It is hard to believe that the holidays are right around the corner. For this year’s holiday gift guide, we’ve sent out our interns to pull together an unscientific list of gift ideas… we’re just the messengers. We asked them for ideas and they gave us everything from lowcost to lavish, from the newest releases to timeless picks… from the usual to the unique. We’ve even included some charities to donate to as that is part of our family tradition. I believe we are all just hoping for a holiday filled with family, good health, love, joy, and blessings.

We know how busy you are and how sometimes thinking about gift-giving is the last thing on the list. Coming up with a clever, thoughtful, and decent gift can be a challenge. HaveUHeard spends a lot of time coming up with great ideas for you and your college student. Then we find ways to save you money too. Most of our gift guides feature some kind of savings.  Take a look at these simple ideas, presented to you as a theme. You could theme your holiday and have everything surrounding just one theme. that certainly will narrow down all the speculation. Your kids will remember the yoga Christmas or the Apple Hanukkah. That just might make this 2020 holiday time easier to swallow. 

Finding a great holiday gift is not about spending a lot of money, it’s about considering the receiver and what would make them really happy. Don’t get hung up on the prices, we are all tightening our belts after the roller coaster ride that was 2020. Maybe you just need a bit of inspiration to spark your gift buying muscle.

Goal! Team! Spirit! We love sports! We also love, love, love our sports fans. No matter the state of sports attendance this year, we know your dyed-in-the-wool dedicated sports fan would love some great themed sports gifts.

I had a really big holiday stocking which meant lots of good loot! The heavy stuff always slipped down into the toe. There would be, an apple or orange, candy, funny stuff, useful stuff, and one really really good prezzi. Ok so here in Florida there aren’t many fireplaces to hang stockings, nor are there many staircases to hang them from either. So you’ll need to get creative! Let us know where you hang your stockings! While you’re figuring that out shop for some of these great stocking stuffers for your favorite student!

2020 might be the longest and quickest year we’ve endured, and to add to it, we’re almost at the start of the holiday season! The pumpkins are on display and now the turkeys are on their way (didn’t mean to rhyme there, but we love it). Are you wondering what gifts to hide under the tree or next to the menorah? Holiday shopping might be tough this year considering we rarely leave the house, but we’re loving anything personalized these days! Whether jewelry, custom loungewear, or household items, Etsy is our absolute go-to for the holidays!

Finally, Graduation! It seemed that this day was always way off in the future, but it’s true; graduation is almost here. Many people will be asking what are good gifts for college graduates these days so HaveUHeard pulled together a list of the most requested graduation gifts according to our very unscientific college student survey. And having had two college graduates, both of whom moved into apartments after leaving college, I can tell you there are a lot of items they need to furnish their new place. Choosing the right gift for graduation can be tricky so, with the help of our interns and mom bloggers, we’ve put together the ultimate graduation gift guide. Electronics TV– One of the most requested items by students for graduation. Look at some of the Smart TVs. They have come down significantly in price. Check out Best Buy, Walmart, and Target, for some great discounts. Apple Watch […]

For college students over the age of 21 and parents visiting their students, many of the college towns have some great breweries. HaveUHeard that the craft beer boom in the United States is growing, with nearly 7500 craft and macro breweries in the U.S. alone? According to this history of craft beers, many of the brews we enjoy today started in a basement or garage of a homebrewer.

Sweet, we love getting a treat! Is your student heading off to school for the Fall semester, or are you celebrating a special occasion, or do they need a pick me up from time to time as they transition to virtual learning? What’s better than a sweet treat that you can have delivered directly to them to curb that sugar craving and leave them with a smile on their face?

Congratulations! Your daughter has found a place to call home even with recruitment being done virtually. And, while their social activities may be limited, being in a sorority opens the door to so many wonderful experiences. I made some of my greatest friends when I was in a sorority at UF. They continue to be a part of my life through all of my ups and downs, good times, and bad. To this day, some of them are among my closest friends. With Facebook, I have been able to reconnect with so many more. We have a tradition of meeting up in Gainesville for football games and sorority reunions and even gather locally to keep the fun and friendship alive.

With your student heading up to college, you may be asking questions about how they are going to access meals while social distancing, or what appliances they should have so they can cook in the dorm halls. We’ve been trying out some recipes throughout quarantine (because what else is there to do), and have some quick, easy, and delicious meals that don’t need a full kitchen. 

Every year, College Colors Day is celebrated on the Friday before Labor Day. HaveUHeard how College Colors Day was established? In 2004, it was founded by the College Licensing Company (CLC) as a way to get fans to rep the apparel of their favorite college or university for the day. Yes, the licensing company, which reps over 200 colleges, created this Day of Spirit because most likely they are the licensing company behind many of the branded items you purchase.

Are you doing any home workouts during this at-home time? I’ve been home with my young adult daughters since mid-March after having been an empty nester for the past few years. They’re really into working out but without their gym, we’ve learned to make the best at home. Between them training me on workouts and following some workouts on Instagram, I’ve been able to lose some of the unwanted weight that crept up.

Shopping for your soon-to-be college student is exciting, exhausting, and expensive. HaveUHeard how much there is to shop for? What you may need for your dorm depends on where you’ll be staying. In some dorms, because of the communal bathrooms, you won’t need a shower mat or shower curtain but in suite-style dorms and apartments, you will need to add this to your list.

Finding a unique gift – whether it be a graduation, birthday, or for their home – can be tough; however, Melissa Rinaldi has made it easy. Her company, Go Coastal Studios, brings the tropical feel of going to or having gone to college in Florida to her creative and personalized artwork. Her university watercolors as maps, which will brighten any dorm or a new home for an alumnus or grad announcements, are spectacular.

I was introduced to Greetabl when I received this adorable, small box that was personalized with HaveUHeard from one of our employees. It was their way of saying they appreciated us and included a small token gift. Since then, I have recommended this company to many friends as well as sending my own Greetabl to my daughters. Whether it is sending a little something to say thank you, or perhaps, during midterms, or when they feel sick, or for their birthday, or just because you want them to know you’re thinking of them; it doesn’t have to be big to have a cheery impact.

Impactful books for mom and dads too! I am that mother, that aunt; that friend, that sister, that always sends books as gifts. I mean, books don’t go out of style, can be read and reread, and may very well be filled with anything from adventure, philosophy, emotion, and imagination. What other gifts can you give that may have all that and more? Giving books to recent graduates, or young adults that may have a little more time on their hands these days may actually impact their lives as they begin their new journey is one of my favorite gifts.

To Help Ease Their Stress During Exam Week Midterm and finals can be some of the biggest stressors for your student. Don’t expect too many calls from your students during exams. I typically do not speak to my daughter during finals or exam weeks. My calls usually get a “sorry I cannot talk right now” text response followed by an “I’m at the library mom” text. I also know that she is not going to eat healthily and probably going to consume any form of caffeine she can get whether it is coffee or energy drinks and late-night snacks most likely consisting of pizza and junk. Everything from eating habits to sleep habits, from study skills to exercise changes during exam time. I hate to say it but I had my share of all-nighters when I went to UF and, no matter how good a student you may have, when there is […]

Leaving On A Jet Plane? My daughter studied abroad for almost 10 weeks during the summer between her sophomore and junior year of college. I remember wondering how she was going to be able to pack 10 weeks’ worth of clothing, shoes, accessories, toiletries into one 50 lb. suitcase. I watched as she packed, weighed her suitcase, and then repacked to meet the weight restrictions. I stayed out of her room for the most part because every time I did walk in and see about 10 pairs of shoes lined up, I would start to laugh. I could not imagine why she would need that many, but I also knew she would figure it out no matter how many times she had to re-pack.  She did end up realizing that there were items she definitely needed to take and that she would have to just put together outfits that could be mixed […]

Best Valentines Day Gifts to Send With Love As far back as I can remember, I always celebrated Valentines’ Day; it was a tradition I grew up with and continued when I became a mom. My daughters have not been home for Valentine’s Day for years so I use the holiday as an opportunity to send them a little love from home. There are so many gift ideas for Valentine’s Day. Just sharing the love from HaveUHeard. Just make sure you start planning in advance as some items take a little longer to get in and some places, especially the small mom and pops, have so many requests, they stop taking orders. Whether you choose to make your own care package or have someone do it for you, a small token item does go a long way to let your son or daughter know you love them! Sweets for the Sweet! Who […]