Roommate Gift Ideas For The Holidays

Sure, the entire floor might have decided to participate in a Secret Santa Exchange, but I guarantee you’ll look like a real idiot if you don’t throw something in a festive bag and hand it to your roommate before the holiday break. So what should you get your roomate? Here are some roommate gift ideas.

Some of you might be best friends with your roommate and have had your perfect basket of items that represent inside-jokes put together since October. Some of you may be hitting the “it’s a present for you, but really for me” pressure point with things like a mini Keurig for the room, or maybe even just a new loofah—because your roommates’ is disgusting and it makes you gag when you come home from your 7 PM film class.

And then there’s the majority of you: super chill with your space sharing friend, but at a complete loss for ideas. So here are some basic ones that won’t break your college budget, and look like you care just the right amount.

For The Roommate That Can’t Function With Out Coffee

Could it get any easier? Grab a Venti or Trenti sized re-usable tumbler from Amazon or Starbucks that best fits your roommate’s aesthetic, and fill it with candy and a gift card. (Remember, Meal Plans don’t exist in the real world.)

For The Roommate That Spends More Time At The Gym Than Class

This one could be a little messy if you’re not careful. Get a large tub of protein powder and empty it into a ziplock bag. Clean out the container and fill it with pre-work out chews, a small hand towel, and a portable supplement keychain so that their brand may live on even off of the elipticals. Oh, and they can get the ziplock bags of powder too.

For The Roommate Who’s In A Sorority / Fraternity

Arguably this is the easiest. Just find out what their house’s colors are (as if you don’t already know from them redecorating your room) and maybe even their mascot. Hit up the dollar store and buy as many things in that color and animal family as you can find. Trust me, they’ll open each item thinking that no one in this world could know them better than you.

For The Roommate Who Is Graduating Summa Cum Laude in Their First Semester

PENS! Lots and lots of pens! Just because their brain works like a super computer, doesn’t mean it doesn’t glitch out when it needs to reach in it’s bag for pens. (Remember the study that said creative and intelligent people are also the messiest?) In addition to writing utensils, find a modern take on a Rubik’s cube puzzle that will keep them preoccupied for the month long break. (Even though they’ll solve it before they unwrapped it.)

And if you still don’t know what to get them, you’d be surprised at how people’s faces light up with cold hard cash.