The son of a friend is graduating from high school this coming weekend. I’d like to get him a small gift. Thinking back to my high school days, a manual typewriter or a slide rule might be good ideas. 
Any serious suggestions?
Money. Really.
I know, we’d all like to gift people with meaningful, thoughtful gifts. The idea is wonderful. In practice, though, the kid wants money. Or something that you can’t afford to give him (but you can help with a modest down payment!)
My only other suggestion is a copy of Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” I gave it to my oldest stepson (along with money) for graduation. He thought it was completely dorky, but about what he’d expect from me! 
What is this person doing after high school?
He’s going to college.
He’s probably getting a laptop, so any laptop accessories would be useful–nice headphones can be a real asset in a dorm room, since they allow you to shut out the outside world. Those folding camp chairs cost about $12 and are very handy in a dorm room. A decent set of poker chips is a nice social thing, as is a set of “apples 2 apples” (which I swear even macho college guys love).
If he’s into sports, a frisbee or a basketball can be useful. If he’s going off to a different climate, appropriate gear is useful (like decent gloves).
Candy is always useful in a dorm room–I made a big splash once with a five-pound bag of Jolly Ranchers I bought at an office supply store.
A Leatherman or otherwise decent pocketknife is always cool to have.
Do you know what he’s majoring in?
As my son reached graduation age his friends did too (duh) so I had the need to get a lot of inexpensive gifts that a young man could actually use. I started getting gift cards for food or gas places. $50 gift cards from a place like Chipoltes have been smash hits. Teenaged boys eat a LOT of food and they are always short of cash.
The money I got from my high school graduation allowed me to not have to work my freshman year of college but still have money for gas, non dining-hall food, shopping with friends, beer etc. So I had tons of free time to focus on school and making friends rather than being stressed working. So, give him money.
I’ve heard this idea with the point being that unlike cash, you have to spend it on ‘treats’ for yourself (even if the treat is a disgustingly large burrito). I know I certainly didn’t do anything nice for myself in college, and when you give a gift card that only buys burritos you can be sure it’s being used for enjoyable if frivolous things. I think it’s a nice idea as long as your son isn’t going to be completely independent.
I gave a copy of that to my sister for her university graduation. She couldn’t speak to thank me and then cried for about an hour! He may not appreciate it now, but in years to come if he reads it again he’ll get it.
I agree with the money thing too. I would’ve kissed anyone who gave me money when I was just starting university. (Wait, that sounds… never mind.) Get him a copy of the book and slip some cash or a gift card into it.
Yes, that book, and money, will almost always be welcome.
I got a belt with a very nice monogrammed belt buckle from a family friend for my high school graduation in 1983. I’ve changed the belt itself since, due to wear and tear, but the buckle is still going strong and still looks great.
My wife and I were just having this conversation this morning, as a cousin of mine graduates next week. The most useful and long-lasting high school graduation gift I got was a desk fan. Used it for four years in my dorm room and many years thereafter in the succession of post-college cheap apartments. A close runner-up was a blue Rubbermaid tote that fit under the bed which had been filled with laundry supplies and a roll of quarters. The supplies were used up quickly, of course, but the tote became my toybox and to this day is filled with slinkies and koosh balls.
My best gifts for high school graduation were a couple of full sets of towels and a steam iron. I still have and use a couple of the bath towels and only replaced the iron last year when I got a really sweet heavy duty one for the sewing room and moved the old sewing room iron down to the laundry. I’ve been out of high school for 15 years.
A couple bricks of Ramen Noodle and a pyrex bowl.
The best thing I got for graduation was a alarm clock. It was small enough that I could always throw it in my bag when I was traveling and it was loud enough that I never slept though it. It lasted 7 years and still kind of works but the screen in hard to read and the battery is dead (separate issues).
Aside from that cash is king. I can’t think of anyone that couldn’t use $20-$50 heading off to school.
I got a travel alarm clock for my graduation from high school too. I used it all the time in college. The problem is I graduate high school in 1980 :eek:.
However, I think cell phone alarms have made travel alarms obsolete. They have for me anyway.
A care package to take off to college - a basket with heat n’ eat (shelf stable) entrees, microwavable macaroni and cheese and such, ramen noodles, energy bars, candy, Crystal Light powders you can put in water, a big pump bottle of hand sanitizer, box of tissues, a nightlight!, a package of those mounting squares for attaching posters and such to the wall (the kind that don’t do any damage, read the label first!..
ROLLS OF QUARTERS FOR THE LAUNDRY! And a big bottle of detergent. (I wish they still sold those tablets of detergent that you could toss into the washing machine, they were lighter and more convenient than the liquid detergent).
Gift cards for Walmart, or restaurants near the campus are invaluable and deeply appreciated.
Money, of course, is most appreciated.
I took a survey of what kids going off to college would like 4 years ago, among my daughter and her friends, brought up the usual - a nice pen, a tote bag, etc. - they all shot down the usual suggestions and said Show Me The Money!
I think most school laundries are on swipe-card or token systems these days.
I have given Leathermans to several people as gifts. Everyone has been very appreciative, and occasionally I still hear about how the Leatherman saved the day on one occasion or another. I use my own Leatherman several times a week.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with cash, either.
I don’t know how much you are willing to spend, but a nice carry-on bag is dead useful. I traveled more in college than I did in high school, and having good luggage was a major plus. Eddie Bauer makes some nice rolly-bags.
So his university plans are confirmed?
When I went to university for architecture, my parents bought me a nice portfolio to store and carry drawings in.
A lot of these things like rolls of quarters for the laundromat are situation-specific, and need to be confirmed on arrival, as arrangements may differ from college to college. (For instance, the laundry machines in my apartment building need a specific combination of quarters and one-dollar coins, which is really annoying.)
Money is a good idea.
Perhaps one of those prepaid Mastercard cards? They have a hefty built-in fee of $5 or so, which makes the larger ones ($100, $200) more cost-effective. The fee is a smaller percentage of the total amount. Also, after six months or so, they start deducting a monthly fee from the remaining stored amount.