Anyone who has spent any time on their own as a college student will know money is in no abundance. Being short on cash doesn’t mean you can’t get your favorite people something they will love. Here are five gift ideas sure to please those you care about.
1. A picture collage
Most students studying at BYU–Hawaii can likely recall a time a friend or family member made mention of how fortunate they are for getting to go to college in Hawaii.
Why not show that person just how lucky you know you are with a picture collage of you in all your favorite places around the island?Whether it’s a view from the top of your favorite hike, a panorama of your favorite beach, or a shot of the starry night sky, you’re sure to make them jealous with images of your island adventures. Places like Long’s Drug Store and Walmart will print out pictures for about 30 cents each.
Simply pick up some construction paper and decorate it with your photos and maybe a few kind words before mailing it home.
2. Aloha shirts and Mumus
Come January, all the kids in school will be turning up in their played out “ugly” Christmas sweaters, how fashion forward will your siblings be if they’re the only kids in school rocking the new aloha shirt trend?
Imagine the compliments mom will get walking in to the ward break-the-fast in her fresh new mumu.
Depending on where you go, aloha shirts and mumus can get pretty expensive, often reaching up to and even over $70.
Goodwill, however, has them by the thousand and is practically giving them away for $10 or less! The nearest Goodwill is in Kailua, but there are several other locations scattered throughout the Honolulu area.
Top-quality silk aloha shirts with wooden buttons can be acquired for as little as $7, and a decent mumu can be yours for about $10-15 neighborhood.
3. Esther Candari, a junior studying painting and psychology from Hawaii suggested making seashell jewelry.
Go to the beach and spend a couple hours picking up seashells and ocean glass to make into a necklace, a bracelet, or even a pair of ear rings. Once you have all the seashells you want to incorporate into your jewelry, there are several tutorials on YouTube on how to make different types of jewelry that will be helpful for getting the final product you are hoping for.
4. Nikki Mancebo, a 13-year-old girl from Kaaawa suggested making a memory book out of a deck of cards.
She suggested writing a nice thing about the person on each card of an old deck. Some can be fond memories the two of you share, some can be unique talents the person possesses, or fun inside jokes. Whatever you put on the cards, the person will likely feel honored you could think of 52 nice things to say about them.
5. Jeff Hampton, a freshman studying history from California, said a good gift idea would be preparing ready-made gourmet hot chocolate jars.
To make the mixture, take a 16 oz mason jar and pour in half a cup of granulated sugar into the jar, then add half a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
Next, add half a cup of powdered milk, a quarter t-spoon of salt, a quarter cup of mini chocolate chips, and finish the mixture with a quarter cup of mini marshmallows. For a chocolate mint flavor, try replacing the marshmallows with crushed candy canes instead.
Next, seal the can and repeat for however many people you intend to make the treat for. Like the seashell jewelry, there are tutorials on YouTube that show how to make different flavors of gourmet hot chocolate.