So tangible items are cool and all, but as us college students are growing into adults *gasp* yes, I know it's scary, we are trying to think ahead. We tend to end up with presents such as clothing, university-based items, video games, candy, new technology, or whatever you're into. We're not ungrateful, we just actually need (and want) mostly intangible items that cost a lot of money or just actual money to put it towards good use. If you are going to get a tangible item, I recommend food or a gift card.
1. Financial Stability, in general
Whether that be money for gas, groceries, insurance, rent, low credit card balances due, or study abroad money. My sister asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I said financial stability, but I'm pretty sure she's buying me eyeliner. I probably shouldn't have asked, considering she's probably still paying off student loans too.
2. Some Real Home-cooked Food (not candy)
This seems simple. You get all of this home cooked food or go out to a restaurant while you're home and you take advantage of every bite you take. However, in about a month, we go back to the known recipes in college: ramen noodles, mac & cheese, and frozen pizzas. These are tangible items, but hard to obtain once you're back at college.
3. Your Credit Card Being Paid Off
If you have a credit card in college, this can be both advantageous and dangerous. You always have money basically, so you may offer to pay for the Ubers, or bought clothing online after failing a test, or paid for someone's dinner when they forgot their card, or use it to buy groceries. Before you know it, you have a higher credit card balance that you can afford. So the student plead, please pay off my debt, before I get into even more debt.
4. Gift Cards
Gift cards are one of the greatest gifts someone could buy you, besides giving you hard, cold cash. College students would probably prefer Visa, restaurants, grocery stores, or Starbucks/Dunkin gift cards because those we would use the most. Clothing and makeup is cool, but have you ever gone through three coffees in a day? I have, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Gift cards are crucial to college living. We'd rather a puppy, but we'll take what we can get.
5. To Sleep In
When we were kids, On Christmas morning, my sisters and I would wake up the earliest we could open our eyes (I'd say about 6 or 7 a.m.) and wake up my parents. Now, with much regret, our parents wake us up earlier than we would want to on Christmas morning (maybe it's payback for all of the times we wouldn't let them sleep in). We would be happy if Christmas started at 11 a.m., but that's not going to happen.
We aren't ungrateful, but we desire the simple things in life for Christmas — whether that be our student loans being paid off or getting to sleep in a little bit longer.
