Four Great Housewarming Gifts for Your Friend’s First Apartment

October 28, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’re the kind of person who likes to invite friends to celebrate big moments with you, then maybe you had a housewarming party when you moved into your first apartment. When you did, maybe some of your friends got you housewarming gifts for the occasion. And now that your friends are moving into their…

A Guys’ Guide To Gifting: Fathers & Brothers Edition

December 17, 2015 | By J Simpson AuthorMy First Apartment

As guys, we can have a hard time showing our emotions. Society encourages us to play the stoic, repressing everything, acting strong and tough no matter what we’re actually feeling. Any outpouring of emotion can be perceived as weakness. Taken in tandem with the reality that so much of our worth is placed on how…

Elyse on Roommate Gifting

December 24, 2010 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

When you share a home with people, it can often feel like a surrogate family. I’ve had Sunday dinners and Thursday movie nights with roomies, but I’ve loved the Christmases I’ve shared with roommates more than anything. Last year, we all had a real Christmas morning together (albeit, the week before Christmas day) where we…

Should You Exchange Holiday Gifts With Your Roommate(s)?

December 20, 2010 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’re friends with your roommates – then this question is easier. You can casually chat about it. Yes. No. Whatevs. In the situation above, likely your natural first instinct is to ask what the expectation is – and that’s not wrong no matter who your roommates are. I think what makes everyone nervous about…

Should you be building a . . . first apartment dowry?

March 11, 2010 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

I was talking with a good friend last night who happens to be from Botswana. I met him while studying abroad in Ireland, where he’d been studying to be a doctor for the 3 years already at this point. He has a solid British accent and was fluent in English — to the point that…

Get the Most out of Graduation Gifts in these Lean Times?

April 3, 2009 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Graduating seniors, please accept my most heartfelt condolences. You did not fare well in the economic lottery. But plan ahead and you’ll be better off in the long run. Your graduation money, if you are lucky to get any this year, should probably be spent. . .getting stuff you’ll need for your first apartment. Ditto…