Shopping for college kids, or high school seniors, can be a tricky process. College kids are still in between the teenage stage and the adult stage in life, so knowing what is best for them can be a challenge. Often, parents end up getting their kids expensive gadgets that they think will help them in school, or something that involves the schools colors. While these gifts are great there is also a great amount of unique gifts that will not only make your students life easier, but will also bring a bit of pleasure to their dorm room lifestyles.
1. Exam Guide
Every student goes into college having one great stressor in common with other students. That stressor, of course, is their college exams. Exams can frighten even the strongest of people, so why not give your kids the tools they need to laugh off the stress of exam periods. This F in Exams: The Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers by Richard Benson is a collection of students’ answers that are totally wrong. This exam guide will prove to your student that they have what it takes to get through their exams and will provide a lot of humor that will help relieve them from stress. This book is perfect no matter what your college kid majors in! You can purchase this book for $5.52 on barnesandnoble.com.
2. Mini Fridge
Every college kids needs their own mini fridge, so they can keep their own sodas and snack cool. This gift will probably be the most useful to your student, especially since most college kids run on soda and energy drinks. This fridge will allow your child to save money, since they won’t have to constantly buy from vending machines. This Koolatron KWC-4 Coca-Cola Personal 6-Can Mini Fridge – KWC-4 will give your student’s dorm an awesome retro feel that their friends will love. This fridge can even be locked so roommates will not take your kid’s goodies. You can find this great gift on homegardenoutdoors.com for $$36.14.
3. Survival Kit
There has been a lot of talk, some serious and others joking, about the end of the world, zombie apocalypse and other disasters. College kids are one of the most popular groups for discussion about such events, so what better gift than a survival kit for your kid to show off or put their mind to ease with. Better yet, just in case they do actually find themselves in bind. This Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Kit comes with sixteen pieces that can be stored in this small bag. Kids can leave it in their dorm rooms, backpacks, or their cars in case anything should occur. This kit will take care of situations like being stranded in the wilderness, or simply just dealing with a power outage in the winter months. You can find this Gerbit kit for $34.43 on amazon.com.
4. Massage Chair
College kids get stressed a lot, so what better way to relieve that stress than with their very own massage chair? The Nap Massaging Bed Rest will sit right on your students bed, so they will not need a lot of room for the chair. They can stay up late studying with this fantastic chair as it has a built in light and a cup holder for their much needed coffee or energy drinks. The chair even has a built in storage space for their papers or books and a small pocket to hold their remote control. When students feel too stressed they can turn on the chair’s back massager using the control panel in the arm rest. This chair can even be folded up and stored when student is ready to sleep. If you are worred about the chair getting broken you can also purchase a warranty. This chair currently ships for free with a $50 wine voucher, for you of course! You can find this chair on brookstone.com for $99!
5. Texting Gloves
Everyone knows how hard it is text and operate other technology with a pair of gloves on. This Christmas grab your kid a pair of gloves that will not only keep their hands warm, but will also allow them to carry on with their daily activities without having to constantly take their gloves off and put them back on. These gloves come in black so they are not gender specific and can be purchased in three different sizes. These gloves will make it easier for your kids to keep in touch with you, make sure their homework assignments are correct and chat with their friends. They will also be able to take notes on their tablets while staying warm in drafty classrooms. These gloves can be found on amazon.com for $14.99 or less.
6. Pinball for the iPhone
Kids love to play games in their free time and with this great device they can play between classes, on the bus, or while waiting in lines. The Pinball Magic for iPhone and iPad Touch is the perfect gift for any college kid who likes to make the most of their free time, even if it is only a few minutes. This little device attaches on top of the iPhone and allows students to play Pinball in the same manner as the game was originally played. Everything functions just as it would a regular machine, it is just much smaller. Kids will enjoy sharing this game with their friends and will have a boost in morale no matter how hard they have to work each semester. You can find this fantastic gaming device for $27.52 on expansys-usa.com.
7. Cookbook
Ramen is one of the biggest staples of student life because it is such a cheap food and you can purchase it in so many different flavors. Sometimes, though, ramen gets old and you want something a little bit different. This cook will teach your student how to spice up their budget friendly meal and still save! 101 Things to do With Ramen Noodles by Toni Patrick will not only teach your student how to make their meal worthwhile, but will also entertain. Your student will learn how to build onto basic recipes and cooking techniques which will help them become better chefs in their own kitchen one day. Next thing you know, your student might even be offering to cook you dinner! You can find this great book for $7.50 at bookbyte.com.
8. Beanie/Headphones
Kids love to walk around with head buds constantly in their ears. With this great beanie no one will know that they are listening to music. Kids will also have a better chance of keeping their ear buds in working order and they might not get lost! The Tooks Velocity Light-Knit Audio Beanie has earphones attached safely inside of the fabric of the hat. The cord comes out of the back of the beanie and can be connected to any form of audio player discreetly. This beanie comes in four different colors and will work for both male and female students. Your student will be the envy of all of their friends with this beanie! You can find this great product for $27.99 at tookshats.com.
9. Solar Battery Charger
Students that love to conserve energy as much as possible will love the Solio Bolt Solar Charger Plus Battery. This set allows students to charge just about any device that charges through a USB port. The Solio charger can hold solar energy up to a year, so will typically be good to go whenever your student needs to charge anything. It also charges devices just as quickly as they would if there were plugged into a wall. This charger is great for students who always forget to charge their stuff as they can hook it up to the solar charger no matter where they are, even in class! This device has enough energy to fully recharge an iPhone twice without having to be placed back in the sun. You can find this great gift for $79.95 at redenvelope.com.
10. Headphone Splitter
Kids love to share their music with their friends, which makes the Kikkerland US005-LB Music Branch 3-Way Head Phone Splitter – Wired Headsets – Retail Packaging – Light Blue the perfect gift for dorm room kids. Now, your kids can connect up to three headphones into one audio device making your students noise pollution zero. Kids can watch movies together without bothering their roommates, listen to music, or even use audio books to help one another study. This head phone piece can connect to most phones and is easy to hook onto a belt loop or keychain so that it will not easily get lost. You can find this three way splitter for $8.99 at amazon.com.
The college years can be a fun and exciting time for your student, but it also comes with a lot of periods that are filled with stress. These great gift ideas will help your student perform at their best ability because these gifts will bring entertainment and stress relief to their lives. Of course, there are many other things that a college student would love to have, but with these great gifts you will score a lot of cool parent points with your college kids and your budget too!
