Promoting Higher Education

Me at 17 with the T-shirt I got on my first college visit

College was an exciting time in my life. For me, a kid from suburban Central Pennsylvania, it was a time when I moved to an exciting city, made new friends from all over the country (and the world) and started pursuing my career.

Possibly the only time more exciting than college was the year leading up to it.

Going on college visits, receiving acceptance letters and talking with classmates about college decisions all had one thing in common—promotional products.

When I went on campus visits, I usually ended up leaving with a free lanyard, notepad, folder, tote bag, pen or all of the above.

My acceptance letter from Temple University came in a big envelope with "You're In" printed on the side in the school's colors, which eliminated the rollercoater of nerves that came from opening it up and reading the letter inside. (Thanks, Temple.)

When I showed up at school, the hallways were full of kids sporting T-shirts and sweatshirts from their schools of choice. They had decals on the back windshields of their cars, and they drank out of water bottles with the schools' logo on the side. It was never a mystery where they were going in the fall.

This is the time of year when high school seniors are deciding where they'll spend the next four (or five) years of their lives. Giving them promotional products that they'll use every day adds to that excitement and anticipation, and can make a difference in their ultimate decisions. Something as simple as a free T-shirt or lanyard becomes a treasured keepsake that they hold onto for years.

It was for me.