tm919 Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 (edited) My niece's graduation is coming up soon and I'm so completely clueless on graduation gift ideas! Her mom has historically had a hard time coming up with gift ideas, my niece is going to live at home and commute (so no college dorm accessories), and she has a job so my other grand idea of giving money envelopes also fails... Please help with suggestions if you have any!! It can be anywhere between $50 and maybe $350 (since there are multiple family members who are also puzzling over what to get her). Edited April 9, 2016 by tm919 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 Particularly for girls, I always give a gift card to a store like Kohl's or Marshall's with a note to buy some new things for themselves. Several have said that they really enjoyed that. My oldest is a commuter, and we used the checks and gift cards for clothes, a better calculator, school supplies, and textbooks. He needed jeans and t-shirts that weren't quite so worn. We gave him a fancy backpack and a new smart phone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 I was a commuter college student on full scholarship and i would have liked: Awesome car organizer accessories. I lived in my car. I organized all my books/lab equipment by milk crates. Maybe an audible subscription. I had to drive through rush hour sometimes, so i got books on cd (ok, i'm old lol). Some cool bluetooth speaker for the car? Nice messengar bag? Good wheeled cart for books etc? Will she be stydying abroad? If so luggage, travel accessories like plug adapters. Coffee shop on campus? Gift card/insulated mug 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellen Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 Audible membership so she can listen to audiobooks during the commute 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 DS commutes. We bought him an easy to lug around laptop so he could do homework on campus between classes. (No dorm room to go back to and classes are often not back to back) He would have needed a sturdy backpack if he didn't have one already. Even with a job, I think cash would be great...books are expensive, snacks between classes can be a luxury while paying for school, classes sometimes have everyone chip in for pizza and sometimes classes require outside events (DS had to attend a concert and write a report for example). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 A skateboard? Our local university has a huge campus, so many of the students transport themselves from class to class on long boards or regular skateboards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 My dd loves to get gift cards to the movie theater. She has trouble justifying $10+ just to see a movie with friends. But, with the movie gift card, it can't be used anywhere else anyway and it almost feels like going to the movies for free. :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 Gas cards seem so obvious. :) Don't discount cash. The fact is there are a lot of expenses for busy college students that are driving to college and work - they have NO time to stop and eat at home so they are very eat on the go. Because she is always on the go, the things I've seen her use the most? Gas Eating Out A really sturdy backpack with a laptop sleeve laptop tablet gps oil changes tires And, despite having a job, she really doesn't like to spend money so she rarely does indulgences. She's really appreciated Starbucks cards because they allow her to spoil herself without spending money. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Mouse Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 A really nice travel cup or mug such as a Yeti brand 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 Gift cards to nearby restaurants. (lunch time!) Gas cards Department store gift cards (clothes, backpacks, shoes) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 DS commutes and we pay for his gas...we consider it part of college costs. I'd double check with the mom, otherwise gas cards might end up a gift for the parents. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 One of our dd's high school graduation gifts, since she was going to commute to the local cc, was a insulated coffee mug with the school logo on it and a t-shirt with the same that I got at the school bookstore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 So many great ideas, I just wanted to say that cash is always welcome, even if she has a job. Don't rule that out yet! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 tech device for car? USB ports, blue tooth thingy to help play music from smartphone through car speakers, thing to make phone calls on speaker work through car speakers... and if they drink hot liquids like coffee maybe one of those heating travel mugs you plug in to keep warm on the road. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Amazon giftcard--she can use it for something fun, something needed, or textbooks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Maybe a Hurley type backpack - stylish & trendy, an iTunes gift card & a pair of earbuds. Three staples of many college students here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xahm Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 If there is a "nice" gas station on her path that has refillable cups (like Quiktrip has a deal where if you bring in the refillable cup, your drink is way cheap), maybe get a cup/mug like that and put a few gift cards in it. Like a gas card, a card to a couple restaurants near campus, etc. An Amazon card enough for a Student Prime membership might be nice, too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm919 Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Thank you so much everyone! I know that many of these ideas will get used, since everyone who is trying to buy for her is equally confused about what to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 I will second the cash or gift cards to nearby restaurants - even those on campus. As a commuter student, sometimes my days drag out and I end up buying food on campus when I didn't plan on it. I live too far away to just pop home during that spare hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Kate Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Regardless of college plans, I always give a gift of cash. Seems like everyone could use a little extra cash - especially during such a great time of transition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 money, gas card, roadside assistance membership, gift card from the college bookstore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magic Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 My son is a commuter college student and has found his headphones to be invaluable. He studies on campus between classes and needs to block out outside distractions. We bought him a pair of Beats for his 19th birthday in October and he found them to be so much better than regular headphones. He uses them daily on campus and at home to block out the household noise that can be distracting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Gas or food gift card? I went to college with a girl whose grandparents gave every grandchild a gas card when they went to school. They paid for all their gas until they graduated. That was so cool. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 If she will be driving to school -- gas card, or prepay her parking pass. If she will be riding the bus -- campus meal card so she can get meals/snacks, or coffee shop/fast food card if there is somewhere near campus she prefers to eat, or bus pass (if her school doesn't subsidize or roll the cost into tuition). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 AAA membership, plus something fun (maybe restaurant gift cards, t-shirt or sweatshirt from her university, etc...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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