These Are the Best Gifts for College Students

Whether the college student in your life is a freshman returning home for the holidays for the first time, or a wizened grad student who’s seen too many semesters, you need a gift for them that helps them get through this important time in their life. You can give them something to help them study or even just relax. These are the best gifts for your college student this year. 

The best gifts for studying

Studying is kind of the whole deal when it comes to college, so help your student out with a gift that makes it easier or even more fun.

• Lap desks are a practical gift that also make studying slightly more relaxing. This one from Slendor ($33.99) packs a bang for your buck: It has a drawer for pens and pencils, stands for tablet devices, a little hole to hold a drink, and a USB port to charge a phone. 

• Smart notebooks are super cool because they help you digitize your notes and move everything you’ve written by hand to the device of your choosing. Try the Rockerbook Core ($19.97).

• By now, most of us have portable chargers that can power our phones and small devices, but did you know they make them for laptops, too? Getting a spot by the outlet isn’t possible in every single classroom, but your student doesn’t need to run out of juice if they have the Powdeom portable power station ($89.99).

• A mini printer like this one from Memoking ($29.99) is ideal for printing flashcards, mind maps, diagrams, notes, or whatever else—and is one of those things there’s almost no way the student already has. 

The best gifts for relaxing and making life easier

When there’s no studying going on, students need to chill out. How they do that is up to them, but there are some great tools out there to make it all easier. 

• Pick up a teeny-tiny fridge, which can be used to store skincare or emergency beers. This one from Frigidaire ($59.99) has a lighted mirror and can hold nine cans.

• The notion that college kids exclusively eat ramen noodles is cliché and not really reflective of reality anymore, but that’s what makes this gift kind of funny. A Layron microwavable ramen cooker set ($13.99) can help your student make a quick, easy meal, plus it comes with a bowl and utensils. 

• If you haven’t heard of the Comfy ($44.98), you might end up buying one for yourself. It’s am extremely oversized hoodie made of blanket material that is perfect for napping, lounging, or studying. It’s popular for a reason and great for a college student.

• For students living away from home, try a Master Lock portable safe ($23.98), which keeps valuables locked up and is convenient to move around or stash inconspicuously in a dorm.

• A Keurig K-Mini single serve coffee maker ($59.99) could be considered a study tool, but let’s just leave it here in self-care, since it’s so versatile and convenient. 

All prices were accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.