Graduation Gifts Your College-Bound Teen is Sure to Appreciate

It seems like only yesterday when you heard the news that your baby was about to have a baby. From the moment your grandchild entered the world, you did everything in your power to make sure that you were there to love, nurture, and care for them. You’ve been there through their many milestones, celebrated every birthday, cheered them on at games or other activities, and reveled in the joys of being a grandparent. Now, your grand baby has finished high school and is about to embark on the journey of young adulthood. Certainly, high school graduation is worth celebrating. The only problem is, you’re not sure what to purchase as a gift. They’ve outgrown toys, chances are they won’t like your sense of fashion choices for clothes, and giving them cash or a gift card just seems impersonal. Shopping for a teenager can be stressful, but here is a list of graduation gifts your college-bound teen is sure to appreciate. 

Me and my grandson, Spencer. He’s going off to college this fall.

Backpack/Duffel Bag

Your teenager will thank you for a new backpack or duffel bag. As college campuses are a lot larger than high school, they’ll soon realize just how strenuous it can be to lug books, laptops, and other supplies from one class to the next. A sturdy book bag or duffel bag, however, provides them with the comfort and support they need to travel without straining their backs. 

Noise-Canceling Headphones

Trying to get into a zone on a college campus isn’t as easy as it sounds. Whether you’re jogging around campus for exercise or trying to study in your dorm room, there’s always a bunch of noise and distractions surrounding you. Help your college-bound teens stay focused with a nice pair of noise-canceling headphones. They can listen to their favorite music playlist, radio station, or podcast without being disturbed. 

GRAPHIC TEES OR STATEMENT SHIRTS

Teenagers these days love expressing how they feel on social media. If you notice that your teenager likes posting pictures of themselves online, get them cool, funky or funny graphic tees or statement shirts to wear for their social media photos. Know their hobbies, favorite movies, interests, past time activities, so you will know what kind of shirt to buy. If you have no idea at all, try a funny T-shirt that you think will cheer them up. Trendy statement hoodies are also very popular with teenagers, so get one with your teenager’s favorite color.

Underwear

Though most college campuses have laundromats on-site for students to use, maintaining a regular laundry schedule isn’t always at the top of the list of priorities for your teenager. Between keeping up with classes, after-school jobs, and their social lives, laundry can pile up pretty quickly. If you want to purchase them something they can appreciate, why not spring for underwear. A pack of undershirts and boxers or briefs for your grandson and trendy racerback bra and matching boy shorts for your granddaughter, at the very least, ensures that they have on clean underwear every day.  

Grocery Store Gift Card

While you may want to give them something more personal than cash, a gift card to a grocery store near campus can really come in handy. Students soon learn that paying for meals on campus can get expensive. So, they tend to get pretty creative and prepare meals in their dorms. Having a gift card on hand that can be used to get groceries means they can save their cash for other college expenses. Along the same line of thought, think about the things that your college bound teen likes to eat. If he (or she) likes jerky, send a jerky gift box from this online store! They will thank you over and over for that. 

 

Technology

No teenager can resist the convenience of technology. If you really want to get your college-bound grandchild something they’ll appreciate, you can’t go wrong in this category. If they don’t already have one, you could purchase them a laptop or tablet. These days most coursework and books are available through digital platforms, so having up-to-date technology will ensure they can keep up with their classes. 

If you can’t afford to spend that much on a graduation gift, there are still other ideas like portable chargers, plenty of charger cords (they somehow always seem to lose those), or even a mobile hotspot for times they need to connect to the internet on the go.

Dorm Room Decor

Being able to create your own personal space in college means everything to a teenager. Find out what the theme is for their college dorm room. Then, you can purchase things like bed sheets, comforters, area rugs, posters, throw pillows, artwork, picture frames, and whatever else they might want to add personality to their otherwise plain dorm rooms. 

It’s crazy how quickly time flies. Once a tiny newborn you could hold in your arms, your grandchild is now on their way to college. Send them off the right way by purchasing them a gift that they’ll not only appreciate, but be able to use to help them through the first few months of college life.