It's that time of year, again. Vitamin C is playing, caps are flying and cigars are smoking. It's graduation season. As a rising senior in college, I get the following question often: "What is a graduation gift that will
actually get some use once the recipient goes off to school?" Here are my suggestions for gifts I would have loved to receive the summer before my freshman year:
$25 and under:
Extra cups always come in handy around the dorm room, making a personalized
Tervis Tumbler a great gift idea for a high school grad. Not only are these cups microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe, personalization is only $5 extra and will help ensure the cup doesn't mysteriously walk away from the owner at the end of a dinner party. ($16 plus $5 personalization)
No matter how good a school's cafeteria is, the food is bound to get old about halfway through second semester of freshman year. That's where this next gift idea comes in handy. A recipe book, like
this one from Etsy, filled with some dorm-friendly recipes provides a perfect alternative to the monotony of the dining hall. ($15.95)
Like the Tervis Tumbler, a set of microwave-safe bowls are perfect for everything from ice cream to Campbell's chicken noodle. I'm partial to
these Latte Bowls from Anthropologie. ($20 per set of 4 bowls)
$25-$50:
Making a trek to the community bathroom is made much easier and more stylish with a
monogrammed towel wrap. I received one before I went to college and it has been my most-used gift by far. ($45)
Pearl studs are a fashion choice that instantly adds a touch of class to any outfit. Not to mention, they go with everything from a little black dress to a t-shirt and jeans.
Overstock.com has several options available at heavily discounted prices. ($29.49 and up)
Over $50:I'm not tech-savvy, so I won't make any suggestions as to which brand is best, but having a laptop computer with me at college has been unbelievably helpful. If at all possible, I suggest bringing one with you to school. That being said, it would make a great graduation gift.
Any denomination:
College students are notoriously broke, so monetary gifts are always warmly accepted, regardless of denomination. The same goes for gift cards. Specifically, cards from
Target,
Walgreens,
Office Depot, local grocery stores, gas stations, or favorite clothing stores would all be great gifts.
PS I just figured out how to check the traffic for this blog and I'm so excited you all are enjoying my site! I'd really appreciate it if you'd become a follower-- in the future I hope to have a contest that will be exclusive to followers of style of a 20 something like
this one over at anthrosdottir! Thanks for reading!
If Wayfarers aren't your style, try on a pair of Aviators ($139). Ray-Ban invented this style of sunglasses in 1936 for military pilots, but when celebrities like Michael Jackson and the cast of Top Gun were seen sporting them in the 1980s, they became a popular civilian fashion trend and have been ever since.
Both of these styles come in bright colors and there are several Wayfarer options with prints, but if you're only going to buy one pair, I recommend sticking with neutral frames. Knock offs and imitations are readily available for both of these styles, so if you're looking for a super cheap buy, you're in luck. If you have a little more cash to spend, Ray-Bans are worth the investment--I wear mine constantly.
