You know that you want to give a gift to a college student in your life. You know you want to give that gift soon. And you know which wrapping paper you鈥檒l use. But you don鈥檛 know what to get them. What do they like? Which activities do they do in their spare time? What are their goals? Do you even really know them? Do you know anyone? Or even yourself? What do you like? Who are you? Take a deep breath and start with this list, where you鈥檒l find gifts just for fun, gifts to help them as they learn, gifts to decorate their home, and gifts they鈥檒l need for daily life. And this list is gender-neutral. So these items can be gifts for college girls, gifts for college boys, or gifts for college students of all identities.
Lighthearted gifts for college students
These gifts may be lighthearted, but they鈥檙e still beneficial. And none of these may be as useful as a laundry hamper or rice cooker, but college students do need to smile sometimes.
1. Pet rock
Slap some googly eyes on a rock and you鈥檝e got an extremely low-maintenance pet.
2. Board game
If they ever find themselves staring down at their hands while hosting friends in their room, they can pull out a board game from you. And as a bonus, can facilitate learning and healthy social engagement.
3. Record player
Does vinyl always sound better than digital? No. But does music always sound cool wafting from a record player? Pretty much, yes. And even if they never use their record player, the record player will still look cool sitting uselessly in the corner.
听4. Camera
So they鈥檒l make a hobby out of capturing their .
5. Temporary tattoos
Eye-catching and removable, temporary tattoos make perfect gifts for college students who are interested in creative expression but not interested in lifelong commitment.
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6. Shower speaker
They can unwind with music, podcasts, and audiobooks while they wash their hair.
7. Keychain
Whether they lose their keys often or they simply appreciate adding some style to everything, a keychain will come in handy (get it?). Find a wacky keychain that will make them laugh whenever they unlock their front door.
8. Journal
Most of the writing they鈥檒l do will be for homework, essays, and note-taking. Give them the motivation to take some time for . They could enjoy writing a sentence a day, a joke a day, or even a word a day.
9. Arts and crafts
Put together some supplies so they can paint, sew, scrapbook, or doodle to their .
10. Karaoke machine
Give them the gift of karaoke nights whenever they want. Then give a gift to their neighbors to apologize in advance.
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11. Bobblehead, figurine, or photo of YOU
To keep them company.
12. Jar of affirmations
Pick a jar. Any jar. And fill that jar with little notes of . They can pull out a note to read whenever they鈥檙e needing some encouragement. Eventually, when they empty the jar, they can fill it back up with their own self-affirmations.
School-focused gifts for college students
Let鈥檚 move on to some slightly more serious gifts. We are talking about college students after all, right? Of course, they should have fun, but they also have to do some learning. These gifts will support their educational experience and workload.
13. Reading light
When they need to study late into the night or when they just want to read themselves to sleep, a reading light will help them see without disturbing their roommate.
听14. Alarm clock
After they fall asleep reading, they鈥檒l need to wake up on time to scuttle off to class or work. A quality, reliable would keep them on schedule.
听15. Stress ball
Because college is just stressful sometimes, especially on days when their alarm clock blares before sunrise.
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听16. Day planner
With their neverending tests, due dates, work shifts, and social plans, they鈥檒l start to lose track of space and time. But a day planner from you will keep them grounded.
听17. Stapler
On many occasions, they will need to staple a paper together just before it鈥檚 due. And with your gift, they won鈥檛 have to worry about tracking down a stapler somewhere else on campus.
18. Cleaning putty
Dust, hair, and crumbs always find a way into the dark crevices of a keyboard or other electronics. And cleaning putty can pull that gunk right out. Also, cleaning putty feels like slime and slime is awesome.
听19. Notebooks
Having a nice notebook adds some joy to all-day note-taking. And taking notes by hand process information better than typing notes on their laptop.
20. Pens
I wouldn鈥檛 recommend giving expensive pens as gifts for college students. But similar to a nice notebook, smooth, quick-drying pens can make all the difference during note-taking. And they will lose several of them, so the bigger the set, the better.
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听21. Fidget toys
For many students, fidget toys can help with concentration and learning.
22. Desk organizer
Imagine this: after hours of procrastination, they finally work up the motivation to start their homework. Then鈥攐h no! They find a huge mess covering their desk. How can they get any work done? They can grab the desk organizer you gave them and get to organizing!
听23. Coffee and French press
Now imagine this: they鈥檝e just finished clearing their desk, and they want to focus on their homework, but they鈥檙e yawning. All that organizing made them sleepy. How can they possibly get any work done? They can make some coffee with the French press you gave them!
24. Bed tray
And now imagine this: clean desk, delicious coffee in hand, homework halfway done. But their back starts to ache, they wish they could stretch their legs out long, and they鈥檙e a little chilly. Their discomfort is distracting. How will they ever finish the work they painstakingly started? They can dig out that bed tray you gave them and finish their homework from the comfort of their bed.
Decorative gifts for college students
While living in a dorm or sparse apartment, every item is an opportunity for college students to add a personal touch or aesthetic. These gifts will help them feel at home in their living space.
25. Battery-powered candles
They can enjoy moody candle lighting without their home.
26. Plant
If you don鈥檛 feel confident they can keep a plant alive, try a cactus or succulent. And if you don鈥檛 feel confident they can keep those alive either, try a nice fake plant. It鈥檚 pretty difficult to kill plastic.
27. Mirror
Mirrors can make a space appear larger and you can find a frame that matches any style. Also, when roommates all need to get ready at once, extra mirrors help mornings run smoothly.
28. Catch-all tray
Keys, loose change, jewelry, safety pins, buttons鈥攜ou name any random tiny things and I guarantee a catchall tray can catch them.
29. Bookends
College students always have books. Decorative bookends can keep those books upright while simultaneously adding some color or character to the room.
30. Salt and pepper shakers
Another pair that鈥檚 both decorative and functional. You can find beautiful salt and pepper shakers or you can find silly salt and pepper shakers. For example, I have gold and white dinosaur pepper shakers鈥攖hey鈥檙e beautiful and silly.
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31. Throw pillow and blanket
Throws make any piece of furniture more comfy and they can add a pop of color.
32. Fridge magnets
Grocery list? Receipts? Photos? Manifestos? Whatever they want to hang on their fridge, they can hang with a magnet. And you can get magnets in the shape of anything or anyone.
33. Suncatcher
They make rainbows on the walls!
34. String lights
String lights can be hung or draped nearly anywhere to make a room feel more cozy and magical.
35. Rug
Keep their feet warm and their very old floors hidden with a beautiful rug.
36. Calendar
Personally, I love a puppy-themed calendar. But you can easily find calendars with just about any theme imaginable.
37. Wall art
Tapestries, posters, paintings, framed prints鈥攜ou have endless options to choose from based on their tastes. And viewing art can , so why not help them view art everyday?
Practical gifts for college students
These gifts may not make college students smile as often as lighthearted gifts, but they will get consistent use. Here are some practical ideas to make their days easier.
38. Spices
A college student鈥檚 grocery list rarely includes adequate because a.) the cost adds up and b.) they don鈥檛 care to spice re-heated mac n鈥� cheese. But give them a few basic, yet delicious spices and they鈥檒l feel inspired to learn new dishes and flavors.
39. Laundry hamper
An item they鈥檒l definitely need and may forget to buy until they鈥檝e already got a pile of dirty clothes.
40. Pot and pan
If they have access to a kitchen, then sturdy, affordable pots and pans will keep them fed.
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41. Trash can
Even if they already have a trash can, they鈥檒l appreciate another. Having a few different trash cans throughout their home will help to keep their spaces tidy.
42. Rice cooker
So they can effortlessly make perfect rice every single time.
43. Soap dispenser
Reusable soap dispensers are cheaper and less wasteful over time. Plus, they look nicer than single-use plastic dispensers.
44. Toothbrush holder
Where else would they store their toothbrush? Probably somewhere less clean.
45. Canvas grocery bags
Plastic grocery bags rip open, dig into fingers, and carry fewer items than canvas grocery bags. Make their shopping trips more comfortable with strong, reusable bags.
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46. Indoor laundry line
To air dry any delicate or expensive clothes they don鈥檛 want to throw in the dryer.
47. Dish drying rack
To air dry all their dishes.
48. Lunchbox
They can make their own lunch and keep their food , dry, and cool in a lunchbox. Lunchboxes make perfect gifts for college students by saving time and money.
49. Fan
Many dorms and apartments do not have AC. And in the summer, college students begin to sizzle. Fans are a low-cost, space-efficient way to keep them cooler.
50. Bleach pens
If they鈥檙e tight on cash, they鈥檒l want to keep all their clothes in the best shape they can. And spills happen to the best of us. Give them bleach pens to keep in their backpack or around their home.
Still on the hunt for the best gift?
Try checking out some gift ideas for college graduates, because honestly, college students and recent college graduates aren鈥檛 all that different. Or try learning more about their specific major, college, or goals. But remember, no matter if you鈥檙e seeking gifts for college boys, gifts for college girls, or gifts for college students of any identity, and no matter which gift you choose, it鈥檚 the thought that counts.
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