Listen Here
By Omari Welch-Guytan
As the holiday season approaches, college students across the country are trying to balance gift-giving expectations with the reality of tight budgets, rising living costs and the influence of social media. At the University of Findlay, both students and communication experts agree that the pressure to spend has never been stronger.
Dr. Kit Medjesky, associate professor and chair of the Department of Media & Communication, said digital culture plays a major role in shaping students’ financial decisions.
“Social media creates comparison by design,” Medjesky said. “During the holidays, students scroll through curated gift guides and influencer posts that present luxury spending as normal.”
That pressure, he added, can make students feel obligated to match unrealistic spending standards—even when the examples they see online are far outside the reality of a college student’s budget.
Medjesky encourages students to communicate early with friends and family, whether that means setting spending caps, choosing Secret Santa exchanges or deciding as a group to limit gift-giving.
“When students frame budget limitations as responsible planning, the awkwardness disappears,” Medjesky said.
For many students, navigating that balance requires both creativity and discipline.
University of New Haven graduate and former track athlete Jordan Emile remembers how demanding the holidays felt while managing training and class schedules.
“Time was the biggest challenge,” Emile said. “When you’re busy, it’s easy to buy something last-minute and overspend.”
Eventually, Emile shifted toward meaningful, low-cost gifts, such as handmade items, letters and photos, that allowed him to stay within his budget without sacrificing thoughtfulness.
“Meaning doesn’t require money,” he said.
Freshmen, meanwhile, are experiencing this holiday budgeting pressure for the first time. University of Findlay track athlete Joel Stirn said the transition from living at home to managing everyday expenses on his own has been eye-opening.
“Small costs add up fast,” Stirn said. “That makes holiday spending feel a lot bigger than it used to.”
Stirn plans to rely on strict planning, including lists and low-cost personalized gifts like playlists, framed photos and handwritten messages to stay under budget. He encourages incoming freshmen to start setting aside money early in the semester—“even small amounts make a difference,” he said.
Financial educators continue promoting budgeting resources for college students nationwide. The National Endowment for Financial Education offers free tools to help students build healthier spending habits. Meanwhile, the Federal Student Aid website provides guidance on managing personal finances alongside academic demands.
Medjesky said the real message is simple: students should spend based on their own circumstances, not the curated standards they see online.
“The holidays shouldn’t put anyone into debt,” he said. “A thoughtful gift carries more weight than an expensive one.”
As campuses head into winter break, students are finding that holiday generosity doesn’t have to be measured in dollars, and that the most meaningful gifts come from creativity, not credit cards.
