Whether your college student is away at school or studying at home this year, the month before a semester ends is always a busy time full of assigned papers and exams.

I remember the daily walk to the post office when I was in college in Lexington, Virginia. My grandmother was a faithful letter writer and I also really loved when a box of goodies would arrive. I have a very clear memory of walking back from the post office one day and opening a padded envelope with a Pez dispenser inside (and plenty of rectangular refill packs). Such a simple gift, but it made my desk more cheerful when I returned to my studies.

Each year, the women in our church put together care packages for the college students who join us each week. We live in a college town, so we often have students who are from other cities or states with us for several years. A few weeks before exams, we are told how many student care packages we are preparing and we bring items on a certain Sunday morning to fill gift bags. Some of the items we contributed last year were water bottles, homemade cookies, gift cards, candy bars, granola bars, handwritten notes, and fidget toys. Putting these care packages together is easy because we all contribute items.

One thing I always try to keep in mind when preparing a college care package is to include healthy snacks. While it's tempting to send only yummy, sugary treats, it's an even better choice to send some protein-packed snacks which are beneficial during studying. So, if you're putting together a care package for a college student preparing for exams, don't forget to include:

Two of my favorite college student care package ideas can be found on our Pinterest board about taking care of others. The first idea is a color-themed care package. What a fun idea to use your college student's favorite color or school colors as the theme. The second is this free printable card that allows you to list 10 things you love about your student.

College can definitely have its challenges, especially this year. You never know when some words of encouragement or a thoughtful care package might be what's needed most.