Now that formal recruitment is over, big/little reveal is probably right around the corner for many sororities. If you’ve been in a sorority for a while, then you know that getting a little is one of the most exciting times of an active member’s sorority experience. You were chosen to be a mentor for a new member of your chapter; how exciting is that?! Whether it’s standard at your chapter to get your little a gift basket or you just want to get a couple things for her just for fun (which will be me if I’m ever lucky enough to get a little), consider putting these 19 things in her gift basket.
1. Tumbler
Pretty much every college student has a tumbler. Since they’re sold anywhere, you’re sure to find a cute one for pretty cheap.
2. Sorority letter baseball cap
For those bad hair days that no college girl can escape.
3. Hand-painted canvas
Just like you, your little is going to acquire quite the collection of canvases throughout her time as an active member. If the canvas collection hasn’t started yet, why not get the ball rolling?
4. Her favorite candy/snack
Not everyone is the biggest fan of getting food as a gift, but more often than not, your little will appreciate it if you’re able to add her favorite snack to her gift basket. We all know that college students love free food.
5. Sorority letter t-shirt
It’s pretty common in sororities to hand down t-shirts to newer members. If you don’t want to give your little a hand-me-down from Dad’s Day in 2002, then venture to your campus’s t-shirt printing store. There you can get your little a customized shirt with your sorority’s letters on it for relatively cheap.
6. Alex and Ani bracelet
Admittedly this one might break the bank, considering most college students can’t really drop over $30 on a bracelet like it’s no big deal. If you do have the money, though, or if you know she really likes Alex and Ani and this is the only thing you’ll give her, then a sorority-themed bracelet is a good choice for your little. If you do a little extra research online, you might find a necklace or other jewelry item for cheaper.
7. Decorated paddle
I personally look for any excuse to decorate a paddle for someone. Oh, you just had a birthday? Here’s a cute paddle. Just got initiated? Have this paddle. Got a full eight hours of sleep for once in your college life? Paddle. Big/little reveal provides yet another opportunity to decorate a paddle. If your organization or your chapter on campus doesn’t use paddles, then decorating a wooden version of your organization’s symbol is a nice alternative (i.e. an arrow for Pi Beta Phi, a key for Kappa Kappa Gamma, an anchor for Delta Gamma, etc.).
8. Lip balm
Lip balm is always a nice trinket to throw in a gift basket because it’s useful.
9. Body Mist
As if you needed another excuse to buy all those amazing-smelling body mists from PINK. Why not pick up a mini mist for your little?
10. Decorated wooden Greek letters
Just in case you want to craft literally everything you give your little, in addition to a canvas and a paddle, wooden letters of your organization always turn out super cute. They’re also the easiest to make since they usually only consist of painting them a solid color and then gluing things onto them. It’s not hard to make them cute, which is always a plus if you want to give them something hand-decorated but don’t have the time to paint a detailed canvas or paddle.
11. Coffee mug
Even if your little isn’t a coffee, tea, or hot chocolate drinker (but seriously, who doesn’t drink at least one of those things?), coffee mugs are still a great gift because we have evolved to using them as makeup-brush holders and pencil-holders.
12. Pin box
If the new members still haven’t received a pin box, they’re going to need one for their initiation pin! Another fun craft, and since pin boxes are pretty small, then decorating one goes similarly along the lines of wooden letters.
13. Water bottle
If you can believe it, not everyone owns a water bottle (points at self), which is wild, because it’s basically a detriment to cart yourself around campus all day without hydration. Get your little a cute water bottle!
14. Big/Little Reveal T-Shirt
If you’re giving your little her gift basket right after big/little reveal, then this is always a good thing to add to it.
15. Decorated picture frame
Because I can’t stop listing things to craft. If you have a picture of you and your little already, then you can make the gift even more personal by slipping it into the picture frame.
16. Candles
If your little still lives in a dorm that doesn’t allow candles, swap this out for room spray. Either way, everyone loves candles. Make sure you know what kind of scents your little likes!
17. Sorority key chain
For a smaller gift basket, a sorority key chain is always cute and functional.
18. Makeup bag
Similar to the coffee mug, even if your little is not big on wearing makeup, cute makeup bags make for very useful pencil pouches.
19. Handwritten letter
You can’t get more personal than this. After all, you chose your little and your little chose you.
Of course, you don’t need every single one of these things in a gift basket (unless it’s standard in your chapter to give large gift baskets for big/little reveal), but hopefully these 19 things gave you some inspiration if you’re not sure what to get your little.
