Graduation gift for a friend.

[iJesus]

Well, one of the friends whom I really look up to (the only one actually) graduated this year (He was a Senior and I was Junior) and he's moving away next month and I really want to get him something special. Like, I'm asking you amazing MacRumors guys for ideas for a gift that isn't to costly but is amazingly personal to him and I.

So, any ideas that I can work from?

 

[themadchemist]

Without knowing either of you, how are we supposed to come up with something "amazingly personal" for him and you?

"Hey bud, I wanted to get you something really special and personal, so I asked a bunch of strangers on an online forum. They knew you'd like it!"

 

[Gray-Wolf]

A symbol maybe, of a common interest you two had.

 

[tsvb]

go out and do something fun together. the last hoorah

 

[BigPrince]

starbucks gift card

 

[iJesus]

Without knowing either of you, how are we supposed to come up with something "amazingly personal" for him and you?

"Hey bud, I wanted to get you something really special and personal, so I asked a bunch of strangers on an online forum. They knew you'd like it!"

Well, I just wanted some ideas to work off of. Like I could fill in the details myself. I just wanted a general idea.

A symbol maybe, of a common interest you two had.

Yeah, I'm planning on getting something like this. I just don't know what though.

go out and do something fun together. the last hoorah

This sounds pretty good. It would be nice to do something really fun before he leaves.

 

[CalBoy]

What's your budget?

Where's he going relative to your hometown to college?

If it's far away, I think spending time together before he goes, taking last minute pictures, and some kind of small token of home would be the best things to do.

If he isn't going too far (as in 2-8 hours by car or less), then maybe something practical or funny, or both would be good.

This really depends on his personality and your relationship with him.

 

[iJesus]

What's your budget?

Where's he going relative to your hometown to college?

If it's far away, I think spending time together before he goes, taking last minute pictures, and some kind of small token of home would be the best things to do.

If he isn't going too far (as in 2-8 hours by car or less), then maybe something practical or funny, or both would be good.

This really depends on his personality and your relationship with him.

My budget would be.... well, for him... in the low hundreds.
He's going to college around 4 hours by car but I still wan't this to be pretty special.

I'm thinking that him and I could go to San Francisco for the weekend in August and we could do some fun stuff there. I would get free hotel rooms at the Hyatt since my mum works there.

 

[CalBoy]

My budget would be.... well, for him... in the low hundreds.
He's going to college around 4 hours by car but I still wan't this to be pretty special.

I'm thinking that him and I could go to San Francisco for the weekend in August and we could do some fun stuff there. I would get free hotel rooms at the Hyatt since my mum works there.

A weekend in San Francisco would be fun, but it would go by VERY fast.

If the hotel room is free, then you guys could easily get by for a few days on a couple hundred bucks, and I'm including the gas from Nevada.

The one thing I suggest, however, is to NOT come on a weekend. The tourist crowds are especially thick on weekends, and you'd likely lose a lot of time.

Also be prepared to leave your car behind for certain trips. A $1.50 for the bus/train would probably be advisable at certain times over trying to drive and park in a city that is not the friendliest for drivers, especially when you are not from the city itself.

 

[iJesus]

A weekend in San Francisco would be fun, but it would go by VERY fast.

If the hotel room is free, then you guys could easily get by for a few days on a couple hundred bucks, and I'm including the gas from Nevada.

The one thing I suggest, however, is to NOT come on a weekend. The tourist crowds are especially thick on weekends, and you'd likely lose a lot of time.

Also be prepared to leave your car behind for certain trips. A $1.50 for the bus/train would probably be advisable at certain times over trying to drive and park in a city that is not the friendliest for drivers, especially when you are not from the city itself.

Yeah, I agree on the parking thing. Going around the city on the bus and on foot would probably give us some good quality time together vs. boring old car.

What are some good activities to do in San Fran? Like I go there often but it's always with the family. Him and I are both pretty big geeks as well as being pretty big social people.

 

[dukebound85]

throw a kegger err bbq

 

[PlaceofDis]

the best gifts are always the most memorable.

basically get him something small that would surprise him. something personal and it'll have a lasting effect imo.

or as others have suggested go out and have a good time together one last time.

 

[CalBoy]

Yeah, I agree on the parking thing. Going around the city on the bus and on foot would probably give us some good quality time together vs. boring old car.

Definitely. Even though the buses/trains get crowded, you get to talk more, see more, and experience more through them. If you guys intend to ride on the bus or train more than 12 times over the course of your trip (VERY VERY easy to do btw ), then you should buy a 3-day pass for your trip. It's $18 and let's you ride as many times as you want over those three days. It also works on Cable Cars, and you know you want to see those right?

Here's the Muni link if you want more info.

What are some good activities to do in San Fran? Like I go there often but it's always with the family. Him and I are both pretty big geeks as well as being pretty big social people.

Hmmm...I should be cautious in what I write n'est-ce pas? Wouldn't want your parents worrying about what you're doing in San Francisco...

I think you'll honestly lose one whole day to just sightseeing (I assume that while you've been here, he hasn't), so be prepared to face that reality.

Now when you say "social people" am I to understand that you're looking for places to go that may or may not be legally open to you?

As for tech, I'm not huge on tech geek stuff, but of course you'll see the downtown Apple Store. You could try seeing some other stuff in the Bay Area that would be more tech-related (you'd have to head down south towards San Jose though-SF is not really the tech capital of the Bay Area), but it would take you off course.