I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a chronic procrastinator. I’m not proud of it, but it’s something that many U of T students are afflicted with. Add on exams and essays (and I’m assuming some sort of lab for those in the sciences), and inevitably Christmas shopping gets put by the wayside. And while I’m reluctant to admit it, I’ve spent quite a large amount of money at the U of T bookstore on last minute Christmas presents. So without further ado, here is Her Campus U of T’s guide to Christmas shopping at the bookstore!
For the parents
They pay for your tuition, they feed you, and for commuters, they even put a roof over your head. And if your parents are anything like mine, they’re super proud that you go to U of T (especially those of you whose parents are also alumni of the school). So what could possibly be better than a U of T sweatshirt or t-shirt? And the bookstore is always having sales on their tshirts and sweatshirts. There’s also a wide variety of mugs, tumblers, and notebooks. For those parents that are more tech friendly, the U of T computer shop also has quite a few tech pieces that parents would love. Who doesn’t want an iPad, but if that’s out of your price range the store also has a large number of cases for things like the iPad that are more student budget friendly.
For brothers, sisters, and miscellaneous younger family members
Just like with parents, tshirts and sweatshirts are also fitting presents for your siblings, cousins, and any other family member under 30. Because the school seems to have a penchant for putting a U of T logo on absolutely everything, you have access to a wide variety of stationery and clothing to choose from. Also, for children under the age of 6, the bookstore also sells a U of T teddy bear that is absolutely adorable.
For the significant other
For boyfriends and girlfriends, the average tshirt and sweatpants with a U of T insignia just aren’t going to cut it. So I recommend checking out the wide range of non academic books at the store. While we may walk past these covers in our rush to pick up our textbooks in September, the bookstore actually carries quite a few interesting titles. Everything from politics to humor is covered by the bookstore. For those that aren’t into books, the bookstore also carries webcams (for those of you in long distance relationships), awesome headphones (those Beats he didn’t want to splurge on), and for the girls, the store also carries cute and affordable clothing that doesn’t carry the U of T logo.
For the girls
I love the idea of getting iPod nanos and uploading personalized playlists onto them for your best friends. It’s like a 21st century mixed tape! But the store also carries cute notebooks, agendas, calendars, and fun little gadgets like toy cameras from Fuji.
For those people you don’t really know what to do with
Two words: gift cards. I have bought many, many gift cards from the U of T bookstore out of desperation. My favourite are the ones from Mastercard. People can buy anything they want with it and it’s not limited to any one location so it’s basically the best gift card out there.
So there you have it folks, your last minute guide to shopping at the U of T bookstore! My only qualms are that the store doesn’t sell greeting cards. But we always have the internet for that, the 7 Eleven down the street also sells cards (yes, I really have bought a lot of last minute gifts at the U of T bookstore). For more ideas check out the U of T Bookstore’s holiday gift guide here: http://www.uoftbookstore.com/online/catalog/.