Gifts for college kids

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/672215Let college-living grandchildren—or children—know you're thinking of them with these sure-to-make-the-grade ideas from Dawn Bryan, author of The Art and Etiquette of Gift Giving and found of The Qualipedia:

Fund New Expenses:
• Coin bank filled with quarters for laundry or parking meter
• Car parking fee for a semester
• Gift certificate to school bookstore for books and supplies
• Coupons for local carwash

Select Practical Items for Dorms or Apartments:
• Shelving, portable bookcase, and organizers
• Gift certificate to website/catalog/local store for bedding and other linens of his/her choice
• Foot locker or chest for storage as well as for use as table
• Small refrigerator
• Folding umbrella and rain parka
• Bookends
• Laundry bag with supply of detergents
• Desk or bed reading lamp
• Cooking basics, such as frying pan, knives, and mixing bowls
• Battery-operated vacuum
• Floor pillows or beanbag-type chairs
• Flannel sheets
• Portable smoke detector
• Folding lighted mirror

Help to Keep in Touch
• Subscription to hometown newspaper and/or magazine
• Photos and frames
• Calendar marked with birthdays, anniversaries, etc. of family and friends.
• Plane tickets home for Thanksgiving or the holidays

Just For Fun:
• Season (or single) tickets to school games
• School memorabilia: caps, T-shirts, mugs
• Passes to local driving range, movie house, concert
• Membership to local museum, sports club, gym
• First shares of stock along with a subscription to investor news
• Back-to-School Party for one or a group of recent graduates to celebrate their new life change. Party decorations would mirror their new school choices and guests would bring appropriate gifts.

Comments

[Lawn Care Lawrenceville]

As a recent college graduate, I think the best high school graduation present I got was personalized stationary and monogrammed towels.
The stationary helped with writing thank you notes.
The towels prevented other students from taking them.