As graduation creeps closer, people get stressed about getting their friend, family, or significant other a graduation present. This milestone is bittersweet due to many having to say goodbye to your closest friends of the last four years or so. Whether you’re parting ways for a while or seeing each other sooner, giving a cute little gift is a perfect way for them to have a part of you or just a way to say I’m proud of you.
Here are some adorable graduation gift ideas that are personal, thoughtful and not too expensive.
A memory scrapbook or a polaroid album
You can easily thrift a scrapbook or a photo album and fill it with pictures, jokes, notes and other random memories. This could include ticket stubs, doodles, and photo booth strips. You can decorate as you want or in the way your graduate would like it.
Friendship bracelets
You can get your friend or friend group a cute dainty gold or beaded bracelet. The bracelet could have initials or other engraved coordinates for your school or a place that has a meaning to you. This is a cute, subtle and sentimental gift.
A personalized playlist
When meeting new people, their style, at times, meshes with yours. Making a playlist with songs that are meaningful to your friendship or songs that capture your friendship is a meaningful gift because it reminds the person of what they mean to you. You could also make a keychain with a printed link to the playlist.
A perfume or candle
Everyone has a scent or something that screams you. Picking out a signature candle or a perfume is incredibly thoughtful,and could be even more thoughtful if you were to engrave a phrase, quote or something meaningful to your friendship on the candle or perfume bottle.
A cute book with notes
For a bookworm friend, picking a book and either annotating, writing reactions, jokes or even just highlighting quotes would be a cute and thoughtful gift that can be executed with a book they have recommended or just one that was mentioned by them.
Graduation jewelry
Another simple and cute gift would be a personalized piece of jewelry. There are many Etsy shops that make custom jewelry and are relatively inexpensive. This would be cute for a friend that loves to accessorize.
A print, poster or painting
Find or make your own print of art that captures your friendship. This can be thrifting a painting that reminds you of your friendship or making a print or collage that highlights your friendship.
Graduation is more than just a ceremony, it’s the end of an era. The beginning of something new. After making many of these friends home away from home, giving a gift can be a cute way of saying see you later. These small gifts can mean so much to many. They’re small ways of saying I’m proud of you or I’m here for you. Whether DIY’ed or bought, the best gifts come from the heart. As graduation continues to creep closer, take time to celebrate with your people. It’s been a ride and you should enjoy every last bit of it!