Graduation season is in full swing, but before slipping a few twenties into a Hallmark card for your favorite newly minted grown up, consider discount student travel agency STAs newest tool The Travel Registry.
Teaming up with TravelersJoy, STA bases the concept directly on honeymoon registries, which let soon-to-be newlyweds ask for everything from airline upgrades to glass-bottom snorkeling trips in lieu of more traditional wedding gifts.
For graduates, STAs take is a slam dunk. All students have to do is create an online account, whip up a wishlist, and wait for the cash to start rolling in. Contributions fund STA gift certificates, valid on everything from far-flung plane tickets to a Patagonia kayaking trek.
The only weird thing about all this is that unlike the future Mr. and Mrs., college grads dont usually register for gifts. They just pocket whatever cash they can before shelling out on that first apartment or pricey suit. Even so, it seems like a pretty savvy idea. Former students set out on a pre-real life adventure, and family members know that their money will go toward something truly worthwhile (instead of, say, extended post-graduation revelry).
