What to Give A Newly 21 Year Old

Welcome back readers. It is now the spring 2025 semester here at Bradley University and my 21st birthday is right around the corner.

This sparked ideas in my mind because everyone around me is also turning 21 at the same time. So, I posted a poll on my social media platforms and asked people what they would want for their 21st birthday and if they were over the age of 21 what did they really, really want? After collecting all of the answers, this is what I came up with. 

1. Money 

Did you see this one coming? This is the perfect gift for any age and especially at 21 when you are either freshly into adulthood or ending college or starting to get your life together, money is always going to help you. You can use money to pay bills, go on a shopping spree, spoil yourself, get you a happy meal, whatever puts a smile on your face. You could even save the money.  So much can be done with money, and this was the main reason why money was the most asked for thing. 

2. Spicy Water 

The next thing I got a lot was spicy water. If you don’t know what spicy water is, use your imagination and you’ll connect the dots. Obviously, this is a 21-year-old, so they are officially legal and able to indulge in spicy water activities. This shouldn’t have been a surprise but any newly 21-year-old will take this gift without question. 

3. Gift cards 

If you don’t want to give someone money loosely, give them a gift card. A lot of the people who I talked to wanted new clothes, a new phone, money to their favorite store and a gift card gives you the ability to give them money to a certain store so that they don’t spend it on anything bad and on something that they want. This will normally also put parents and family members’ mines at ease because they know where the money is being spent. 

4. Real Jewelry 

When someone turns 21, they are now in a new chapter of their lives where they are legal and officially grown. This doesn’t mean that they have everything together and it also doesn’t mean that they need to rush to get everything together, but they want something to remember them stepping into adulthood. Something someone brought up was real jewelry. Some people like chains, but they’re expensive and for a milestone birthday like this, a real chain or a real ring, or earrings with maybe a cheap diamond, but still a diamond, means a lot. 

5. Trip or Special Event

Some people instead of worrying about throwing a party or going to dinner, want to do something else to start that milestone. One thing someone mentioned that they would have loved to do on their 21st was go on a cruise. Another thing someone mentioned was that they wanted concert tickets. So maybe listening to things or writing a list of things that your loved ones or friends would like to do and surprise them with it would be just as sentimental as any other gift. 

6. A Surprise Party

Now, this may just be the group of people around me, but when my friends and I talk about turning 21, we act like we don’t want anything. It could be because we are all in college and we are worrying about paying bills and if we’re going to have time, but we have all cared so much about what others have to worry about that we believe that our birthdays are a burden. The last thing I believe any 21-year-old, or any age would want is a surprise party to show that your birthday is a day to celebrate and that you are not a burden. The people who love you and care for you will come together and decorate the most unorganized, colorful, ghetto, and wildest party if it means that you get to have a day to celebrate you. it’s a very inexpensive thing to do, but it means the world to someone stepping into a new chapter of their lives because now they know who they can do it with. 

Now the important part. What I want for my birthday. I have learned that growing up means being alone more. I don’t have many friends because so many of my old ones have taught me life lessons and now, I just want peace. So, I want a relaxing day of self-care. Nails, hair, a massage, etc. Then I want to get away of some sort. If not, a simple cake will do with the happy birthday song since the actual day of my birthday is on a Tuesday where I am completely booked. 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. 

• #adulthood
• #Gift Ideas
• #GrowingUp #Changes
• 21st Birthday
• college