But how exactly can one understand how to express gratitude to friends or professors at college when there isn’t much stuffing in the bank account? College students have many people to show gratitude toward friends, family, professors, advisors, mentors, bosses, etc. And when short on both time and cash, finding meaningful ways to express appreciation can be tricky.
However, when thinking about how much to spend on the endeavor, sometimes a mere thank you is the best option when money is tight. While simply verbalizing your gratitude can be nice, there are many more tangible ways of showing gratitude to friends and other people without breaking the bank. With ingenuity, intentionality, and personalization, the inexpensive ideas below will be a way to express your gratitude for half of the price.
- How to Express Gratitude to Friends and Roommates
- Expressing Your Gratitude to Family
- Sharing Your Thankfulness for Your RA
- How to Show Gratitude to Professors, Advisors, and Mentors
- How to Express Gratitude to Bosses, Supervisors, and Co-workers
How to Express Gratitude to Friends and Roommates
When it comes to friends, they understand the confines of a budget, as they are likely in a similar situation. Thus, expressing your appreciation to a good friend should not be stressful.
One of the simplest yet sweetest ways to show gratitude is to send a small Venmo/Cash App gift to a friend for coffee or dessert when you know they’re having a tough day, a big exam coming up, or have been there for you a lot lately.
A quick $5 gift not only takes seconds but also is sure to brighten an otherwise dull or overwhelming day. One of my best friends once sent me $5 right at the beginning of finals week and it was so nice to know that I had their support and appreciated the friendship even more.
A quick social media shout-out also can mean a lot, especially when it’s not for a birthday, as the unexpectedness will mean more. Featuring a friend on your Instagram or Snapchat story with a brief message stating why they are an awesome friend is an immensely sweet idea. A public shout-out wishing them luck on an exam or interview will provide authentic encouragement to a friend.
Another option is a personalized homemade gift. Think of something that they would actually want to hang above their desk in their room that reminds them of the friendship you share. For those artsy folks out there, a painted or hand-drawn piece highlighting some of the specific traits that friend possesses that makes them special will be truly meaningful.
For those of us like myself who are artistically challenged, photos are a great option to personalize a gift. There are countless ways to creatively display photos of you with your friend and in the digital world, printed photos that hang in your room really mean more. Especially if the photos are of you and your roommates, the craft will be a meaningful piece to hang up for the remainder of the year.
Ordering the photos chronologically to show the evolution of the friendship or showcasing a couple of your favorite moments will show your friend just how much you are grateful for the relationship. Writing a quick note on the back of each photo to reminisce about certain memories tied to each one is also a thoughtful idea.
Expressing Your Gratitude to Family
You’ll have plenty of time to show your appreciation toward your family if you’re heading home for break. An act of service can mean the world to a family member and it only costs a bit of your time. Whether it’s cooking a nice meal for your parents or helping your grandparents set up their iPhone (you were probably going to be asked to do that anyway), selfless actions are the best way to show gratitude toward your family.
During the Thanksgiving break, when you visit your family and have a little more time, it is the perfect opportunity to gift them with an unexpected act of service. Don’t overlook the small things. Simply spending quality time with your family and letting them know how much you appreciate what they’ve done for you will let them know the extent of your gratitude. Potential acts of service abound when you think of how to express gratitude to your relatives and make their day easier and more enjoyable.
Sharing Your Thankfulness for Your RA
If you have the type of Resident Assistant who actually plans fun events for your hall and gets to know you throughout the semester, you might want to show your appreciation for them in some way. Buying a small group present with your hallmates is a great way of expressing your gratitude.
Whether it’s a snack basket full of junk food or a dorm décor item, coming together to give a little something to your RA will mean a lot and help your hallmates grow closer. Check out these other small gift ideas with gratitude-related puns you can include in the attached message for more inspiration.
How to Show Gratitude to Professors, Advisors, and Mentors
Occasionally, a professor makes a difference in your academic journey, and you want to express your appreciation for their work throughout the semester rather than an anonymous evaluation at the end of the year. However, finding out how to show gratitude to professors and other instructors might be quite burdensome! Here are some ideas.
For smaller classes, a great idea is to assemble a card with personalized notes from everyone in the class detailing what the professor meant to them. Inexpensive and extremely thoughtful, this idea is perfect for professors who often do not get specific praise for their hard work. Therefore, a note from the class will sincerely mean a lot to them. Of course, in a larger lecture-style class, it would be too challenging to garner notes from 300 of your peers so alternatives include a handwritten note just from you or a handful of students that you drop off during office hours. Including a Starbucks gift card or even a small gift will mean even more to the professor.
I think handwritten notes are perfect for other advisors and mentors who have made a positive difference for you while in college. The personal touch of a handwritten note, as opposed to a quick email, sets it apart monumentally. Specificity is key in making these notes meaningful so try to include particular instances in which they have helped you or certain traits they possess that you are thankful for. Including a small token of your appreciation along with the card (almost everyone loves coffee, chocolate, or baked goods!) helps to convey genuine appreciation.
How to Express Gratitude to Bosses, Supervisors, and Co-workers
Saying “thank you” to bosses at work can be much more tricky than showing gratitude to friends. Keeping things professional, especially with a boss that might not be the warm and fuzzy type, can present a challenge in finding a way to show appreciation. You also have to walk the fine line between coming across as either genuine or as a kiss-up.
To express gratitude in communication with your boss, it needs to come across as sincere with no potential ulterior motives. A true universal interest is food, and a fun idea is to pitch in with others in your office to have a potluck-style lunch one day. Not only will it be a nice treat for your supervisor, but it also is something everyone can enjoy. Making (or buying- definitely no shame in store-bought cookies) one dish won’t break your budget either.
Alternatively, bringing your boss or a co-workers coffee or even something small like a doughnut one morning is a great, easy way to show your appreciation for their leadership and hard work. Casually bring up coffee drinks or breakfast one day to figure out what their favorite type is in order to tailor the gift to their personal taste. The seemingly little things like that can really make someone’s day.
Overall, the extravagance of the act is inconsequential when showing gratitude to friends or your professors and co-workers. The thoughtfulness and intentionality behind the gift or action mean a lot more. Deeds of gratitude also mean more when they are unexpected, as this suggests the gift was not solely due to the mandate of a holiday, so while you might feel as if you have little to offer with your college budget, utilize some of these inexpensive or even free ideas to show your gratitude to someone who has changed your life for the better.
Feel free to read our articles about how to make friends in college, activities for college students, things to do during winter break, tips for college success, and jobs for college students for more helpful tips and advice.
