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Ahh, gift giving. It’s easily one of the most rewarding but equally stressful things in the world. It can be extra stressful if you have no idea what to give someone. Instead of opting for a generic gift card, try out some of these gift ideas for college students (or any age, really).
Whether you’re looking for ideas for gifts to give to others or you yourself are looking for ideas for what to put on your wishlist, this college gift guide is perfect.
P.S. Also check out last year’s College Girl’s Ultimate Gift Guide for even more ideas!
Up & Coming Girl Boss/Busy Girl
1. Portable Charger
white marble // kate spade stripes // unicorn
Who wouldn’t need this? This is an example of a practical AF gift. These can be as boring or as unique as you’d like.
2. Page a day calendar
different every day // it’s gonna be a great day // someecards
Calendars like this are perfect to keep on your desk or nightstand and each morning you can flip to a fun new day. These come in almost any theme you can think of so try one with her favorite dog breed, hobby, favorite TV show or even her favorite musician.
3. Motivational books
leave your mark // #girlboss // better than before
If you’re going to make it to the top, reading about tips for doing so is awesome. Books on self-improvement, organization, climbing up in the career world and other things like that are ideal. Also, some of these books were mentioned in my post 5 Books Millennials Must Read and Better Than Before is such an amazing book, I definitely recommend picking it up for yourself as well.
4. Designer luggage tag
kate spade polka dot // kate spade strawberry // initial
If this person loves to travel, a luggage tag is both practical and fun. If you want to take this gift to the next level, pair it with some other travel items like a neck pillow, travel sized bottles, cosmetic bag or brush roll.
Preppy/Aesthetic AF
1. Food & wine festival tickets
Tickets to a local wine and food festival. This website lets you look up local wine and food festivals in your area! Snag two tickets and make plans to go together. Pair this with a bottle of wine or cute wine glass to take it to the next level! You can also make plans to visit a local brewery or vineyard.
2. Monogrammed Lilly Pulitzer wine glasses
I got these for my friend’s birthday and they were a huge hit! You can customize these a lot, the seller is very kind and efficient. Honestly, who wouldn’t love these?
3. Mason jar shot glasses
Preppy or not, any Pinterest lover or lover of the unique will get a kick out of these.
4. A blanket scarf
chunky tartan // burberry colors // classic
These are such a wardrobe staple and can be bought almost anywhere.
5. Monogrammed anything.
You can get anything monogrammed on etsy. This can be anything from makeup bags to pillow cases to clothing to socks…possibilities are endless.
Cook/Foodie
1. Waffle maker
This is such a cool gift and it’s one of those things you wouldn’t typically buy for yourself. These can be surprisingly affordable and if you want to make it into a little basket, pair it with a box of waffle mix and maple syrup.
2. Cute spoon rest
I know, this sounds boring but it’s the kind of thing most people wouldn’t think of. Spoon rests are incredibly useful in the kitchen and a pretty one also functions as a little decorative accent. Etsy is a great place to find these.
3. Pretty measuring cups/spoons
woodland critters // cats // painted
The store Francesca’s always has a lot of cute measuring spoons and cups, but they’re also easy to find online! These would be cute wrapped in a patterned tissue paper and tied to a wooden spoon with ribbon or lace!
4. Reservations to a fancy/cool restaurant
You know that restaurant she’s been dying to try? Found a new grilled cheese specialty shop in the next town over? Make a reservation or plans to go and the meal is on you.
5. French macaron making kit
This is undoubtedly one of the coolest gifts I have ever received. This is perfect for anyone who loves to cook or bake because it’s unique and macarons are freaking delicious. Snag it for $15 on Amazon here.
6. Pretty oven mitts/dish towels
Once again, these are not only adorable but also they’re useful.
Fashion & Beauty Guru
1. BITE Beauty Lab reservation
Experiences are often even cooler than an actual gift and this combines both! I did a whole post on my experience here if you want more details. My best friend got me this as a gift for my birthday and we had such a fun time making our own lipsticks and grabbing a nice dinner in SoHo. Definitely check and see if there is one of these located near you!
2. Delicate necklace with a personal charm
fox necklace // scissor necklace // donut necklace
This can be super unique. If your friend loves their school, a very simple and classy way to help them show school spirit is by getting them a necklace of their mascot. Honestly, this will only really work if their mascot is a basic animal like an elephant or wolf.
You can also get them something related to the career they want–if they want to be a hair stylist maybe a tiny, delicate pair of scissors. If they love writing, maybe a small plume. Do they love to bake? Why not a donut necklace!
3. A magazine subscription to Cosmopolitan/Vogue/Teen Vogue
Be sure to check if they have it already or not. You can do this subtly (and also find out which magazines they enjoy) by asking, “Hey, I’m thinking about getting a magazine subscription. Do you get any good ones? Any recommendations?”
4. A few months of a beauty subscription box
Once again, make sure they don’t have it first. This can be done under the ruse that you’re thinking of getting one and you’re wondering if they have any experiences of this.
5. A blow out
Pick up a gift certificate to their favorite salon for a blowout for a place like drybar whose focus is on blowouts. Pair the certificate or gift card with a brush or pack of hair ties if you want to make it extra special!
6. Trendy baseball cap
eyelash hat // kermit meme hat // avocado hat
Embroidered hats are so in. This can get personal or even funny. be a meme, a word (like BABE) or even a food depending on how personal, funny or quirky you want to get. These hats are super trendy, affordable and unique which makes them the perfect gift. Like, I’m dying over that eyelash hat especially because it matches my blog logo.
7. Makeup/beauty sampler
sephora lash stash to go // mask sampler kit // sephora perfume travel sampler
It can be hard to pick out something very personal like makeup or fragrance, but samplers are perfect because it allows the person to have a selection. They’re also super fun to play with and stores like Ulta and Sephora always have a huge variety of samplers and options.
8. A coffee table book
all in good taste – kate spade // chanel // 100 years of fashion illustration
These are decorative, gorgeous and great to look at. They can be pricey, but you can look in a few places to find a fair deal. Try Thriftbooks which has really affordable books; they’re often used but you can see the condition before you buy…oftentimes they’re still great! You can also check Strand bookstore to find a rare edition or something that could be more affordable; they have a whole fashion section.
9. Fun socks
starry night socks // sugarfina gummy bear socks // strawberry socks
These can be found almost anywhere and while it seems boring to give someone socks, they’re always soft and useful. These can also get personal and affordable depending on how much thought you put into it! You’d be surprised how many weird socks are out there–try searching their favorite fruit, painting, movie, animal…
10. Manicure/Pedicure gift certificate
Instead of giving the classic gift of nail polish, give them the experience of getting their nails done! Pick their favorite place and if you’re not sure of their favorite place, try a place near their home or a place near your university.
TV + Book Junkie/Music Lover
1. Favorite TV show mug or shirt
Etsy and Amazon are the perfect places to find products referencing your pal’s favorite show. Even if you don’t watch the show, a simple search of the show’s name will help you find plenty of ideas.
2. TV or Book-related shot glasses
For your ~favorite intellectual~ of course. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Dorothy Parker. The Strand bookstore (which I’ve mentioned in my places to visit in NYC post) has a lot of these but they can also be found online.
There are also a ton of really cool Harry Potter house themed shot glasses or Game of Throne house themed shot glasses on the market, so definitely check those out!
3. A pretty or vintage edition of a book they love
alice in wonderland // the great gatsby // macbeth
Once again, Thriftbooks is my favorite place to buy books for everything, so I recommend looking there (here’s 15% off!). Book sales are also super fun and you can find great deals and cool books, it just takes a bit of digging and hunting. You can also look for an autographed copy of a book.
4. Records/Record Player
back to black // turquoise // 21
Definitely check to see if they own one already and if they do, find out which type of vinyl it uses by feigning interest in buying your own record player and thus asking about their’s.
5. Concert tickets
Once again, this is definitely a pricier gift, but it’s an extremely awesome one. Try looking up a few of their favorite artists to see if they’re on tour.
6. Broadway tickets
Obviously this can get pricey, but it’s an amazing experience that can also be a fun friend date. You can also split the cost of this gift or other pricier gifts with someone else and make it a gift from multiple people!
Honestly Have No Idea What to Buy Them
1. Fuzzy slippers
lamb // flamingo // poop emoji
Because everyone deserves snuggly, fuzzy places for their toes to dwell. Pro tip: to get someone’s shoe size you can just say something like, “Whoa! Your feet look the same size as mine, what size are your shoes?” People love bragging about/shitting on their own shoe size so it’s not that hard to get them to tell you while being somewhat subtle.
2. Bath bombs
shoot for the stars // baby bot // experimenter
If you don’t want to get them from LUSH, try handmade ones from etsy. These can also be amazing and make pretty baths. Pair them with a loofa to take the gift to the next level.
3. Q & A a day book
I love this thing so much! It has 365 different questions for each day of the year and spaces to write your answers for five years. I just got this last year and I’m excited to be able to look back on what I thought during different years of my life.
4. A fuzzy throw blanket
plaid throw // plush pink throw // purple sherpa throw //
Name one person who wouldn’t want to receive this. Yeah, totally can’t think of anyone.
5. A set of wine glasses or shot glasses
I’ve linked to plenty of these within the post, but any simple set will do. There are generic sparkly ones or monogrammed ones you can purchase–no need to get too particular.
6. A scented wall plug-in (or candle if they’re not in a dorm)
I mentioned these in my 10 under $10 college essentials and I still think they make awesome gifts for college students and basically anyone who lives in a place. The person can also later choose their own scents, so it doesn’t need to get too personal. You can buy one of the decorative plug ins and just wrap it with a Bath & Body Works giftcard with a note suggesting some of your favorite wallflower scents. Boom. Done.
7. A travel mug
i did my best // polka dot // floral
If you don’t know them well but you know they (probably) drink coffee, tea or another hot beverage (hot chocolate? Are there even other hot beverages?), this is a perfect generic but not overly generic gift.
8. Cozy pajama pants
This, like fuzzy slippers, is always prime. Pair cozy pajamas, slippers and a face mask together for a cute little spa day gift basket.
Game & Adventure Lover
1. Escape the room reservation
Escape the Rooms are a very fun experience and this is something you can share with your friend. Search for one in your area and book it! This can be perfect if you want to book a reservation for a bunch of your friends–boom, all of the gifting is done.
P.S. There’s also a board game version which I mentioned here.
2. Board games
catchphrase // what? // telestrations
Some of the ones I suggest for college-age young adults are Catchphrase,What?, and Telestrations. They’re all excellent party games for groups of friends.
3. Cards Against Humanity expansion packs
If your friend has this game, buy them some expansion packs! This is a classic college game and expansion packs are a great way to give it a facelift and make it even more fun.
4. Tickets to something adventurous
We always say to spend our money on experiences instead of things, right? Some ideas for this is zip lining, outdoor laser tag, rock climbing or (if they’re extra wild) skydiving.
Artsy Friend
1. Buddha board
If you haven’t heard of this, you need to look it up. It’s also been called a “meditation board.” It lets you paint with water, which is incredibly relaxing and super cool. Artsy or not, this is so cool.
2. Henna tattoo kit
This is a cool gift for someone who wants to express their creativity. Find it here.
3. Reservations to paint places
Ceramic painting places for those under 21 and wine & paint night places for 21+ friends. This is a fun experience that also yields awesome results you can keep. Look for one in your area!
4. Rolls of patterned/glittery washi tape.
Let’s face it–washi tape is freaking awesome and handy. Take it to the next level by pairing this with a scrapbook or other craft supplies.
5. A pretty stationary set
These versatile gifts can be found anywhere from Michael’s to Amazpon to TJ Maxx. It’s not the most personal gift, but everyone loves some pretty sticky notes and notepads, right?
Phew. That was a long post but it’s finally over. Let me just leave you with some gift ideas for college students that you should actually totally avoid.
SKIP:
Colored pencils, unless they’re super cool. Chances are if you need or enjoy them, you already own them.
Bookmarks, because I like to read and the quantity of bookmarks people have given to me is ridiculous. Most booklovers use a post-it or a receipt or whatever’s most convenient instead of a really intricate bookmark.
Perfume, because you can’t choose this for someone without potentially wasting a ton of money on a scent they hate.
A basic manicure kit, because I think almost every female has received at least three of these in her lifetime.
Alright. If this helped you find the perfect gift for someone, let me know! So there was the ultimate college gift guide for gift ideas and ideas on what to ask for for the holidays or your birthday but what are you asking for this holiday season?
My sister is in college and I think she would love every single thing on this list! Definitely got some great ideas for her gift this year!! 🙂
Glad I could help! 🙂