stressful time. Now I realize there are a lot of items I can send during finals season that will not only eliminate some of the stress, but also help my college kid do better on his tests!
In this college finals care package, I’m throwing in a ton of items that will not only help my college kid study, but will improve his performance!
College Finals Survival Kit Snacks
Lots of foods have a positive effect on cognitive abilities. Preparing for finals is when your favorite college kid needs these foods the most!
Some of these snacks might be tough sells if your child prefers pizza and potato chips. Everything listed below provides some mental benefit though so even if you can only find one or two items on the list your child would enjoy, include it to help him or her do their best on exam day.
- Pumpkin Seeds
: contain zinc and magnesium which enhance memory and thinking skills and reduces stress - Chia Seeds: good source of omega-3s for better brain function; easy to sprinkle on yogurt, oatmeal, salad, etc.
- Walnuts: contain omega-3s to improve cognitive health and mental alertness
- Dried berries: contain antioxidants that boost focus, concentration and memory
- Beet Chips: contain nitrates which boost energy and increase blood flow to brain
- Kale Chips: full of antioxidants, carotenoids and B-vitamins to improve memory, focus and brain health
- Dark Chocolate: contains caffeine for heightened mental alertness and clarity plus magnesium to reduce stress
- Green Tea: combination of caffeine and l’theanine that increases ability to focus with improvement in both speed and accuracy
- Sugarless Gum: chewing gum has been shown to improve concentration and visual memory
: contain zinc and magnesium which enhance memory and thinking skills and reduces stress
: good source of omega-3s for better brain function; easy to sprinkle on yogurt, oatmeal, salad, etc.
: contain omega-3s to improve cognitive health and mental alertness
: contain antioxidants that boost focus, concentration and memory
: contain nitrates which boost energy and increase blood flow to brain
: full of antioxidants, carotenoids and B-vitamins to improve memory, focus and brain health
: contains caffeine for heightened mental alertness and clarity plus magnesium to reduce stress
: combination of caffeine and l’theanine that increases ability to focus with improvement in both speed and accuracy
: chewing gum has been shown to improve concentration and visual memoryAromatherapy
Did you know that different aromas can affect your mood and mental functions? These oils are the most helpful when it comes to making the most of study sessions:
- Rosemary Essential Oil: Improves concentration and memory
- Peppermint Essential Oil: Enhances focus and increases retention, also helps boost energy
- Sage Essential Oil: Fights mental fatigue
- Eucalyptus Essential Oil: Improves mental clarity
- Sweet Basil Essential Oil: Stimulates the brain and improves concentration and memory
- Ylang Ylang Essential Oil: Reduces anxiety and stress
To get the benefit of these oils, the student can simply remove the lid and inhale to capture the scent. Or, you can:
- Include a diffuser
- Make a room spray: Add 30-50 drops of essential oil to a 4 oz glass spray bottle, fill the rest of the way with witch hazel, replace sprayer and lid.
- Create a roll-on: Add 5-10 drops of essential oil to an empty roll-on bottle, fill the rest of the way with a carrier oil, snap rollerball back in and replace lid.
College Finals Study Tools
College students will appreciate if you include some of the supplies they use the most during finals prep.
And if you haven’t sent a care package in a while, throw in a couple of things they tend to lose/break a lot. My son is always asking for new:
For my son’s package, I just tossed all of the items in a plastic storage basket and printed out a sign to hang over the edge that says “Good Luck on Finals! You’ll do great!”.
The picture above has the items arranged so that you can see the contents more easily, but for shipping I had to lay everything flat and bubble wrap the glass bottle with the homemade room spray in it. Then, I wrote a short letter explaining why I was sending him such unusual items since I’ve never before sent him kale chips and chia seeds!
I hope you’ve found some helpful ideas in the list above. I’d love to hear your thoughts on them and any of your own ideas so please share them in the comments.
