1. Give them an experience

Personally, the most fun time is any time with my friends; doing anything is fun with them. Take your birthday friend out for an adventure. It could be to a new food place they have been harping about, a bonding experience that will challenge and better your friendship, or even another country (I wish).

2. Make it personal 

It is a day to literally celebrate their birth so if you give them something generalized, it doesn't seem like your friendship is that tight huh?

Bring them to that place they have been talking about, incorporate your inside jokes in your gifts to them, just spend time with them and tell them that you love them: this step isn't that hard.

3. Don't make it exhausting

Listen, I'm tired. I know I say this a lot but it is always true. I am in college and I have 48 things that I have yet to do every moment of the day so please don't try to hype up my birthday in a way that makes it time consuming. I repeat, I am tired and I will be ungrateful (because as I mentioned, I am tired) and I don't want to be ungrateful to the people that love me, so please, make the birthday special sweet and short.

Simply put, we don't have the time.

I got that essay due that I haven't started, you know.

4. Some time alone too

The birthday person is turning another year older, it is a big day of reflection and planning for the future (or at least, that's how I see birthdays) and not having a single moment alone on the day is weird, mostly cause all the other days to give me alone time, why is this day that different? It's just a day.

5. Let the birthday person reciprocate the love too 

It might just be me but it's pretty overwhelming being wished and pampered the whole day when I am not doing anything to reciprocate.

Have a nice conversation about appreciation and let the birthday individual speak too! It's all about that mutual love.