Whether your favorite college student is a freshman just starting out or working on their master’s degree, gifts for college students should be useful, dorm or apartment friendly, and most of all, something the college student wants. If you are completely in the dark about what to purchase for a college student, consider gas, movie, or food gift cards. Though once viewed as a cop-out, gift cards in their many incarnations really help that college student on a budget.
To show a college student how much you care, consider their major. If their major is general studies you likely won’t glean any obvious gift ideas. Music majors might enjoy concert tickets, musical-themed dorm decorations, or a nice musical note t-shirt. Those into theatrical arts may appreciate tickets to see a play or a leather portfolio bag for carrying headshots and bios. Nursing majors appreciate the gift of personalized scrubs, medical themed humor books, and a great pair of comfortable shoes.
But when your favorite college student has a vague major or hasn’t decided the direction their schooling will take them, selecting gifts for college students can be difficult. Consider purchasing some of these items for your favorite college student:
1. Fast Food Gift Certificates – For a gift that will definitely get used, consider filling a brand new wallet with fast food gift cards and gift certificates. This gift will be quite a lifesaver if you purchase several varieties; if you buy all McDonalds, chances are, the gift will all be used for one trip to buy food for all the buddies who tag along. If you choose several varieties of gift cards with enough money on them for one or two meals, your college student will definitely use them personally. Though food from McDonalds doesn’t sound like a glamorous gift, it will be well appreciated later when the college student gets the munchies while studying for a term paper.
2. Whites – If you ask a college student what the most stand-out piece of furniture in their dorm room happens to be, most will say it’s their bed. Since dorm rooms are small and the bed is quite often one of the only pieces of furniture in the place, whimsical sheet and blanket sets as well as comfy themed throws are great gifts for college students. Consider purchasing a handful of pillows and a matching bedspread or sheet sets that mix and still coordinate easily.
3. Portable Television – Though there may already be a television in the dorm, a portable television is a must have for college students who share a room. If one roommate is watching Lost and the other wants to watch something else, having a portable TV handy is often a requirement for maintaining a peaceful dorm existence. Relatively inexpensive, many portable televisions come with built in radios and CD players. Be sure to buy a pair of noise reducing headphones so they can watch their programs without interruption.
4. An MP3 shower radio with a fog-free mirror is actually a contraption in which you can insert your MP3 player. A water resistant compartment is located in the middle of the gizmo, and there you can plug in your iPod or NANO. If you don’t have an iPod, the device has an AM/FM radio. It uses 4 “AA” batteries and can be purchased for under $25 from Comfort House.
5. A convenient yet whimsical item for college students is a personalized laundry bag. For just $14.95, you can buy the “Another Day” laundry bag from Personal Creations. This humorous bag is 19″ x 13″ and bears the picture of a washing machine. It says “Another Day and ______________ will be naked” (personalized with college student’s name.)
6. Pop Machine – Why fill that tiny dorm fridge with your soda when you can buy a vintage style Pepsi Soda Vending Machine from Nostalgia Electrics. This machine holds 12 cans of soda, can sit on top the little dorm fridge, is refrigerated, and does not require coins. Price: $145.99
7. Gumball machine – If your favorite college student likes to chew gum, consider purchasing a gumball machine for the dorm room. For a huge selection of styles, just browse to http://www.gumballs.com to take a look at both simple nostalgic models and unique gumball machines with special themes. They carry snack machines too!
8. Teleface phone – The Teleface Photo Telephone from http://www.gadgetbargains.com is a humorous novelty that allows users to pre-program up to five different phone numbers into a speed dial with the ability to put a photograph of the speed dialed person’s face on the button. Consider putting a picture of Mom and dad on one button, Grandma on another, a Chinese food box for the local Chinese delivery place, a pizza for the local pizza place, and a photo of a girlfriend or boyfriend. $29.99 and comes in five colors: blue, green, red, purple, and orange.
9. Ionic Room Air Freshener – To battle that chunky dorm room smell, might I suggest the Ionic Room Air Freshener? Clever Gear at http://www.clevergear.com carries this item for just under $20. It collects dust without a motor and wipes clean. It also has a LED night light and plugs into any outlet. It’s a great way to clear the air in a smelly dorm.
10. Pizza Wall Clock – Gadget bargains carries a great item that looks like everyone’s favorite college dorm breakfast – pizza. This clock is $18, requires only one “AA” battery, and looks completely real at just 12″ in diameter. Though its use is recommended for pizza restaurants, it makes a great conversation piece in a dorm room that reminds your favorite college student to eat lunch.
College students, especially those who live in the college dorm, are usually well-clothed after Christmas time, as T-shirts top the list of typical gifts people buy for them. If you want to show your favorite college student that you really care, forgo the T-shirt and think about what they can really use. If all else fails, buy a discount store giftcard so they can pick out exactly what they need. Happy Holidays!
