As the school year comes to an end and the senior classes are graduating, summer is officially beginning and so is graduation party season. Most likely June and July weekends are jammed packed with graduation parties all over your town and you are destined to be invited to at least one of them. Here is 10 great graduation gifts that are pretty simple, but greatly appreciated.
1. Cash or Checks
Many guests bring cards with checks or cash in them, which graduates love! College is so expensive and money really is the most helpful gift for us to receive. The cash helps us get a jump start on buying our books, dorm furniture and other school supplies we need!
2. Amazon Gift Card
Amazon.com really has anything you could ever need for your new dorm! It is also nice because they have a textbook rental service.
3. Picture Frames/ Dorm Decor
This helps us make our small 4 walls feel a little more like home.
4. Rolls or Quarters and Laundry Supplies
Although my school doesn't charge for students to do their laundry, some colleges still do and apartment buildings usually do as well!
5. Restaurant Gifts Cards
Chili’s, Olive Garden, Applebee’s, Pizza Hut, Panera or Jimmy John’s, any of these gift cards would be much appreciated by the graduate in the fall when they realize how they get tired of the cafeteria so quickly. **Bonus appreciation for restaurants that deliver! Freshman year you typically don't have a car so delivery is just much more convenient.
6. Cookie Certificate
I received a card from a very thoughtful family friend with three "homemade cookie coupons" that came with envelopes and stamps already adhered. When I mailed out my cookie request I received homemade cookies shipped overnight to my dorm.
7. A gift basket full of all the necessities
Use a storage bin or a laundry basket as the base to hold all items. It serves as a great container and can be used in multiple other ways as students get ready to pack up for college. Fill it with an assortment of garbage bags, ziplock bags, paper plates, microwave meals, paper towels, chapstick, pens, pencils, stamps and any other goodies you can think of.
8. Grocery Store Gift Cards
Meijer, Target, Kroger or any local grocery store gift cards are very helpful! If you know where the graduate is attending school look at on online map to see what the closet grocery store to their campus is. This card will help with snacks and any other things they forget to buy ahead of time for their dorm room.
9. Any college specific merchandise
T-shirts, water bottles, hats or any other college colored accessories are great gifts and used quite a lot during the school year!
10. Netflix Subscription
Check with the graduate’s family first to make sure they don't already have an account but this is one of the best gifts you could give a college student! Binge watching Netflix is a very popular hobby in college, so why not help them watch 12 seasons of "Grey's Anatomy" in 2 week?!
Whether you have a large or small budget, come fall one of these gifts will mean so much to the recent graduate! In this next year of their life, new graduates are going to experience what it feels like to be broke and will soon realize the benefits of working two summer jobs in order to save up for the school year ahead of them.
