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Mason Family Flash

Best Practices for Supporting Your Student During Exam Week

Students at Fenwick Library

Summer is right around the corner and many students are busy wrapping up the semester with final exams, papers, and projects.  Because this time of year can be particularly demanding for students, we have provided you with several different ways to help your student manage stress during finals week.

Learning Services
During final exams students often feel overwhelmed by their workload.  Encourage your student to visit Mason’s Learning Services website to gather techniques on how to best manage their time and study most efficiently.  Learning Services also offers a variety of workshops for students to help manage stress levels such as sessions focusing on exam strategies, managing performance anxiety, and overcoming procrastination.  Click here for a full list of available academic skill workshops.

Study Locations
Many students are spending long hours studying and writing papers during this hectic time of year.  Encourage your student to utilize the extended hours of the libraries and Johnson Center as safe study spaces on campus.  Students can also reserve group study rooms in the libraries as well as the Johnson Center by clicking here.  If your student lives off campus, encourage him or her to visit the 24-hour Off-Campus Finals Study Lounge located in George’s Restaurant, located on the top floor of the Johnson Center between May 7 and May 15.

Care Packages
Show your student some extra love during this stressful time of year with a care package subscription from Co-Ed Supply.  Every month Co-Ed Supply will deliver a big orange box filled with healthy snacks, personal care items, school supplies, and entertainment products that are sure to put a smile on your student’s face.  Visit coedsupply.com/georgemason for more information.  Make sure to use promo code GEORGEMASON to receive $10 off your first order!

De-Stress Fest
Every year the Office of Student Involvement hosts a week of events to help students de-stress before finals.  This year, De-Stress Fest will take place between April 28 and May 2.  Visit osi.gmu.edu for more information on the week’s events and encourage your student to attend for several opportunities for free refreshments, exam kits, and fun ways to relax before exams.

With all of the demands the end of the semester brings students often struggle to manage stress levels.  Please encourage your student to take advantage of these activities in order to relieve stress and power through the final weeks of the semester.

Rebecca Kurihine
Graduate Assistant
Orientation and Family Programs and Services

Categories
Mason Family Flash

Your Guide to Siblings Weekend: Reminders and Updates

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It is hard to believe but Siblings Weekend is just days away!  We are happy that so many siblings have decided to join us for the weekend’s festivities, and we hope that everyone has a great time exploring all of the events and opportunities on our schedule.  There are some great events planned for students and siblings over the weekend such as a scavenger hunt, crafting events, movie night, inner tube water polo, and much, much more!  All siblings that have paid the registration fee and will be joining us for Siblings Weekend have received an email from families@gmu.edu with additional updates on the weekend as well as a parking pass.

Please note that this email does not contain your official check-in materials for Siblings Weekend.  Students and siblings will still need to stop by check-in which is located in Side Pocket on the second floor of the Hub.   Check-in will be held from 10 a.m. – noon and from 6 – 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26.  When your student checks in with his or her sibling they will receive a full schedule of events, Siblings Weekend t-shirts, giveaways and additional information that will be helpful throughout the weekend.

Additionally, all siblings attending Siblings Weekend (or the parent/guardian if under 18 years of age) must complete a Permission of Participation Waiver in order to participate. If the sibling is between the ages of 12 and 18 and their Mason student lives on campus they are invited to stay overnight in the residence hall.  Please note, all siblings under the age of 12 are prohibited to stay overnight in the residence halls and are encouraged to arrange other overnight accommodations.  If a sibling will be staying overnight in the residence hall on April 26 they must complete the Overnight Stay Waiver.

If your student has not returned all needed waivers, please encourage them to do so by April 26. Signed waivers can be submitted in one of two ways:

  1. Fax to 703.993.3966 – attention: Rebecca Kurihine
  2. Scanned and emailed to families@gmu.edu

Failure to return all waivers will prevent siblings from being able to participate in the weekend’s festivities.

If you have any questions as your student prepares for Siblings Weekend please do not hesitate to email families@gmu.edu, or call 703.993.2475.  We look forward to seeing students and siblings on Saturday!

Rebecca Kurihine
Graduate Assistant
Orientation and Family Programs and Services