Graduation is a milestone you’ll want to celebrate. It’s an exciting time for college students and their friends and family, but it can also be stressful if you’re not sure what to get them as a gift.
If you’re looking for something practical that will help your graduate make the most of their post-grad life, we’ve got some great ideas for you!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Graduation is an exciting but potentially overwhelming time for young adults. |
| Unique and personalized gift ideas can make your graduate feel extra special. |
| Practical gifts can help graduating students prepare for their next steps. |
| Sentimental gifts can help graduates celebrate their achievements and reflect on their accomplishments. |
| Experience gifts offer a non-material way to celebrate a graduate’s accomplishments. |
| A combination of these gift types can create the perfect graduation gift package. |
Tech Support
When you graduate from school, there’s a lot of pressure to have the best. You want to find the job that pays well and gives you room to grow. You want your grad party to be epic. You want a hot roommate who will make all those late-night study sessions bearable.
And maybe most importantly: You want a laptop that doesn’t randomly crash mid-essay or phone that won’t freeze up while you’re on the lamest Tinder date ever.
These days, it’s easier than ever for graduates even those fresh out of college to pick up necessary technology items like laptops and phones with their own money (or parents’ money).
But if they’re still in debt from college loans or living with roommates because they can’t afford anything else yet…Well, then getting them some new tech gear might be just what they need!
Looking for a unique gift idea to congratulate a recent graduate? Our guide to personalized graduation gifts offers great ideas that will show your graduate how special they are.
A Gift That Keeps Giving
The gift you give is a reflection of the type of person you are, and it can set the tone for how your graduate should approach the next phase of their life.
If you want them to succeed in their new job/career, consider getting them something that will help them stay organized and save money.
A few ideas include:
- Gift cards or certificates to stores or restaurants they enjoy.
- A meal delivery kit (e.g., Blue Apron) that they can use once or twice a week while they get settled into their new home.
- An Amazon Prime membership so they can watch Prime Video on all their devices without paying for another service like Netflix or Hulu+.
Most importantly, make sure this gift is relevant to what stage in life your graduate finds themselves in (i.e., if they’re 30 years old and living with roommates).
Gift That Keeps Giving Brands
| Gift Type | Brands |
|---|---|
| Subscription boxes | Birchbox, Blue Apron, Dollar Shave Club |
| Donation in recipient’s name | World Wildlife Fund, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital |
| Experience gift | Airbnb Experiences, MasterClass, Tinggly |
| Online classes | Skillshare, Coursera, Udemy |
| E-book/audiobook platform | Kindle Unlimited, Audible, Scribd |
Cooking And Gathering
Cooking and gathering is a great way to stay connected with friends and family. You can do this for yourself, or for others. You can cook for yourself, or for others. You can gather with friends and family, or strangers.
Graduating from high school is an exciting time in any young adult’s life, but it can be overwhelming too. Our ultimate graduation gift guide, high school edition offers an array of gift ideas to help ease the transition.
Financial Planning
It’s time to start talking about retirement. As a parent, you’ve probably already started saving for your children’s future by putting money into their 529 accounts or 401(k)s.
They’re in good hands, and as long as you keep doing that, they’ll be ready for retirement when the time comes.
However, it’s also important to have a plan for their post-grad life which won’t necessarily entail working at an office job until the end of time (unless that’s what makes them happy).
How can you help ensure that your graduate is financially prepared for whatever comes next? The answer lies in an emergency fund:
An emergency fund is just what it sounds like a pile of cash saved up just in case something goes wrong with finances or life down the road.
It should be enough cash to cover any unexpected expenses (like replacing a broken dishwasher), but not so much that it becomes tempting to dip into during times when income drops or bills go up too much.
Financial Planning Resources
| Resource Type | Brands |
|---|---|
| Budget tracking apps | Mint, Personal Capital, YNAB |
| Credit score monitoring | Credit Karma, Experian, MyFICO |
| Stock trading apps | Robinhood, Webull, E*TRADE |
| Retirement savings tools | Blooom, Click Wealth, Vanguard |
The above table offers some helpful resources for those interested in financial planning after graduation. These resources include budget tracking apps like Mint or Personal Capital, credit score monitoring services like Credit Karma or Experian, stock trading apps like Robinhood or Webull, and retirement savings tools like Blooom or Vanguard. These brands can help new graduates take control of their finances and plan for their future.
Cleanliness And Organization
Here’s a basic rule that will help you avoid wasting time and money:
Keep all your important documents in one place. This includes IDs, insurance cards, bank statements and other financial information.
You might also want to include your birth certificate and social security card (and backup copies of those) in this folder. Your graduate can just bring this folder with them when they move out of their parents’ house or apartment!
- Get organized before moving out by getting rid of anything that doesn’t belong in their new place (like old magazines from college life).
- When it comes to cleaning supplies, buy what you need now instead of waiting until later because they’ll only be more expensive then and maybe even out of stock at all if it’s peak season!
For those who are creatively-minded, check out our graduation gift ideas for the artistic graduate. These ideas will not only inspire their creativity, but also help them celebrate their achievements.
Long-Term Plans
Long-term plans are important because they allow you to set goals and objectives that can help you achieve your dreams. These goals should be specific, measurable, and realistic.
For example, if your goal is to get into a top business school, it should be something you can achieve with hard work, dedication, and perseverance over a period of several years.
You may want to set smaller milestones along the way so that you don’t feel overwhelmed by your overall goal of getting into a top business school or becoming CEO one day.
After graduation from college or university (or high school), many people face the challenge of figuring out what they want their next step in life to be.
Many young adults experience what’s known as “quarterlife crisis” they’re not sure where they belong in society or have trouble finding meaning in their jobs or careers and when this happens we often look at our parents’ lives asking ourselves “why didn’t they tell me this would happen? Why didn’t they prepare me?” But sometimes our parents don’t know what we’ll need either!
Long-Term Planning Services
| Service Type | Brands |
|---|---|
| Life insurance | Geico, State Farm, Nationwide |
| Financial planning advisors | Edward Jones, Charles Schwab, Betterment |
| Legal services | LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer, Avvo |
| Health insurance | Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente |
| Career development | LinkedIn Learning, The Muse, Glassdoor |
Job Search Tools
There are a number of job search tools that are useful for graduates and young professionals. These include:
- Job searching platforms, such as Indeed and Glassdoor, can help you find positions in your field. You can also use them to research employers and learn more about their culture.
- LinkedIn can be used to connect with recruiters in your area or industry. It’s also a great place to apply for jobs directly through the site you’ll get an email when recruiters are interested in interviewing you!
If you’re looking for the perfect gift for a future engineer, our guide to graduation gift ideas for the future engineer has got you covered. From practical gifts to inspiring ones, we’ve got everything you need to celebrate their accomplishments.
Keeping The Social Life Going
Once you have a sense of your graduate’s interests, consider the ways in which they might continue to be social after graduation.
- Do they want to travel? If so, give them an experience that will help make their travels easier such as an airline gift card or luggage.
- What are their hobbies and passions? If your grad is passionate about something (like photography), a cool photo book would make for a great gift.
- How can you help them make connections in their new city? A subscription to an online magazine like National Geographic Magazine or Outside Magazine might be just what they need to feel connected with people who share their interests even when far away from home.
The Perfect Study Spot
The first thing to consider is where your graduate will be studying.
A quiet place: If they live on campus or at home, they may have access to a study room or a private area. If they are going off to college, this is probably not an option. It’s important that the location is comfortable, so make sure that it is easy for them to focus without feeling rushed or stressed out.
Good lighting: This might seem obvious but natural light can really help us get through our work faster and more efficiently than artificial light sources like lamps or overhead lights (which can get annoying).
A laptop/tablet/phone charger: It may seem silly but having reliable internet access at all times is crucial when you’re trying to do homework! If possible, try giving them an extra power source as well–it never hurts 🙂
Making Your Own Rules
This one’s a fun one. Take a few minutes and write down the rules you want to follow in your post-grad life. The rules can be anything, but they should be things that will help you succeed in whatever new endeavor you decide to pursue next.
For example: I’m going to spend my time reading more books this summer; I’m going to make sure I don’t spend more than 2 hours per day on social media; I’m going to try out some new recipes every weekend!
Once you’ve written your own set of rules, it’s time for the hard part: following them. This is where most people fail because this is not something we’re used to doing (we’re used to breaking rules).
But if we follow our own personal guidelines for success enough times—and then learn from our mistakes then eventually this habit will stick with us forever!
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you get some ideas for practical graduation gifts. Whether you’re looking to help your graduate with their career goals or just kick-start their adult life, there are plenty of options available.
Remember that the most important thing is to keep their interests in mind when selecting a gift and don’t forget to enjoy yourself as well!
Further Reading
If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect graduation gift, check out some of these articles for more inspiration:
The Best College Graduation Gifts: This article offers a variety of gift ideas for college graduates, from practical to sentimental.
Gifts for College Graduates: The New York Times’ Wirecutter team put together a list of unique and thoughtful gifts for recent college graduates.
39 Best Gifts for Graduates That They’ll Actually Use: Oprah Daily provides a comprehensive list of gifts that graduates will love and use, with options for every budget.
FAQs
What are some practical graduation gift ideas?
Some practical gift ideas for graduation could include items that will help the graduate start their next chapter, such as luggage, a professional bag, or office supplies.
What are some sentimental graduation gift ideas?
Sentimental gift ideas for graduation could include items that celebrate the graduate’s achievements, such as a personalized photo album, a class ring, or a framed diploma.
What are some unique graduation gift ideas?
Unique gift ideas for graduation could include experiences like skydiving or a cooking class, personalized artwork, or a subscription to a service like Audible.
Should I give a gift card as a graduation gift?
Gift cards are always a safe bet as a graduation gift, as they allow the recipient to choose something that personally resonates with them. You can customize the gift card to fit the occasion and the recipient’s interests.
Are there any non-material gifts I can give for graduation?
Yes! Non-material gifts like a heartfelt congratulations letter, a charitable donation in the graduate’s name, or the gift of your time (by helping with a move or organizing a celebration) are all meaningful ways to celebrate a graduation.
Hey there, I’m Hellen James, and I’m here to help you find the perfect gift for all your favorite people. I have been working in the retail industry for a little over ten years now, and I’ve seen a lot of people struggle to find the right gifts for their loved ones.
