Spring (and Stress) Has Sprung!

Spring is here! Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, pollen is everywhere, people are sneezing, and, of course, students are looking forward to all of the exciting events jam packed into the last few weeks before summer arrives. Given all that goes on in the Spring, we asked students what they wished parents knew about college life after Spring Break. As expected, the answers ranged from hopeful…

“One thing that I wished my parents knew after Spring Break is that I am looking forward to finishing off the academic year!”

To stressed…

“I wish parents would know…that navigating new classes can be nerve wracking, especially this close to the year’s end…[since] it’s so important to finish off the end of the school year strong.”

Overall, however, students are simply exhausted. One student stated that they wished their parents knew, “just how tired students are during Spring quarter.” They went on to say, “Spring quarter is very conflicting because the weather is getting nicer and there are fun events going on around campus, but also the burnout is setting in. Only having one week off in between two entire quarters is rough, so I think parents should just know that students are usually struggling to get through the end of the quarter/year.”

We can all relate to the exhaustion that comes with multiple deadlines and responsibilities, the students had some helpful suggestions as to what parents can do to help lessen the burden for their students:

• Make sure to stay in contact. Simply check in from time to time.
• Let your student know that you’re never more than a phone call or text away.
• Encourage your student. Let them know that you’re proud of them.
• Make sure your student has all the supplies needed for their courses.
• Send a care package to let them know you’re thinking about them.

Simple gestures can boost morale and motivate students to push through remaining challenges.