As the new year begins, gift giving is a way to show your appreciation for others. However, attending an arts school means that a lot of the gifts students may want often align with their artistic capabilities. The Muse asked 14 students from various majors to gain insight as to what you might want to have on your wishlist for either your birthday or upcoming holidays.

Communications:

Communications sophomore Lauren Kelly: suit, briefcases/bags, flats 

“For debate, which I’m new to, I want to make sure to wear the right attire, have the right bags for folders and computers, and such, to ensure that I can ‘fit in’ to this new activity and do my best while meeting the requirements.”

Communications junior Bianca Zapatier: poetry books, paintings 

“For creative writing, I think something that inspires people to write would be a good gift. I know for me, any kind of artwork, like music or paintings, help inspire (me) to write. I also think reading other people’s work helps. A poetry book or painting is probably a really good idea for anyone who does creative writing.”

Theatre:

Theatre senior Lucas Lacey: jazz shoes, microphone, ring light 

“The first thing I would give them is a nice new pair of jazz shoes. They’re very important to theatre majors. We use them all the time, and they break kind of easily. I would also say a nice ring light or microphone would be helpful, especially for pre-screens. You need good lighting and audio quality when submitting videos for college.”

Theatre junior Brody Marcus: binders, theatre-themed keychains, makeup/setting spray

“For theatre majors, we have very hectic schedules, so it’s very important for us to stay organized. Having binders or certain folders to organize our materials for shows and rehearsals is essential. Hygiene and makeup essentials, from deodorant to mascara, play an important role in making sure we stay fresh and stage-ready. Makeup, specifically for theatre performances, is primarily used for show days when stage makeup is intended to be heavier than your average everyday makeup.”

Visual:

Visual senior Alexandra Merrell: acrylic paints, canvases, Prismacolor colored pencils, gouache paint set 

“For those who want gift ideas related to visual arts, I’d recommend some high-quality acrylic paint sets, particularly from the brand Liquitex. Their paints are high quality and available at any art store. Personally, I also really love canvases, and the Blick brand offers really good ones. Gouache sets are another fun choice, and you can never go wrong with Prismacolor pencils; they’re a favorite of mine.” 

Visual freshman Lea Glover: alcohol markers, paint removers

“For artists that like to paint, I would say paint removers (are a good gift). Because we get paint on our clothes a lot, it’s super helpful to have things to help keep them clean. A lot of artists also really like alcohol markers. There (are) lots of different brands, and I know Caliart has some that blend really well.” 

Music:

Band senior Ryan Brown: tuner metronome 

“It’s great if you want to have a tuner metronome, but you don’t want to have your phone there because you don’t want the distractions. I still have mine from about six years ago from someone from the holidays. It’s held up like a truck. I have it whenever I have a conductor that’s super strict (about) no phones in rehearsal, but I still need my tuner.”

Strings sophomore Nicolas Aquel-Lacayo: capo, strings, pedal

“Every six to seven months, you have to replace old strings and get new ones, so it’s always good to have an extra. Pedals are (also) a pretty good present because there (are) many different types of pedals you can get, and they all create different tone qualities and sound qualities for an electric guitar.”

Piano junior Saee Joshi: mini pianos, sheet music, figurines, piano bench covers 

“I think that a really good idea for a gift could be these mini foldable pianos; some of them even play, and they’re also super cute. There (are) also figurines you can buy of different artists, which is also cute, and I know some people that put them on their pianos at home. You could (also) buy them sheet music for playing the piano. It gives you the whole book of the music for (an) entire album.”

Vocal junior Giuliana Siqueira: Stanley Cup, Hydroflasks, tea gift set

“I think one of the most practical things to get would be a water bottle. Stanleys and Hydroflasks are always a popular gift, and most people like to have them, especially in rehearsals. I would also say healthy teas would be good too because they can also make sure you sound good vocally.”

Digital Media:

Digital media freshman Isla Kwarchak: digital camera, ring light, black sketchbook, tripod

“Good lighting for your photography is super important, so asking for a ring light is always helpful. It’s also good to have a tripod so your photos can be steady and look professional. Also, we use our sketchbooks to plan and sketch out ideas for photos and our digital projects. I also would say a nicer camera is something I would want for the holiday season. Good-quality cameras make our job much easier and allow us to create more unique projects.”

Digital media senior Rian Williams: cyanotypes, gelatin prints 

“Since I’m a digital media major, I would say cyanotypes or just gelatin prints or silver prints in the dark room would be a really cute gift idea. You can write little messages on the back, and it’s really thoughtful, especially if it’s a picture of you and your loved one or the person you’re giving it to.” 

Dance:

Dance sophomore Arielle Montpeirous: Yumiko “Marieke” leotard, Stanley Cup 

“Dance apparel is a main factor in dance, so a leotard from Yumiko or even warm ups would be a great gift. A Stanley cup or Yumiko leotard are things that a dancer may not always have the time to get or may not be a priority, though they will still always be super appreciated, as they are used in a dancer’s routine every single day.” 

Dance senior Isabella Passos: TheraGun, track pants, UNIQLO socks, foam rollers 

“I think some good gift ideas for dance majors would be either a foam roller or a TheraGun because we’re putting a lot of stress on our body, and we’re constantly sore. For dancewear ideas, (there’s) oversized t-shirts, any type of track pants, colorful longer socks to wear for class, any kind of athletic wear, or a gift card for clothing stores like Lululemon, Alo, or Urban.“