It is truth universally acknowledged that as college students, we are BROKE. From deciding whether to tip or not to save that extra dollar when eating out (we’re all guilty of it), to taking maybe a couple more plastic forks from the dining halls for the dorm, budgeting is more than a skill; it’s the college lifestyle. But when the holidays roll around or your roommate’s birthday comes around, we’re scrambling for gifts that’ll make the people we love’s day, while also not emptying your wallet.
What I’ve been doing for the past couple of years is giving people pictures of our best memories throughout the time we’ve known each other. When I mean pictures, I mean ordering them through online photo centers such as CVS or Walmart (no membership required!) and picking them up there. You could print them out from your computer with an actual color printer, but printing them from an actual photo center makes them more “official” and just looks overall nicer as well. A 4×6 print is about 30 cents each, which is cheaper and way more personal to even treating them to food or a movie. Then, I usually frame the picture (I recommend frames from a dollar store, there’s a bunch of quality ones for cheap) or print out multiple ones with little descriptions of each memory on the back. I’ll usually write a little note on another piece of paper with the gift talking about all the memories and appreciation I have for them as well.
We live in a society where everything is digital; we post pictures on Instagram and write on each other’s Facebook timeline when it’s someone’s birthday to explicitly show appreciation for them. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love pictures (currently over 9,000 on my camera roll as we speak) and sometimes I’ll scroll through my camera roll and look at memories throughout the years and get super sentimental and thankful for all the people in my life. But having these pictures physically in front of you and not just on your phone – whether it be on your wall in your dorm or in a picture frame on your table evokes a more prominent and official presence in your life.
To me, at least, the printing and giving of pictures is super personal because the memory is physically present and a constant reminder of a time you treasure deeply with the person. It also gives you a warm and sentimental feeling that picks you up when you’re feeling down. So if you’re looking for a present under $2 for a friend, 10/10 recommend pictures!