This post is sponsored by Shutterfly. Celebrate the grads in your life with a thoughtful and customizable gift made with Shutterfly.
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It’s the most bittersweet time of the year – college graduation season.
The relief of never having to look at another study guide ever again, mixed with the “what-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-life?!” panic, mixed with the sadness of leaving behind incredible memories and friends. It’s just a whole lot of #feelings.
But it’s one of our favorite times of the year because, much like the spring season itself, it means new beginnings, new adventures and starting your career path.
Shutterfly asked us if we wanted to partner up to show our followers their graduation gift options, and because we have a soft spot in our hearts for this time of year, we took them up on it.
We had no idea Shutterfly was more than just baby calendars and holiday cards – they have some seriously cute stuff, all of which is customizable. You can customize items with your own photos, or you can do like we did and utilize their Art Library. The Art Library allows you to choose from gorgeous and fun photos, patterns and designs to create personalized gifts in one simple step (three cheers for the artistically challenged). There’s something really special about receiving a gift you know was made with you in mind.
We thought it would be fun to show you some gift ideas according to different post-grad paths. So whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for your roomie, big sister, cousin or whoever, we’ve got you covered.
What’s perfect for your friend who’s the next Anna Wintour or Carrie Bradshaw? A gorgeous journal to jot down all her brilliant story ideas. You never know when inspiration will strike, and there’s something way more glamorous about writing in a real journal rather than the notes app on your iPhone.
To keep it young and fresh, we chose a colorful abstract design from the Art Library and customized the spine with a sentimental (only slightly cheesy) message as a nod to graduating.
Unfortunately, for some, the all-nighters of studying don’t stop after the first round of Pomp and Circumstance. A set of cute Coffee Mugs seems appropriate for those pursuing higher degrees as the caffeine can’t stop and won’t stop.
Once again we utilized the Art Library and loved the way these patterns paired together, but seriously there are so many options.
Any young person headed into an artistic field should start curating an art collection of their own – and that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. A large format print or two is the perfect gift to help them start their gallery wall. And no need for fancy framing. Throw in a few washi tape rolls for them to create quirky, temporary faux frames that are perfect for an apartment renter (can you say full security deposit back?!).
Every social media guru needs their phone to be in tip top shape. It is the primary source of their best Instagrams and Tweets after all. And nothing says “I’m with it” than a sleek marble-print case. We found the marble print texture in the Art Library and the rest is history.
Right after graduation is one of the best times to travel before you get locked down into a 9 to 5 with only one week of vacation your first year of work. For the friend who was smart enough to figure that out and has already booked a month long backpacking trip through Southeast Asia, we recommend a customized luggage tag. The best part? There’s basically a zero chance of luggage mix up with something this unique. We found this gorgeous wanderlust-y photo in the Art Library.
This might be our favorite, most useful item we got from Shutterfly. A portable phone charger. Seriously, this thing has already been a lifesaver.
And who needs a portable phone charger more than anyone else? Anyone headed off to work for a startup. Having cool tech gear is basically a right of passage in the startup world, plus there’s nothing worse than running to a meeting with only 2% battery power left on your lifeline phone.
What we love most about this portable charger though is that it’s actually really cute. We chose a girly floral print from the Art Library to give it personality.
And then there are those people who have no idea what the heck they’re doing (raise your hand if that’s you). For this crowd, we recommend going with a crowd pleaser – a personalized mason jar glass that Shutterfly lets you customize with etching. We picked hopeful and graduation-appropriate sayings, but the possibilities are endless. So whether they’re sipping an iced coffee or after-work (you know, once they land that job) cocktail in it, they’ll always think of you.
