Top 10 Practical Holiday Gifts for College Students
By Aimee Hosler | December 21st, 2011
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the now or future college student in your life? Our advice: Ditch the ho-hum and not-so-practical gift certificates and inspirational quote books. According to the Wall Street Journal, the class of 2011 is the most indebted crop of college grads ever, and increasing tuition costs and a less-than-stellar job market aren't helping matters. Today's college students don't need monogrammed pens -- they need a break. This year commit to buying the students in your life practical gifts that can help them achieve a brighter future, or at least live better on an increasingly marginalized student budget.
10 holiday gift college students need (but don't know it)
1. Put a bow(tie) on it
The classic jeans and flip-flop look might be the official college student uniform, but won't fly in job interviews or the workplace. Nothing says I-love-you-now-get-your-act-together like a professional wardrobe shopping spree for the holidays.
2. Teach a man (or woman) to fish
We don't care how many creative ways you can use a package of ramen -- college students cannot get by on cheap junk food alone. Save the day (and their good health) with a gift certificate for cooking classes.
3. A better first impression
Interviews are on the horizon and those cheap paper folders that helped students through high school are unlikely to impress potential employers no matter how many letters of recommendation they contain. A snazzy leather resume portfolio, on the other hand, might hold the right effect.
4. A care package from the heart
This year, forget the gourmet food baskets or chocolate boxes and prepare a personalized care box for your favorite college student. Include some of their favorite foods, extra socks and underwear, and maybe even a subscription to the Wall Street Journal or Forbes Magazine.
5. What's cooking?
For college students, knowing how to cook is only half the battle -- having something to cook with (or the time to tackle meal prep at all) is the other. Enter immensely useful kitchen gadgets like crock pots, George Foreman grills or even the Magic Bullet food processor.
6. The gift of wellness
The New York Times reports that in 2011, academic and economic pressure left college students more stressed than ever before, a trend that has lead to record depression and a decline in overall health. For these students, a gift card for a massage or yoga class might be truly life-altering.
7. Moving right along
When oil prices skyrocket, you likely feel it at the pump. So do college students, which is precisely what makes a gas card such a practical, and meaningful, holiday gift.
8. A golden parachute
Move over "Oh, the Places You'll Go"; there's a new, more practical book in town called "What Color is Your Parachute?" Coined the "job seeker's Bible," it can give your favorite student a sense of what they really want to do when they graduate, knowledge about the fields that are in demand and tips on how to land a great job.
9. A hot date
Resumes are a job seeker's first impression, so it is important to make sure they are right. For a gift that keeps on giving, buy your future graduate a hot date with a resume consultant; many offer job search and interview assistance as well.
10. Join the club
When it comes to impressing employers, public speaking and leadership skills go a long way. A membership to Toastmasters International -- a nonprofit group that helps members hone valuable communication and business skills -- is a perfect gift for any future professional.
Student gifts on a budget
While all of the gifts suggested here are practical choices for future young professionals, college students aren't the only ones on a budget. If you'd like to give one of them a meaningful, yet practical gift and avoid breaking your bank account, consider something from the heart: a recipe box of family classics or a letter sharing valuable life lessons and observations. Remember, the time and emotion invested in a personal gift can be more cherished and memorable than anything you can buy.
