When you have young children, it feels like you’re involved in their education. You read their first books with them and help them complete their homework right into their teen years. Yet, when your babies go to university, it can feel like their education is truly out of your hands. You won’t be there to debrief after their lessons or help them make sense of their assignments.
But, does that mean you can’t still help them succeed? We don’t think so. In truth, it’s possible to hide a little educational helping hand amongst all the towels, kettles, and stationery you’ll buy them to get set up in their university digs. Simply stock up on these items before they hit Freshers Week.
A top-up food card
Most supermarkets now offer student top-up cards. When you invest in one of these, you can ensure your child always has money for food (and only food) no matter how far away they are. This is invaluable in terms of education because it ensures the fuel they need to keep their energy levels up, especially if you teach them a few healthy recipes to spend that money on before they go.
Comfortable bedding
Sleep is just as important as food when it comes to brain power, and it’s something that can be hard to come by on stiff, overwashed bedding. Whether your child is settling into halls or private university accommodation, you may find it worthwhile to send them away with things like a comfortable duvet and pillow, or even a mattress if you think it would help. Ideally, one of those flat-packed ones!
Alarm clock
Sleep might matter to how well your child can concentrate and retain information, but it won’t be much help if they’re so comfortable that they sleep through alarm lectures. Of course, everyone has an alarm on their phone these days, but your child might not always remember to set it. Save them that hassle by providing them with a pre-set smart alarm clock, which goes off each morning without fail.
A reliable laptop
High-end laptops aren’t cheap these days. They’re certainly outside of most student budgets, meaning students often use slow, limited laptops that have a habit of crashing and erasing all their work. Save your child that fate by providing them with a more modern, reliable laptop that saves their work automatically into the cloud throughout their study sessions.
A Netflix account
Roughly 55% of students experience some degree of academic burnout, which can have a significant impact on both enjoyment and educational output. Buying your child a Netflix account, or simply putting them on the family plan, can be great for ensuring the downtime they need to feel refreshed and ready to go again between classes.
University might be a big adjustment for both you and your child, but you can still help them to do well when you invest in these sometimes surprising educational aids.
*This is a collaborative post