Birthday present - friend wants "something useful for uni"

NickiM

My friend's birthday is next week and she says she wants something useful for uni. Although I've been at uni for a year,I can't think of anything!! Maybe I could make her a collage or something which wouldn't be useful, but it would be a slice of home. Any ideas?

Kazzajr

Maybe make up a hamper, it depends on your budget what you could include.
e.g Student diary,
stationary, folders, poly pockets etc
household essentials (I take it she is living away from home)
also your idea of a collage could be included in this.

QuirkyChemistry

Dictaphone? Although that would depend on her course.
Digital camera? Although that might be out of your budget.
Is she into cooking? I would recommend a slow cooker but might be over your budget again.
A USB tv stick so that she can watch tv on her pc?
A laptop carry case/backpack to take her laptop to university?
Is she into making cocktails? You could do a cocktail kit.
A good recipe book.

Is she into any particular activities?

tom1189

A toiletries bag is useful for shared facilities...

oh and toilet roll, you can never have too much toilet roll in halls!

Scout

Is you friend going to be fully/partially self catering? When my neice went to Uni last year, we got her stuff like pans, cutlery, wooden spoons, tea towels etc because she knew in advance she would need them.

If you want to do something more personal, why not make her up a beauty hamper so she has some nice smellies, lotions and potions etc so she knows she doesn't have to dig into her meagre funds when she wants a pamper session.

OohSoHolly

Ive got a friends birthday coming up soon. Shes also @ Uni, and after i saw a picture of her drinking wine out of a mug with a straw...
Birthday present is now going to be some Wine Glasses!
Maybe an idea.

nicci1807

It's a tad 'impersonal', but how about an Amazon voucher for books?
I'd have been really chuffed to have received this at uni as my books cost an arm and a leg!
Any kind of voucher would've been great - Asda for food/clothes etc; a cinema voucher; Topshop (students get a 10-20% discount); railcard etc would have been SO appreciated!
Just a thought!
Hope you find a fab pressie!

Nicci

NickiM

Well, I am not too sure, really. I *think* she's going to be self catering. Her course is a design one. I like the idea of a hamper, it would have to be a small one though

Also, she is having to pay her way, so anything that would save her money would be good.

Thanks for all the ideas.

kiwifruit_2

one of the best things i had at uni was one of those food thermos thingys - you know the ones with the wide mouth so you could fit food in it!!! I used to heat noodles/savoury rice/beans/pasta/soup - you name it lol and then while i was doing study or just chilling I knew there was always a hot meal just an arms length away!!!!!!!!!!

NickiM

Thanks. I will have a think. I should have really thought of it sooner. I don't think they've released mid year diaries yet. I think I'll have a look in Wilkos for some student stuff. Maybe I'll see if I can find a cheap photo album/scrapbook, I know when I got to uni, the first thing I did was put up stuff from home up. I could get her some pasta as a joke hehe!

Loose_Cannon

Money. It's like the gift voucher for everything.