This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Texas chapter.
As I have grown older, I have become more aware of just how materialistic the holiday season truly is. It seems to me that we are spending way too much energy crossing items off our shopping lists and not enough energy bringing positivity to others during the holiday season. Not only are we spending too much energy choosing presents, but as college women, we can be pretty difficult to please. Almost every year I receive a present from a distant relative that I will never use. This holiday season, I decided to ask my family members for a specific gift that I will enjoy and hopefully will benefit others.
Almost a year ago, I was inspired by an article about my favorite celebrity, Gigi Hadid. This article mentioned that in order to give back to her community, she asked for gift cards to cheap local fast food restaurants. She would keep these gift cards in her purse and give them to people in need. This Christmas I am asking my family members for a few gift cards to the cheap restaurants on Guadalupe Street. Throughout the spring semester, I intended to give these gift cards to people in need.
Even though it can be intimidating to approach strangers (especially on the Drag), providing a small gift to someone else is an easy way to break the ice. Every day I pass at least one homeless person on the way to class. How awesome would it be to give one of these people the opportunity to purchase a meal for themselves as you say hello! To you a $5 gift card to a restaurant on the Drag might not mean much, but to someone less fortunate this gift card could change their entire day.