My goddaughter is graduating high school this year and I have been trying to think of some good gifts to give her. Seeing as it is almost June, I figured a lot of people would be in the same boat as me. So, I won’t be specific with this girl and just look for general good grad gift ideas so everyone can benefit.
Here are some ideas I had
A new backpack (But, I wasn’t sure what kind of backpack an 18 year old girl would like.)
A few rolls of quarters. (She’s off to dorm life. Perfect for laundry doing, and fisticuffs - if it comes to that.)
Cash money that doesn’t jingle.
I’m so glad you’re thinking small, unlike my cousins. They sent their daughter on a 3-month around-the-world cruise . . . then of course bragged to everyone about the cost. The daughter came back even more of an unappreciative bitch than when she had left.
A great big, high quality, dictionary. She won’t like having to pack it, when she moves, but I promise, it will see use, and she’ll have it all her life.
(I know, I know, we all have spell checkers now, and maybe dictionaries will disappear from the earth altogether. All the more reason, one day it’ll be a collectible!)
And especially good gift if she likes books or reads a lot.
I lot of places don’t use coin-op laundry any more – they have these cards you swipe, with a balance that you adjust using cash or a credit card. So the coins might be a cute gift or not, depending on her university.
-A coffee machine or popcorn popper for her dorm room with enough coffee/popcorn to get her started. (check university’s website to see what’s allowed). A mini fridge is a more expensive, but very welcomed choice.
-Gift card to a clothing store you know she likes, to buy some new things for school.
-A collection of frames for photos of her friends & family.
I’m not much on the dictionary thing (and I like books and read a lot). I, personally, rarely use one and the internet is good enough for the occasional clarification. I use my Roget’s A-Z Thesaurus about 10x as much as I use a dictionary (which actually, isn’t that often). YMMV.
I’d be wary of the backpack, that’s something I always needed to pick out for myself. But what might be a nice variation is an cute tote bag for weekend trips. Or a carry-on roller bag if she’ll ever have to fly, maybe something other than the ubiquitous black. Luggage and is less a personal choice, and I know I can always use another bag, I like having different sizes and shapes to pick from when I’m packing.
But if you’re not against money then this is probably one of those times when money makes a great gift. Or a grad-themed Target gift card, so she can pick out college/dorm stuff herself.
The best high-school graduation gift I got was a copy of Joy of Cooking. The recipes aren’t at all gourmet, but there’s enough detail that you really understand what you’re trying to do – and dang, is it thorough. I’ve never used the section on butchering game meats, for instance, but almost every time I’ve had a basic cooking question – ingredients, techniques, weird names for things – it’s covered in there.
Other similar choices might be a good basic medical reference book and a how-to-fix-things home repair reference book – the latter even if she’s off to the dorms. Most students leave the dorms after a year or two, and in the meantime it’s still easier to (say) fix the seal on the fridge door yourself than to pester the dorm repair people for it, plus you’re the dorm hero for a day or two.
Obviously all this information is available on the web… but it’s the kind of stuff that’s extra-nice to have on your shelf for the grabbing, and for which it makes a big difference whether the source you’re using is accurate and thorough.
Good stuff for dorm life (and student apartment life):
[ul]
[li]a sturdy, large laundry bag designed to hang on the back of a door[/li][li]some of that poster-tack stuff[/li][li]a gift certificate to a poster shop, online or local (while she may already have a million posters for her current bedroom, her taste is likely to change now)[/li][li]noise-canceling headphones or high-quality earplugs[/li][li]a really comfortable folding chair[/li][/ul]
One gift I remember that I never, ever used: a garment bag. Nice thought – look, here’s something you can pack an interview outfit in! – but it just took up space in my closet until I gave it to Goodwill years later.
The two gifts I got when I graduated 13 years ago that I still use today are:
A bedside lamp. Better yet, a touch lamp. I’ve used it every day since I first got it.
A nice woven throw blanket. Mine happens to be some scenes from classic Winne the Pooh. I still use it all the time, and used it in college. It has a little personality and a lot of function.
I don’t remember who got me what for my graduation, or what all else I got (but I did write thank-you notes and I appreciated money immensely)…but I remember that my mom’s aunt got me the lamp and my parents got me the throw.
I got a large Eagle Creek travel backpack along these lines for my high school graduation. At the time, I just had one trip in mind for it.
Ten years later, it’s been to 20 some odd countries, slogged across every form of transport from camel to canoe sometimes for months on end, and generally just worked to the bone. In between adventures, it’s been called into service to transport laundry and groceries.
It’s still in perfect condition, despite being put through literal hell. One clip got lost once, and they promptly sent a new one to me- all the way in China.
I got my daughter a couple of rolling footlockers. Just like regular footlockers, but they have wheels on the bottom, just like luggage does these days. The footlockers can accommodate padlocks, though of course if someone wants to make off with the whole locker, the wheels make it easier. But the lockers can roll easily out of the way in a cramped room, and provide storage for most non-clothing items, or even out of season clothing.
I’ve had enormous success with giving Leatherman multitools. Would a college campus have a problem with those things? They do have blades on them. They don’t take up much space, but they do have a lot of useful tools in that space. And it’s something that she can use the rest of her life.
All these suggestions are dreadfully practical! I’ve always given my cousins something a bit grown-up and frivolous for their high school graduation gift - a fancy small purse, an item of high-end makeup, some nice jewelry they can wear on a night out, etc. But I know them and their tastes pretty well so the gifts were easy to buy.
My mom is considering getting my daughter Lasik surgery. I hope other people get her money, that’s what she really needs (or a job). I don’t know what I’m doing about it.
When I graduated, I mostly got money. The only gift I remember came from one of my grandma’s cousins, and it was several sets of nylon granny panties with ruffles on the seat. No joke.
My older brother got me a copy of Oh the Places You’ll Go and wrote a touching inscription on the inside. Yes, I still get verklempt when I think about it.
Otherwise I think cash or a gift card to somewhere like Target is the most useful gift.
Speaking as someone who graduated high school 5 years ago, there were two gifts that stood out.
One was cash. Cutting her a check in the biggest amount you can will be a huge help; even if her parents are footing the bill for school, chances are she’ll silently thank your gift as being able to afford some Friday night dinners or movies. If you hate giving cash, give her a Target, Costco, or Amazon giftcard.
The other memorable gift was an assortment of suitcases given to me by my aunt - in flaming red. I have a gigantic one, a medium one, and a travel/rollon one. Even if she’s a frequent traveler, chances are good she doesn’t have her “own” set of luggage. If you can spring for it, go for Samsonite. Like** even sven**, I’ve put them through hell slogging back between semesters and in between semesters cross country to visit family, friends, boyfriends, etc. I can spot 'em a mile away on the luggage carousel. I still own them, and I still silently thank her immensely for them.
Meh, if someone gave me that I’d consider it a big heavy paperweight. I haven’t used a physical dictionary since about 1995. There are so many free and comprehensive electronic dictionaries these days. In fact, I have a dictionary extension for Chrome that allows me to double click any word on any website and have a definition pop up instantly - it’s too awesome for words (NPI).
[ul]
[li]A starter pack of bath essentals in a plastic shower tote: her favorite shampoo, conditioner, scented body wash, deodorant, razors, toothpaste, toothbrush, travel sized hair dryer, curling iron, straightening iron.[/li]
[li]A tote filled with tylenol, ibuprofen, Tums, sunscreen, Benadryl, hand sanitizer, tissues, dental floss, facial wipes, tampons…[/li]
[li]A set of nice washcloths, hand towels and bath towels, along with a fluffy robe.[/li]
[li]A laundry basket filled with laundry detergent, fabric sheets, clothespins, and a few mesh laundry bags. [/li]
[li]A set or two of extra-long sheet sheets, a fleece throw, comforter, pillow cases and a nice pillow for her dorm.[/li]
[li]An iPod docking station and speakers, and a noise-reducing headset. [/li]
[li]A nice plush carpet remnant sized to fit her room. [/li]
[li]A dorm fridge and/or microwave (if her dorm allows this and/or doesn’t supply it).[/li]
[li]A 30" flat screen t.v. (if her dorm allows it).[/li]
[li]A colorful beanbag chair.[/li]
[li]A gift card for the local movie theatre or nice off-campus restaurant.[/li]
[li]A reloadable Visa card that you can replenish at Christmas. [/li]
[li]College branded T-shirts, nylon jacket, and/or sweat shirt/sweat pants. [/li]
[li]Tickets to a local play or concert.[/li][/ul]
I particularly like the idea of a medical supplies tote. When I went to college, the campus bookstore and the surrounding c stores had small packages of things like aspirin for sale…at vastly inflated prices.
I wouldn’t get her anything that might not be feasible or wanted in her dorm room and/or might cramp her personal style. I wouldn’t have wanted towels that anybody else had picked out and there was literally no place in my dorm room for a bean bag chair. Even a laundry basket wasn’t feasible. And how would the OP know what kind of toothpaste she likes?
I like the medical supplies idea.
Another sure-fire winner–Small tool set. She WILL need some basic tools. Here’s what I would include:
–One of those Buck Bros. screwdrivers with the different heads built in.
–A smallish pliers (or a multitool)
–A smallish hammer
–A utility knife with extra blades
–A tape measure
–A small assortment of nails, screws, cuphooks, etc. (you can buy a pre-made one or throw some of your own extra stuff in a baggie.)
–Duct tape
–Whatever else you think is a good idea.
Put it all into a soft-sided tool pouch.
She’ll think it’s odd when you give it to her, and she will thank you over and over when she uses it.
No, seriously, one of the best things I got for HS graduation was a gigantic tin of starlight mints–those things are godly for pushing you along that last hour of homework when you’re yawning and don’t want to caffeinate. I scoffed at first, but now I am a believer.
I’ve always given my cousins something a bit grown-up and frivolous for their high school graduation gift - a fancy small purse, an item of high-end makeup, some nice jewelry they can wear on a night out, etc. But I know them and their tastes pretty well so the gifts were easy to buy.