Tag: graduation gift

Gift Ideas for High School Grads

High school graduation is a significant milestone in the lives of teenagers. The moment a teenager receives a high school diploma marks the culmination of years of hard work, and many parents and extended family members reward that hard work with gifts.

The transition from high school student to college student or working professional is significant, and various items can help make that transition go as smoothly as possible.

Travel gear: Whether it’s utilized during road trips with roommates or on those handful of occasions when students come home on holiday breaks, travel gear can make for a useful gift for new high school graduates. A sturdy backpack/duffel bag combo can be ideal. It’s great for college students who might not be ready for more expensive luggage, and it can be ideal for high school students taking gap years to do some overseas traveling before enrolling in college.

Coffee machine: A pot of fresh coffee can make late-night cram sessions or hours spent typing research papers into the wee hours of the morning more manageable. For students who will be living in crowded dorm rooms, opt for small coffee machines that don’t take up much space, such as those that are traditionally found inside hotel rooms.

Television: Parents want to imagine their college-bound teenagers spending hours holed up in the library. But college kids watch plenty of television, too, so a new television can make for a great gift that figures to get ample use.

Academic planner: College course loads tend to be considerably more demanding than high school coursework. An academic planner can help new college students manage the rigors of their coursework by encouraging them to plan their days and weeks, ensuring no classes are missed and no assignments go unfinished.

Cash: Cash can make a great gift whether a grad is heading off to college or entering the workforce. Cash can help college students pay for their books and help those entering the workforce purchase a reliable car that will help them get around.

Gifts for newly minted high school graduates can help them transition to the next phase of their lives, whether that will begin on a college campus or in the workforce.

Clever Graduation Gifts

Graduation celebrations typically involve commencement ceremonies, family dinners and/or parties and plenty of gifts for newly minted grads.

According to the U.S. National Center for Education Statistics, roughly 3.5 million students are expected to be awarded high school diplomas at the end of the 2016-17 school year. That makes graduation season a season for shopping as well.

Graduation gifts can be as varied as the personalities of the graduates themselves. Here are some less typical gift ideas for shoppers who want to give the new grads in their lives something unique.

· Time capsule: Let the graduate pull together a series of items that exemplify some of the best days of their lives. These items can then be tucked away in the capsule and opened years from now.

· Monogrammed items: College students may arrive on campus with items that look very similar to their new classmates’ belongings. Set your favorite grad’s items apart with monogrammed pieces that are unique and easy to recognize.

· Individual coffee machine: If it’s allowed in the dorm, a single-serve coffee machine can help students make it through finals week. A coffee machine also will help students save money on takeout coffee.

· Macro phone camera lens: Graduates can capture all of their memories from parties, vacations and more with a macro lens to fit their phones.

· Survival kit: If the graduate is going to college or leaving college, customize a basket full of items he or she may need to make their transitions that much easier. Food can always serve as the centerpiece of such baskets, but don’t hesitate to include decorative items to outfit that first apartment or dorm room.

· Commemorative coins: Purchase coins for the year the graduate was born or the year he or she is graduating. These coins can be saved or later turned into useable currency.

· Tailgating kit: Set up your graduate with a portable grill and the grilling accoutrements needed to throw a great tailgating party with friends.

· Restaurant gift cards: Grads need to eat but are often short on money. Research local eateries around the college campus and stock up on gift cards.

· Family vacation: For college graduates, a voucher for a fun, old-fashioned vacation can bring the family together one last time before jobs and mismatched schedules get in the way.

Graduations offer a chance to celebrate students who are moving on to the next chapter in their lives. Fun and thoughtful gifts can make the transition that much easier.