4 Great Holiday Gifts for Student Residents

By Allie Mitchell on December 23, 2016

Overseeing thousands of students as a property manager is stressful enough as it is. You have to look over so many people and also keep yourself sane in the process. You will likely have students coming to you day in and day out about small problems and larger problems. There is never a moment’s rest.

When the school year is on, students are likely in their rooms studying too hard or out partying too much to realize the stress of said studying or they are most likely sleeping the day away. Next thing you know the holidays hit and hopefully you like your residents enough to spend a little money on them. They did just work hard going through a whole semester of school — why not spread a little Christmas cheer and give them little holiday gifts or incentives to motivate them through the break and to get them through the next semester that is to come?

Students in general just want to know that they are thought of and that someone believes in them. The idea that someone not too close to you is thinking about you can make someone’s heart grow three sizes bigger. It can turn even the biggest Scrooge into the sweetest teddy bear.

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The question now is what do you get student residents for the holidays? You aren’t their parent so more than likely they aren’t going to tell you what they want directly. The key is to know your residents, not super personally, but enough to make the gift meaningful. The student residents won’t expect that much anyway, so just giving them a little trinket could make their day.

Your challenge now is to think about what your gifts will be, so here are some ideas of gifts to give your residents that will show it came from the heart, or at least give your residents a gift in bulk to keep their spirits raised during the holiday season.

1. Decorations: The gift of a welcoming environment is always a good way to go. Most complexes just let residents decorate how they want in their own places, but they don’t go out of their way to make the rest of the complex feel like the holidays have come. You don’t have to make it seem like they stepped into the North Pole or something, but putting up a Christmas tree and some lights can go a long way, especially to someone who can’t go home for the holidays; knowing they have home away from home is enough to keep them light-hearted.

2. Gift Cards: Gift cards are an easy gift to give, sometimes. They are only difficult for the most part if you give a gift card that the person never plans to use. For example, giving a girly girl a gift card for a sports shop wouldn’t do her any good whatsoever. This is the time to know your residents and to be aware of how they are, who they are, and what they like. Visa gift cards are always the safest bet, only because they can be used anywhere on anything.

3. Rent Reduction: I know, I know. This suggestion is a bit on the pricey side for the owners, but your residents are worth it, right? Sending your residents a simple happy holidays email and stating that they have $20 or so deducted from their rent can make literally anyone’s day. The holiday season is about being gracious and the rent deduction is only for the holiday season so it will go back to normal when the holiday times are over; no need to fret too much over this idea.

4. Holiday Secret Santa: This is a good way to get to know residents you don’t already know and for them to get to know each other. This may not be a gift you are personally giving them, but ideally you are giving them the gift of community. The school year can have people stuck up in their rooms with their noses in their books. But, with a secret Santa you can get everyone together and have them exchange gifts and build a closer bond with their fellow residents, which can then evolve into a little holiday party, which can be another overall gift you give them for being such awesome residents.

Gift giving doesn’t have to mean grand gestures or how much money you spent, but it all depends on the meaning behind the gift and how much it means to you to give it to the designated person and what they think of it when they realize how much you thought about them. The holiday season can be a stressful time for anyone and just simply telling some happy holidays can turn their day from gloomy to a ray of infinite sunshine.

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