The first year of college is a difficult time. Many students drop out during or after the first year because they aren’t equipped to handle the academic pressures or the changes they’re experiencing. Help your first-year student stay in school by giving him or her a few special gifts. Here are some great gift ideas for the freshman in your life.

A Bible

Many college students suffer from a lack of direction. They aren’t sure about their majors, their futures, or their friends. They don’t have a defined sense of identity, which leads to making mistakes and poor choices. Gifting your freshman an NRSV Bible could make a big difference in his or her success. Religion can give students a direction in life and a sense of purpose, two things that many college students never have.

If you’re concerned about your loved one’s choices in college, giving him or her something to believe in can help create a new sense of understanding and confidence. He or she will understand a different way of life and can make small choices with big changes. The simple gift of a Bible could be just the book your college student needed.

Therapy

College students really do go through a lot. They’re attempting to make new friends, and sometimes they make the wrong ones. They’re trying to ace their classes, which are more challenging than any they’ve ever taken before, and they’re most likely homesick on top of all this. Giving your freshman the gift of therapy will provide him or her with someone to help build valuable skills for success. Your college student might be earning an online counseling psychology degree, but that doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t need someone to talk to.

He or she may attend a college with a counseling center on campus, or you could find a local therapist and give the gift of a few sessions. Remind her that taking a little time for herself to talk about what’s going on and gain new skills will help her feel more successful and confident. In college, young adults are attempting to figure out who they are as well as what they might do professionally for the rest of their lives. They might also be experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and relationships. A trusted adult who can help your freshman work through what he or she is experiencing could make a big difference.

A Planner

For many freshmen, just organizing all their work is extremely challenging. In high school, students are often told exactly what to write in their planners and if they miss what they should have done for homework, teachers give them the chance to make up the work. In college, students have fewer opportunities to make up work and really have to rely on their own organization and initiative to get everything done.

Giving your freshman a great planner will help him or her understand how to best organize the work and keep track of upcoming assignments. You can find daily planners so he or she can schedule the entire day, including classes, meals, and extracurricular activities. A monthly planner will help him or her see what assignments are coming up and when to start working on them.

Make sure you also give your college student a little guidance on how to use the planner and encourage him or her to use it daily until it becomes a habit. Building healthy organization habits is huge in college, so this gift could be the difference between him graduating and him dropping out.

Whatever you decide to get your college student, make sure it’s something useful and practical. Give your freshman support and help him or her get through this year.