Gifts your brother actually wants

Finding the perfect gift for your brother doesn’t have to be hard. It’s just a matter of picking the right one out or at least something he’ll like. If you’ve given him all the socks and hats his closet and dresser can hold, it may be time for an upgrade.

1. Money

College student or not, your brother needs money. He hates debt like any other Joe. If helping him pay his student loans off doesn’t scream gift, then I don’t know what does. “I wish for someone to pay off my student loans,” said  University of Central Florida sophomore Alex Duarte. Cheap and college are far from synonyms, (even if we wish they were). For that reason, help a “brotha” out and loan him some money, he’ll definitely thank you for it.

2. Weights

Not everyone has access to a gym, and if your brother lifts (bro), he’ll appreciate a way to work out on the go. Get him some weights that he can keep in his dorm room for those days he’d rather stay in and watch Top Gun. As we all know, weights will keep gym junkies endlessly busy, and he’ll get muscles out of it (the ultimate gift to a macho man). He’ll thank you for keeping his bulking schedule on track.

3. A day out together

A lot of siblings in college don’t get to hang out together for months at a time. Show them you truly love them by planning a day out together when you come home. Take him to a movie, a sports game or take him shopping. Watch the sunset if you like. Make time for him and be present. “The best gift I ever gave was being born,” UNSW sophomore Eliza Priest said. Cherish the fact that you have a lifelong connection to this person, and go beyond the occasional FaceTime call.

4.Concert tickets

If your brother likes music (because who doesn’t like music?) and you have a few dollars to spare, grab him a ticket to his favorite band, or maybe a music festival. “My sister got me Coachella tickets. I got to meet so many new people, and it opened my world,” UCLA junior Kenny Nicholson said. If you have other siblings, pitch in together to give your brother the experience of a lifetime and cut down on the cost per person. If your brother nerds out more than he rocks out , get him tickets to see a magic show or an art festival.

5. A board game

Families across cultures spend nights arguing over a game of Ticket to Ride or Clue. Get your brother a board game to take to college with him, and he’ll have an instant way to connect with his new floormates. It’ll make for a great reminder of you while away if he can remember all the times you fought over the game together. Before we had Words with Friends, we had Scrabble. Give him the gift of fun without the screen-induced headache.