# Gifts idea - 18 year old HS senior headed to college **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708 "2014-11-15T17:44:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708/41 "2014-11-17T02:59:25Z")
Some advice regarding computer security. He _may_ want to use a Kensington security cable to lock the computer to the library table when he’s working there. And rather than storing papers and homework on the computer itself, he might want to keep them in the cloud, in a Dropbox account, Google Drive account or similar product. That will protect him both against the computer being stolen and the hard drive failing. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708/42 "2014-11-17T03:04:50Z")
Or a USB stick - he maintains physical possession of the data - no hack worries. I’d use the HD, and do a backup to the stick whenever I was ready to shut it down. Yes, the “cloud” scares the hell out of me - how many more nude pics need to be floated before people realize that there is nothing stopping a hacker from taking financial and personal data as well as photos? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708/43 "2014-11-17T03:12:44Z")
I’m suggesting that a college freshman store his European history homework or his essay on The Pilgrim’s Progress in the cloud. I really doubt any hacker is going to be interested in that. (Plus USB sticks are subject to failure and loss.) ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708/44 "2014-11-17T06:00:01Z")
It’s not a bad idea to hold off on some dorm stuff until you actually see the room and meet any (if any) roommates. And I’d hold off on laying a big $$ gift on him for college until he’s there. Maybe make arrangements with him that on his second weekend at college, you’d like to come for a visit, take some measurements with a tape measure, buy him a nice meal, and take him shopping for some things he’ll need for his dorm room. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708/45 "2014-11-17T06:58:06Z")
Some type of luggage. He probably doesn’t have any, and it’s something he’ll need going to/from school, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708/46 "2014-11-17T14:05:00Z")
The gifts that were the most practical and often used were a hamper with a removable bag, laundry detergent (the Tide Pods would be super convenient these days), rolls of quarters, a shower caddy, shower shoes, and an easily distinguished towel. Not sexy but most appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708/47 "2014-11-17T19:14:51Z")
> [@cmosdes](#): > > I’m struggling to come up with a unique gift idea for my 18 year old son who is likely headed to college next year. He is a t-shirt and jeans kind of kid and doesn’t go to concerts. He had a good phone and a laptop. > > I’m considering giving him $500 and an appointment with an investment counselor. I realize it isn’t much, but I figured it would give him an opportunity to learn how to plan for the future and get him introduced into saving or maybe investing. > > Thoughts? That is precisely what my parents did. Upon acceptance to university, my parents and grandparents gave me $2000 and had me open an account and invest it in stocks. My dad worked with me for the first year - suggestions and what to look for - and then gradually stepped away. I still have the account and most of the original companies ( Apple, IBM, etc. ) and I have watched the stocks split several times and continue to grow. It help that as a kid I was always a world class money grubber and would put any money I recieved into a savings account, so despite some rocky times, I have managed to stay focused on the long term and not panic at the first sign of trouble. We did the same thing to Ms. DrumBum when she went to University and her portfolio is doing pretty well. Your son sounds like a kid with a good head on his shoulders so I think it is an excellent idea for you to do. ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708/48 "2014-11-18T00:09:43Z")
I’m shying away from the investment idea. I might put the money into a mutual fund for him and teach him how to monitor it and watch it grow, though. He might get the concept of saving from that. I do think he needs to learn how to handle his finances and be ready for that, but for now I think a book on finances would be better. A mini-toolkit seems like a decent idea. Although what he can possibly fix is beyond me, especially in college. He doesn’t have a car and likely won’t for a long time. I’m toying with the idea of taking him on a kayaking trip next summer as one last chance for him and me to get out together and do something like that. It seems like something he’d really enjoy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gifts-idea-18-year-old-hs-senior-headed-to-college/704708.md?page=2)