<p>Now that the season is upon us, do any of you "experienced parents" have suggestions for great gifts for college bound students? My son has been invited to a few graduation parties and while the hosts are not his closest friends, he'd still like to bring a gift. Any suggestions on items your kids find especially useful in their dormitory rooms? Many thanks.</p>
<p>What is your budget?</p>
<p>If you have a Steve and Barry's in your area, they have shirts from lots of colleges for low prices. At our state schools at least, school shirts come very much in handy. </p>
<p>Starbucks gift cards are popular, you could give them $10 or so, but that's kind of impersonal. Or a gift card in a small denomination to a bookstore.</p>
<p>If your S has some pictures of these people with other friends, he might get a print and frame it, people I know usually have pictures in their room.</p>
<p>I'm looking for ideas too, but have considered the following that aren't terribly expensive--</p>
<p>If they're going to be in a town that has a Starbucks (chances are probably good), how about a $10 or $20 Starbucks gift card?</p>
<p>A gift card or certificate for their college's school store?</p>
<p>Something from the HS bookstore (not cool now, perhaps, but maybe they'd like some signs of their roots at home once they're away. A mug, scarf, or cap with their town or HS name?</p>
<p>Money (old standby)</p>
<p>An old photo to put inside the graduation card-- I just found one of S. and friends hamming it up back when they were just little (they were so darn cute). </p>
<p>One of those stick on the outside-of-the-window lucite thermometers (if they're going somewhere cold).</p>
<p>Photo cube with maybe one or two pics already inserted</p>
<p>I'm looking for ideas too. Boys are esp hard to buy for.</p>
<p>Oops-- my slow typing again! I cross posted with Princedog. Think we have similar tastes!</p>
<p>My favorite grad. gifts when I graduated ('05)/the ones I actually use were towels (never can have enought...I mean really, who wants to spend their college years doing laundry constantly), a hoodie from their school, money, gift card to grocery store/local fast food restaurant (pick one near campus if they don't have car access!)</p>
<p>Part of my grad gift from my cousin ('04), was a "college survival kit" of her favorites from her freshman year. It was kinda cute... she took a plastic shower caddy and put cute flip flops, popcorn, cute picture frame with a pic of me and the rest of my cousins, the footie bed room slipper socks, lip gloss, this wallet thing is really small from the school bookstore that had a place on the inside for my bank card/cash and outside for my dorm card, but was really compact and easy to slide in a coat pocket (sounds odd, but was really useful---replaced it once that one got worn out i loved it so much), a small picture album to put college pics in (she personalized the outside with our school logo, the first pic was one of us when we were little on my college's campus--her mom's alma mater)...definitely the most random gift I got, but also my favorite...thoughtful and useful! (One of the younger cousin's graduates this year and he'll be getting one of these...only made more guy-ish)</p>
<p>All I wanted from everybody was money and giftcards. If you only have five bucks to give me, fine, I'll take it ;)! For the love of God, I'd love to be able to not slave at a job all summer just to afford my books. Instead they're trying to get all creative and cutesy. Oh, well. I guess I'm weird in that I don't value things like that. Haha.</p>
<p>Nice, but low cost- my sister gave my son a small address book with all the relatives' (parents, aunts, uncles, cousins...) addresses, phone nos, birthdays... filled in. I gave her the inlaws list to use.</p>
<p>I'd like an alarm clock. New linen. Mittens and a portable mug. A really helpful college book (like that power of focus).</p>
<p>something they cna use in college... ;)</p>
<p>I will repeat my favorite thing...desk lamp with cheery full spectrum light bulb..sharper image sometimes sells them recycled for cheap. Nothing worse than studying under a loft in the dim dark with a lousy light bulb..depressing. Dorm rooms are poorly lit but where they spend a gazillion hours.</p>
<p>Gift cards from restaurants like Olive Garden, Starbucks etc.</p>
<p>Portable mini flas drive....</p>
<p>Oh, someone mentioned a book - someone gave my sister the school-specific "guide book" from a CC competitor, can't post the name, but you can find them all in Borders or many big bookstores - it has a lot of "insider info" about life at the school taken ostensibly from kids who go there. Interesting read at any rate. </p>
<p>But there's a good thread in the cafe also about making a cute gift with various things that have "meaning." Could be good for an inexpensive but memorable gift.</p>
<p>My son received from friends, a laundry tote bag with nice towels, a roll of quarters for laundry, a few snacks, and a few other dorm items. Greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Wow! Thanks for all of the of good ideas. I've been told that a set of hand tools makes a good gift. Unfortunately, all the sets I've seen in the stores contain very poorly made/cheap tools, which look like they might snap or break on the first use! If anyone decides to give tools, it might be best to put together your own small set of items like screwdrivers, hammer, pliers & wrench.</p>
<p>I got my son a nice tool kit at sears last year. I was going to make my own up but by the time I had picked up three tools I realized that it was going to cost twice as much as the basic one they had. I did add duct tape and good scissors to it.</p>
<p>lolalee, If your son is also graduating, it's common in our area for the kids NOT to give each other anything other then a card with a special note or maybe a mix cd. My daughters friends (uber organized) made a pact about not giving each other things.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would just want $! :)</p>
<p>Captio CollegeCase® organizer</p>
<p>From their web site:
"Part book, part filing system, the CollegeCase organizer makes it easy for students to manage everything from finances, to health insurance, to passports, to spring break travel. It’s packed with checklists, advice and web resources. Personal data pages give students quick access to emergency contacts, job references and more. No need to search under beds, in messy drawers or through piles of papers on the desk – with the CollegeCase, everything is in one convenient place."</p>
<p>Very nice, neat binder. All the college students I've given it too found it extremely helpful (although not as exciting as a Starbucks card).</p>
<p>I just ordered the binder; it looks great. S will need a place to keep his computer warranty, for one thing. Thank you for posting this.</p>
<p>Note that if you enter the code LO20 you will save $5.</p>
<p>Money is what a lot of kids like. Fun to combine the $$$ with things like doorstops, small towels, college logo items, or something small they can take with them that reminds them of home. I have given t-shirts with the logo of local hang-outs, taco places, etc., small magnets with pictures of local landmarks or a scene from home, and, sounds cliche but was appreciated: stamps and notecards. Kids never think ahead about buying stamps and they do need them occasionally. Basically, my son loved the money. He never expected to get rewarded so richly for doing what he was supposed to do (graduate from hs) and he was able to put the money towards a new laptop. He also loved people who wrote notes and included an old photo in the card.</p>