<p>These are what we give - colors for girls and guys. We like this one because there is room in the bag for other essentials.
[Walmart.com:</a> Essentials 32-Piece Tool Set, Pink: Tools](<a href=“http://www.walmart.com/ip/Essentials-32-Piece-Tool-Set-Pink/15257246]Walmart.com:”>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Essentials-32-Piece-Tool-Set-Pink/15257246)
[32-Piece</a> Tool Set, Black - Walmart.com](<a href=“http://www.walmart.com/ip/Essentials-32-Piece-Tool-Set-Black/15257250]32-Piece”>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Essentials-32-Piece-Tool-Set-Black/15257250)
Target has ones that are a bit less expensive
<a href=“http://www.target.com/p/39-PC-GENERA-L-TOOL-KIT-PINK/-/A-14044873#?lnk=sc_qi_detaillink[/url]”>http://www.target.com/p/39-PC-GENERA-L-TOOL-KIT-PINK/-/A-14044873#?lnk=sc_qi_detaillink</a>
<a href=“http://www.target.com/p/Durabuilt-General-Tool-Kit-39-pc/-/A-13891752[/url]”>http://www.target.com/p/Durabuilt-General-Tool-Kit-39-pc/-/A-13891752</a></p>
<p>Those are also great options. I grabbed a few at Home Depot this weekend but I wonder if the tool bag is a nice thing to have as opposed to the hard case. I have no clue. 
(Oh and I also like the umbrella idea).</p>
<p>Ugh well I bought tool kits but now I find out that two sets of the boys are rooming together so they surely don’t need their own kits. Maybe back to umbrellas or towels?</p>
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<p>+1. I got my first basic tool kit when I was in kindergarten (my parents are apparently nuts), and to this day my dad and I are at war because we are constantly stealing my tools back from each other. He has his own but leaves them around the yard and can’t find them, so he takes mine and leaves them around the yard until we can’t find those either. Maybe I’ll just give them to him and get pink ones for myself…</p>
<p>Ikea has tool kits for under $10. I bought that for my s. Thanks for this thread because now I think I’ll get more for D’s friends.</p>
<p>A Brita water bottle, so they can have good tasting water easily at hand.
<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Brita-Bottle-with-Filter-Blue/dp/B004GN8RDY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338586000&sr=8-1[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Brita-Bottle-with-Filter-Blue/dp/B004GN8RDY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338586000&sr=8-1</a></p>
<p>So far, the tools, the umbrella and the pop up hamper are now on my list. :)</p>
<p>So D gave the umbrella to one friend (who loved the cheetah print) and we found the Target tool kits for the other 3. First friend to open it said it is her FAVORITE gift and already tried the tools out. D liked it so much I bought her one too. For $15, great deal, and from a girl who doesn’t like pink. Target had 5 in stock, I bought 4.</p>
<p>Should mention that D received a single place setting of Corelle with cup and matching silverware from one of the toolkit friends. She was delighted! Trendy pattern: black plate/bowl and black with polka dot small plate/mug, black handled silverware.</p>
<p>Speaking of the cheetah pattern, I bought a keyring in a houndstooth pattern (but it also came in cheetah) that , IIRC, emits a sound when you whistle so you can find the lost keys. I still have one at home (emergency gift). I’ll go look. I also bought some handmade fused crystal glass eternal nailfiles. They were at an art show. I loved them. Bought 5.</p>
<p>I would give a tool kit. It will be useful for them.</p>
<p>Lots of guys already have tools. Both my boys had their own sets of tools before they finished h.s. I agree it would be helpful for girls. My guys didn’t use umbrellas at college…just a good rain jacket. </p>
<p>Both my S’s had the pop-up hampers that they used all the way through college and continue to use them now that they’ve graduated.
Mine seemed to constantly lose socks somehow. A big pack of lowcut athletic socks would be a useful gift for boys. They like giftcards too restaurants too.</p>
<p>One of D’s friends made very cute one-of-a-kind luggage tags for all of her friends. They were a big hit.</p>
<p>I gave multitools. I also built desk kits–all the essentials on your desk that your kids are always “borrowing” from you that they won’t have when they arrive at the dorm, including marking pen, assortment of tapes, envelopes, stamps, mechanical pencil & leads, etc. Toolkits are nice but multitools are handier and handle most of the things that need to be done in a dorm or student apartment.</p>
<p>I agree with water bottles. Kids always lose them, and then it’s so easy to pull another one from their stash of “water bottles I got as gifts”.</p>
<p>This might be kind of late… but, Kuru Toga mechanical pencils are awesome. They keep the lead out at just the right angle for as long as possible without having to click anything down. You just get to keep writing. Sort of a cheap present, but everyone I know who’s tried one has fallen in love.</p>
<p>We gave alarm clocks!</p>
<p>I don’t know how many gifts for friends that you will be buying, but this was one of the most thoughtful gifts my son received: one mom bought all of her son’s closer friends a school blanket from the school each friend was going to attend. I thought it was a very generous and thoughtful gift, the cost at that time was around $20, they are small blankets and my son used that more than a comforter. My daughter received one two years later from a friend, with the university logo in the center and her name embroidered across the corner.</p>
<p>I have been giving flash drives to recent graduates…they can come in handy.</p>
<p>Flash drive is a perfect idea. I bought for my nephew. I think it’s very convenient for him and doing a great job</p>