The 50 Best Gifts for College Students
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The latest trends and fads change at an incredible pace, and choosing the right gift for a young adult entering college may seem daunting. It’s not easy to find a gift that balances what a student needs, wants, and will actually use. To ensure you buy the college-bound person in your life a fun and functional gift, let this list of 50 gift ideas guide you.
Our list contains an assortment of gadgets, study aids, dorm room life hacks, and basic living necessities at a variety of price points. Chances are you’ll find something that fits your budget and helps your college student begin their next adventure.
Portable Charger
Avoid the inconvenience of a dead battery while on the go with a portable battery charger. This power bank can recharge two devices at once and offers multiple uses from a single charge.
Phone Sanitizer and Universal Charger
This device is a great way to help students minimize their contact with germs. Available in several colors, this product functions as both a sanitizer and phone charger. It uses UV-C bulbs to kill 99.99% of all bacteria and accommodates many types of smartphones.
Backpack
Keep textbooks, notebooks, and laptops together and ready to move with a high-quality backpack. Students can easily carry all their class supplies from their dorm to the classroom and back again. Interior pockets and organizers keep pens, chargers, and phones easily accessible.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Dorm rooms and other public spaces may not always be conducive to studying. Giving your college student a set of noise-cancelling headphones ensures they can shut out distractions when necessary. This pair is wireless (with Bluetooth capabilities) and available at an affordable price point.
Single-Serve Coffee Maker
This single-serve coffee maker provides the option to brew K-Cups or use a reusable filter. It also comes with a vacuum-sealed and insulated travel mug, making it easy for a student to brew a cup before early-morning classes.
Amazon Fire TV Stick
The Amazon Fire TV Stick allows students to access all their favorite streaming services through one simple device. The newest version comes with an Alexa Voice Remote. As a bonus, you could consider adding a gift card to a popular streaming service.
Electric Kettle
An electric kettle offers a safe and easy way to boil water. This kettle could come in handy for making a warm drink or fixing a quick meal. This kettle features borosilicate glass and an anti-slip handle.
Laptop Cooling Pad
This useful accessory is thin, lightweight, and portable, making it easy for students to take with them wherever they go. The adjustable pad uses three quiet fans to keep laptops cool. It also features a USB port for connecting additional devices.
Planner
A planner is an easy way for the student in your life to keep track of their tasks, assignments, and errands. Clever Fox’s premium planner allows students to keep track of their goals, finances, and classes in a fun and creative way.
Extra-Long Charging Cord
For students living away from home, an extra-long power cord may come in handy. The number of outlets near a student’s desk, chair, or bed may be limited; having a long cord means they can charge their devices while keeping them within arm’s reach.
Microwave Popcorn Popper
This BPA-free silicone popcorn popper lets students make a healthy snack in the microwave. All they need is kernels and the seasonings of their choice! The popper comes in an assortment of colors and folds down for easy storage. It features side handles and is dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
Underbed Storage Bags
It’s no secret that storage space is often limited in a dorm room or small apartment. These under-the-bed storage bags offer an organizational option that won’t take up other usable room in a student’s living space.
Bedside Caddy
This caddy lets students keep important items next to their bed, and it is especially handy if their living space doesn’t provide room for a bedside table. It offers compartments for a phone, laptop, books, and pens. The caddy comes in an assortment of colors and simply hooks over a student’s bed frame.
Wireless Charging LED Desk Lamp
This lamp offers multiple settings to customize the light level, as well as an energy-saving timer that turns the lamp off when it’s not in use.
Instant Pot
This three-quart Instant Pot gives your college student a way to cook delicious and healthy meals in their dorm room. It takes the place of a variety of cooking tools, including a slow cooker, steamer, warmer, and pressure cooker. This model is smaller than the standard size, making it ideal for a modest living space.
Wallet Ninja
This simple tool is the size of a credit card but offers a plethora of useful implements, including a screwdriver, box opener, cell phone stand, bottle opener, two-inch ruler, and eyeglass screwdriver. The Wallet Ninja is made of durable steel and comes with a lifetime warranty against rust, bending, and dulling.
Amazon Prime Student Membership
An Amazon Prime membership provides free, two-day shipping on thousands of Amazon products. College students can also save money by renting textbooks through Amazon’s rental service, with semester-long or short-term rental agreements. Prime members also gain access to movies and TV shows, music, and thousands of e-books.
Lap Desk
This lap desk by LapGear is a tray with a padded bottom. It can protect a student’s lap from the heat of their computer and raise their device to a more comfortable level for typing when they want to work from the couch or bed. This product also features a space to hold a smartphone.
Insulated Water Bottle
Help your student stay hydrated on the go. This insulated water bottle keeps cold drinks cold for 24 hours and hot drinks hot for 12 hours. It can go in the dishwasher for easy care. It does not contain BPA and comes with a lifetime guarantee.
LED Light String
This fun gift lets a college student personalize their dorm room with photos, notes, and small artwork. Twelve feet long with 30 clear clips, it doubles as a decorative piece and a softer lighting option. The string is powered by a USB cable and is easy to hang from walls, windows, or ceilings.
Bedside Shelf
This bedside shelf keeps useful items — like a phone, a cup of coffee, or notepads — close at hand. The shelf easily clamps to the frame of a bed or slides under a mattress.
Personal Safe
Living in a dorm room with a stranger may make a new college student feel uneasy about the security of their belongings. A personal safe from Master Lock lets them store away important items, like a smartphone, credit cards, cash, or identification. This portable safe allows students to set their own combination.
Night Light and Alarm Clock
Help the college student in your life wake up in time for class with this fun night light and alarm clock. With three brightness levels and 48 color options, this device is powered by a large-capacity battery that can be recharged by a USB cable in about six hours. This night light from Aisuo also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker.
Electronics Organizer
This electronics organizer from Bagsmart lets students pack away all their chargers, cables, and devices in one convenient place. It’s ideal for traveling, but is also useful for reducing clutter in a dorm room or small apartment. This product comes in three colors with a slender design that makes it easy to fit into a backpack or suitcase.
Power Strip
Students can never have too many power outlets, and in a dorm room options may be limited. This Bestek six-outlet power strip includes four USB charging ports. It has a compact design and six-foot extension cord, making it ideal for small living spaces.
Snacks Care Package
This variety pack includes popular snack items that are perfect for grabbing while running out the door to class. This ready-made care package includes salty, sweet, and savory snacks.
Dry-Erase Sticky Notes
These dry-erase sticky notes provide a reusable way to take notes, write reminders, and keep track of assignments. The pads stick to a variety of surfaces, including glass, fridges, mirrors, and laptops.
Burrito Blanket
This novelty blanket will keep students warm and offer a dash of humor. Made from soft fleece, it’s 60 inches in diameter. Students can wrap themselves up and enjoy a good book on a cold day.
Bluetooth Speaker
A Bluetooth speaker lets students set the right soundtrack for studying or hanging out with their friends. The Anker Soundcore 2 portable Bluetooth speaker comes in three different colors and promises 24-hour playtime. Its robust design safeguards the speaker from dust, spills, and rain.
Minifridge
This AstroAI fridge contains space for up to six 12-ounce cans, medication, and food. It offers the ability to cool or warm depending on a student’s storage needs. The small design makes it ideal for dorm rooms and lets students keep their favorite snacks on hand. This little fridge comes in five different colors.
Reusable Utensils
This set makes sure students always have the right utensil for every meal and reduces waste. It includes a fork, spoon, knife, chopsticks, two straws, and a straw cleaner. Each piece is made of stainless steel and is easy to wash. Sets come in a variety of color options.
Laptop
Students need a reliable, portable laptop. This Acer Aspire 5 has a dual-core processor, weighs under four pounds, and has an average battery life of over seven hours. It features a 15.6-inch screen and a backlit keyboard.
Smart Notebook
Take note-taking to the next level with this smart notebook by Rocketbook. The dotted grid notebook uses a special Pilot Frixion Pen to record notes, which students can send to popular cloud services using the free Rocketbook app. Erasable pages mean no more wasting paper. Notebooks are available in a variety of colors.
USB-Powered Desk Fan
It may not be possible to control a dorm room’s temperature, so gifting a desk fan can help keep the student in your life comfortable. This fan by SmartDevil is compact, wireless, and comes in pink, white, or black. It is easily recharged with a USB cord and offers three fan speeds.
Electric Toothbrush
Help your student keep their pearly whites healthy with an electric toothbrush. The Oral-B Pro 1000 helps remove plaque along the gumline and features a timer to make sure users brush for the recommended two minutes twice a day.
Wi-Fi Range Extender
Accessing Wi-Fi for homework or streaming on a busy college campus may prove difficult. A Wi-Fi range extender can help solve this problem by providing a better signal. This device is easy to install. Its features include a signal indicator to help students find the best location, a two-year warranty, and 24/7 tech support.
Stun Gun and Flashlight
Classes, work schedules, and late-night study sessions at the library may mean walking back to the dorm after dark. One way to help keep the student in your life safer is by getting them this stun gun that doubles as an LED flashlight. Product features include ultra-sharp spike electrodes that penetrate through clothing, a rechargeable battery, and a lifetime warranty.
Blue-Light-Blocking Glasses
Computer screens, phones, and tablets all emit blue light, which can disrupt sleep cycles and cause eye strain. These stylish glasses filter out that harmful light.
Smartphone Printer
The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link smartphone printer lets students print pictures directly from their phone using the Instax Mini app. Through the app, students can add fun filters and frames to their photos to create decorations for a dorm room and share memories with friends. The printer comes in four colors.
Coffee Mug Warmer
Cosori offers a coffee warmer and mug set ideal for keeping beverages warm while a student studies. It features an LED display screen and lets users easily control the temperature. The mug comes with a lid — allowing students to take their coffee to class — and is made of stainless steel with a silicone, slip-resistant sleeve.
Phone Mount
This Saiji universal clamp clips to the side of a desk, table, or bed frame. It adjusts to fit most smartphones, and the flexible gooseneck allows students to position their phone at the angle needed to watch a favorite show or make video calls back home. The clamp is available in black or white.
Carry-On Suitcase
This suitcase fits easily into the overhead compartment of most flights, helping students avoid extra baggage fees. It easily accommodates clothes for a weekend away, and the expandable case leaves room to bring back souvenirs.
Dehumidifier and Oil Diffuser
Living in a dorm may feel cramped and stuffy, but an air purifier can help clean the air and make any room feel like home. This oil diffuser functions as a dehumidifier, air purifier, ionizer, and night light. Students can let it run continuously or set it to run on a timer for one, three, or six hours.
Wi-Fi Projector
Students can bring the big screen or the big game to their dorm room or an outdoor space with a Wi-Fi projector. They can hook it up to a DVD player or play videos from their computer or phone through iOS or Android apps.
Echo Dot
The Echo Dot lets students turn their dorm room into a smart space. They can use voice commands to control lights, play music, look up information, and connect with others. The Echo Dot works with Alexa to provide up-to-date information on the weather and remind students of important dates and meetings.
Desk Organizer
This slender desk organizer offers compartments to easily manage essential office supplies without taking up too much desk space. It holds pens, note pads, paper clips, and thumbtacks. Students can rearrange the compartments, and the organizer includes a phone stand.
Bluetooth Tracker Tiles
Heading off to college means more responsibilities, including keeping track of important items like keys. Tile Essentials lets students put a tracker on a variety of items and use a smartphone app to find them if they get misplaced.
Audible Membership
Let your student enjoy a steady stream of audiobooks by getting them an Audible membership. A subscription includes one credit each month good for any title in the Audible library. You can choose from one-month, three-month, six-month, and one-year subscriptions.
Voice Recorder
This voice recorder can hold up to 1,160 hours of audio, depending on the quality and file type. Students can record class lectures for reference or study at a later time. They can also transfer audio files to their computer.
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch works seamlessly with the Apple iPhone, which can keep students connected to texts and calls. The watch also tracks fitness goals and can sync with a student’s library of music, audiobooks, and podcasts.
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