So, it's over. Your child has made it through yet another college semester of tears, lethal amounts of caffeine, and enough stress to kill the average person. We college students look forward to the joy of being out of class for just a few weeks to recover.

Now as we all know, Christmas is coming up. I am sure that you have asked your child what they want for Christmas. If they are anything like me, chances are that they told you "nothing" or "just some clothes". At this point in our lives, everything that we need is either super cheap, or super expensive--there isn’t really anything in between. This can make buying things for us pretty challenging. I am going to give you a quick list of the best things you can get your college student for Christmas. Now, this is just a quick and general suggestion list--please don’t blame me if these gifts aren’t a home run with you kids.

A nice pair of headphones

This is something that every college student needs to have an investment in! Sometimes you need some ambient noise to study; sometimes you need to listen to something and don’t want everyone else to hear; sometimes everyone is being extremely obnoxious and you just need to block them out. Whatever the case, a nice pair of over-head headphones or a good pair of ear buds can make or break your day. I promise if you get a good pair, your child will not complain.

Clothes

I know it sound cliché, but it is amazing how many socks get holes in them. I literally ask for base layer clothes for every gift-giving holiday. Several times this year, I have looked down and had a hole in my pants or a button missing on my shirt. These are just things that we need. As a kid, I hated getting clothes. As an adult(ish), I consider it a really good year when I get new jeans!

Good tablet or computer (if possible)

Now, I know that this is not possible for everyone, but if you can afford to get your child a nice tablet or laptop, they will be beyond grateful. There is nothing worse than needing to get something done and your computer not have the program, or not have the capability to complete the task. It may seem like a lot, but it is a great investment. If you can get a very nice one for $900 and it last for 5 or 6 years, it is better than getting a $250 one and needing a new in a year or less.

Good cooking utensils

This one really only applies if your child is living in a house or apartment. This is a very good gift because this one will last for years. It is really nice when I cook something and it doesn’t stick to the pan and require me to get a full workout in from scrubbing the pan. I know that I am more likely to cook with my good equipment than I would have been if I had some cheaper stuff that was a pain to take care of. You cannot go wrong with this gift.

Good, quality school supplies

Regardless of what they are majoring in, your child will have certain things that they will use all throughout school, and beyond. As an engineering student, I have a $15 pencil. It has a counter weight, extended tip and rubberized grip. You may be thinking that it is insane to pay that for a pencil, but it is one that I will use for years. I have a good compass set that will last me, too. These are things that I will always need. Find out what your child needs and invest in high quality versions. If they are an English major, maybe a really nice pen set. A nice stethoscope would be a good gift for a nursing student. A well-made portfolio would be nice for a business student. No student will ever be ungrateful for high quality supplies.

A semi-question-free break

I know that you and the family are curious of how the semester went. I know that you all want to know every detail of each class from syllabus day to the final class. The thing is that we have been through this class for 14 weeks and really have no desire to think about it for a while. We will tell you how finals went and answer the cliché “I think I did alright in there”, but other than that, we would just really rather not talk about it. It isn’t necessarily because we did poorly, but when you get asked the same things every time, it just becomes stressful. If you really want to give us a nice gift, leave the questions to a minimum and let’s just enjoy Christmas break together.

C.Long