Celebrating birthdays so often is obviously a lot of fun, the only issue is finding the perfect, affordable gift for the friends that count. 21st birthdays are of course the biggest deal of them all and an excuse to go all out on a gift, but that’s only one out four birthdays in college. Sometimes the best gifts are thoughtful DIY projects, or smaller things that just bring out a laugh and make the person's day.

Since my best friends and I go to college nowhere near one another, our go-to is usually a package of their favorite baked goods from Baked by Melissa, Treat House, Wicked Good Cupcakes, or somewhere else we rarely receive goodies from. It’s the perfect way to sweeten up someone's day from far away.

If you know your friend loves sweets but you’re more of a homemade type of person, bake them your specialty! A warm batch of cookies with some candles and a card is clearly thoughtful and filled with love.

This is probably most appropriate for a 21st birthday, but realistically would make any aged birthday girl smile. We all have loads of empty bottles, so wash one out, fill it with your friend's favroite candy, and decorate the outside with crystals, pictures, stickers, and anything else that looks nice. This will definitely be a memorable gift.

If your friend is into pictures and room decor, Michael's should be your first stop. Get some sort of canvas, either a plane square or in letter form for their initials. Print out all sorts of fun and crazy pictures that bring back memories of your adventures together and stick them on. Nothing can compare to something handmade filled with memories.