While college is often a time of great joy, learning, and excitement, it can sometimes turn into a very trying experience. Natural disasters can completely disrupt, if not shut down, a campus; major illnesses can interrupt a student's course of study; and family issues can creep into a student's plans for college success. Regardless of the type of trouble, however, there are still ways you can support your college friend during his or her time of need.
1. Send a care package. It can be easy: a box of cookies, a nice card, some comfy socks, and a few candy bars. But care packages are almost always received with great excitement. Care packages can be especially appreciated if your friend is living in temporary housing or is facing a medical condition.
2. Have an IM/phone conversation and just check in. Just calling or IMing a friend to let them know that you're thinking of them can do wonders. Having a conversation where you just check in and let your friend talk can also be a great way to help, even if nothing specific comes from the conversation.
3. Send a nice email. Remember the last time someone just sent you a nice, supportive email? Wasn't it fantastic? Sometimes, it's the little things that matter, so spend a few quality minutes and write your friend a supportive, kind email letting them know you're thinking of them.
4. If you're close enough, try to meet in person. Your friend may be so stressed over their problems that they haven't had the time to just sit down and chat with a friend over a long lunch. It doesn't have to be pricey, either; offer to use your campus meal plan and just sit and talk for a while.
5. Ask what you can do to help. It may be something as simple as just listening to someone vent or sending along blank notebooks to someone whose residence hall just burned down. The easiest way to support your friend, of course, is to figure out what he or she needs!
