At this point in the semester, you might be running low on cash or GWorld money. But that doesn’t mean you have to leave your graduating friends empty-handed.
From food to home decor, some of the most useful gifts for grads are also the cheapest — and you can find them just a few blocks from campus.
Spa kit
CVS Pharmacy
2000 Pennsylvania Ave.
***Available on GWorld
For many grads, the transition to new jobs and locations can be a stressful time. You can help your friends unwind by assembling a spa kit.
Swing by CVS to pick up a bottle of Auria Cacia bubble bath, which you can find in scents like lavender and chamomile for $9 each. You can also pick up a facial mask, like an avocado oatmeal version by Freeman for about $4 and an apple or vanilla-scented candle by Candle-Lite for $3.
Cake in a jar
CakeLove
1506 U St. NW
Graduation is the perfect reason to celebrate with cake, so switch it up by heading out to CakeLove bakery and picking up a cake in a jar. Be sure to grab two — one to share, and one that your friend can store and save for later.
Jars are $4 each — with a 5 percent discount if you order online — and come in flavors like red velvet, cookie dough and bananas foster.
Personalized stationery
Paper Source
3019 M St. NW
As grads start sending out out post-interview thank-you notes to potential bosses, customized cards and envelopes can make them seem like better candidates for the job.
At Paper Source, you can get their names monogrammed on stationery or business cards at about $30 for a pack of 20.
Shaving kit
The Art of Shaving
1050 Connecticut Ave. NW
That unshaven look isn’t quite as appropriate for an office as it was in a classroom. Shaving essentials can help your friends achieve that well-groomed appearance. The Art of Shaving sells $25 starter packs with basic brushes and oils in scents like lavender and lemon.
For your friends hoping to change their look after college, a $9.99 mustache grower’s guide book can come in handy, too.
Picture frame
Nordstrom Rack
1800 L St. NW
If your senior friends are moving into new apartments, they might need a hand decorating. A personalized picture frame can be both an inexpensive and sentimental housewarming gift.
Nordstrom Rack sells decorative Victorian-style frames in black, white and pink for $12 each. Fill it with a photo from your most recent spring break trip to celebrate your favorite moments together.
Gift card
Whole Foods
2201 I St. NW
***Available on GWorld
A gift card might not be the most personal gift, but it is practical. Whether your friends are moving to New York, California or sticking in D.C., they can use it at one of almost 400 Whole Foods stores around the country.
Buying your friends’ first batch of groceries gives them one less thing to worry about when they’re trying to balance moving, working and a budget. Even a $20 card can go a long way, though you can put as much as $500 on a card.
