Gift giving in college is a lot tougher than it was in high school. Between classes, clubs, and papers, it is pretty hard to set aside time to shop. On top of that, you’ve probably spent all your money on food and can barely afford shipping or the T-ride into Boston, much less the actual gift. To help you along with this extremely overwhelming issue, here are some easy and cheap ideas for gifts.
Coffee Run Coupons
This may sound lame and probably reminds you of the foot-rub coupons you used to give your parents as gifts when you were a kid, but this idea is much more practical (and sanitary!). Grant your friend a set amount of times that you will buy and deliver a coffee of their choice to wherever they are. This can also work for Insomnia cookies, Chinese food…or I guess a foot rub. It will make your friend super happy and lasts however long they want (or can hold off for). I am basically only suggesting this because it is exactly what I want so it will probably go over really well.
Room Decorations
The college dream goes as follows: good grades, rewarding extra-curriculars, supportive and fun friends, and lastly, a cute dorm room. I struggle with achieving more than one of those things, but coming home after a long night in the library to a bland (and very messy) room is a bit (more) of a downer. A really cute idea is to make decorations for your friends. There are a lot of DIYs on Pinterest, but a basic idea is to make wall decorations with fun quotes. All you need to buy is a frame and a couple of art supplies (watercolors or pens). Once you find a nice quote that they will appreciate seeing everyday, it only takes a few minutes to copy it down in a cute font and embellish it to the extent that your artistic ability allows. You can make several in one sitting or work on one when you need a therapeutic break from writing papers.
Tea Kit
Another nice idea is to give your friends a tea kit filled with a cute mug (from Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters possibly), tea, a tea strainer, and honey stirrers. This could also work with hot chocolate. Tea has become a staple of my day in college. I always loved tea but now I need to drink it to break up my five cups of coffee a day. I have a whole shelf of tea-related items and I would probably consider it to be a shrine to my sanity. Sometimes it is nice to make easy, semi-inconsequential decisions (sometimes I drink caffeinated tea and then regret it when I can’t fall asleep) like which tea to drink when you want to avoid making the life-altering decisions that college forces upon you.
Spa Kit
Similar to the idea above, a spa kit would be a very cute and indulgent birthday gift that essentially only requires a quick stop at CVS. Fill a small basket or gift bag with facial moisturizer (because New England air is deadly), a face mask, and foot scrub. If you want to be extra fancy, include a box of chocolates and a tube of lip gloss. Curated gift sets are especially nice to receive because they show that you put a lot of thought into them, which goes a long way in college.