Visiting colleges as a wandering young adult is a great way to score great T-Shirts and souvenirs. High-profile colleges often offer merchandise unique to their brand. Naturally, every college makes its merchandise differently and they may not even offer it easily in shops. Still, it’s fun to seek these tees out because you never know, it might just be your future school.
The best places to find college merchandise while travelling
To get the obvious out of the way, the college campus itself will have the most merchandise. The schools gain much from having branded clothing, as every purchaser essentially advertises them. Even so, campuses are hardly the only place to nab some comfy college merch.
College towns
College towns thrive on school spirit. Plus, it’s a great demographic to cater to. Many town economies flourish from the presence of a nearby college. Local businesses may have college merch, whether from partnerships or second-hand. Besides retail stores, street vendors and pop-up markets are great too.
Most often, they hang around places with plenty of young folk as a way to entice them to school. If nothing else, it’s a great collectible from a memorable town. Besides the merchandise, take the time to meet the fine folks running these businesses and enquire about how the college has affected their lives.
Sporting events
Game day will almost always have merchandise, especially of the home team. Vendors outside will offer it to entrants. Some sellers may even wander the stands during lulls. Jerseys, hats and funny plastic pointy hands galore should greet you here. Sometimes, the merch might even be exclusive for that one game.
Even if it’s not strictly the school, there could be sporting events sponsored by them. Once again, these are a great spot to nab their merch. Checking local event schedules can help travellers time their visits to coincide with major matchups.
School networking events
Every city will have some kind of college fair once or twice a year. Typically, around graduation months, these will offer the most diverse range of college merch. Every school there wants to grab attention. Some trendy NYC school merch might even pop up in New Jersey, courtesy of the Big Apple’s Ivy League.
If your visit happens to coincide with a college fair, then be sure to give these events a visit. These are a great time to gather information about colleges nearby besides the local ones. Business cards will also give you some leads on whom to contact if you’re interested in visiting.
Official websites
Before visiting the campus proper, see if they have a proper storefront online. Some colleges only offer merchandise on a made-to-order basis. The website should immediately tell you if that’s the case. The savvy digital nomads can even pre-order it before visiting, so all they have to do is pick it up.
For those who prefer digital shopping, university websites often feature exclusive online-only merchandise. Subscribing to newsletters can alert buyers to flash sales or new arrivals. This method eliminates the need to carry bulky souvenirs while travelling, as items arrive directly at home.
The website will also likely have a fuller roster of merch to choose from. Given how many visitors the average college gets, your particular wants might not be available physically. Alternatively, the website could even provide locations for stores and malls that stock the merchandise.
Local thrift shops
If you’ve ever visited a thrift shop, you will notice just how many hand-me-down college clothes there are. Everyone’s got a graduate sometime and they may not need their school clothes as much anymore. The bonus from thrift shops is that they will have designs from yesteryear.
Those who appreciate the aesthetic of older fashion will love thrift shops. So much history is packed into the fibres of these clothes. Plus, if you chance upon one from a year special to you, it’s extra special. Patience and persistence often yield unique additions to any collection.
Starting a college merch business
If you’d rather sell college merch than buy it, the above places have become handy research opportunities. From their offerings you can gauge what kind of clothes and souvenirs the people want. Hoodies might be popular but if a fitness bug bit the community, there might be a market for tracksuits.
If you want to be a supplier, the best way is to contact the college’s marketing branch. If they don’t have one, enquire with the staff on who to discuss a merch partnership with. It could prove lucrative, but you must show commitment and talent for the college merch business.
Final thoughts
Whether you want some college memorabilia or start a business, knowing the college and its community is key. In addition to all the technical aspects of business, you also need soft skills. Colleges are a people-forward community. People want to talk to people who show a genuine interest in their school community. That way will lead you to some proper college souvenirs.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
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