Gifts for Graduates to Prepare Them for Their Next Stage of Life

Great ideas for high school and college grads.

May 12, 2023

By: Amanda Mushro

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Photo By: Yuttana Jaowattana / EyeEm

Tell Your Grad Congrats!

It's graduate season! Whether your high school or college graduate is college-bound, career-bound, or headed toward a gap year, they deserve to be celebrated. If you need some inspiration for necessities they’ll need to start on their journey, here are some of our favorite real-world graduation gifts.

Instant Pot

Is there anything better than a delicious meal at the end of a busy day? Gift your graduate with the super popular Instant Pot so they can have a home-cooked meal even when they don’t have a ton of time to prep and cook.

BUY IT: Amazon, $99.00

Comfy Bedsheets

After many late nights studying, help the graduate catch a few Zs. These comfy and cozy bedsheets have more than 90,000 positive reviews on Amazon because they are super affordable, come in tons of colors and feel luxurious without a hefty price tag.

BUY IT: Amazon, $37.97

Wireless Headphones

Whether they are studying, listening to podcasts, or trying to drown out a noisy roommate, a great pair of noise-canceling headphones are a must-have. These top-rated headphones come in black, blue, and silver, and when fully charged, can be used for up to 40 hours.

BUY IT: Amazon, $50.00

A Better Coffee Pot

Skip the long lines at Starbucks but still get your caffeine fix with this upgraded coffee maker. Your grad can create delicious lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos and other coffeehouse-style drinks right at home with the Ninja Coffee Maker.

BUY IT: Amazon, $129.99

Wardrobe Upgrade

Help your grad start off their new adventures in style with a subscription to Stich Fix. Perfect for guys and gals, a personalized stylist will help choose clothes that fit their style, needs and budget. From business casual to a night on the town, they can look good no matter what they have planned.

BUY IT: Stitch Fix, gift cards start at $20.00

Smoothie Must-Have

Need a green smoothie? How about a whipped coffee? This highly rated blender will help your graduate make healthy drinks, smoothies and slushies. The blender even comes in handy when prepping food. The set comes with to-go-cups, so they can take their drink and run.

BUY IT: Amazon, $99.95

Dinner Made Easy

You’ll never have to worry that your grad isn’t eating a delicious dinner with this gift. With a subscription to Hello Fresh, you’ll know that they will have everything they need to make fresh and healthy meals. Even if they don’t know how to cook, Hello Fresh gives step-by-step directions that’ll turn novices into pro chefs.

BUY IT: Hello Fresh, gift cards start at $70.00

Roku

Make sure they never miss a minute of 90 Day Fiancé by gifting your grad a Roku. With this gift, your grad can stream free, live and premium TV over the Internet right to their TV. It’s super easy to setup and use. Just plug it into your TV with the included HDMI cable and connect to the internet to get started watching and binging.

BUY IT: Amazon, $22.99

Multitasking Furniture

Your grad may not have a lot of room in their new place, and they need functional furniture that can multitask. This sleeper sofa quickly transforms into a bed and has a sleek design, so it won’t take up a lot of space. It comes in simple neutral colors that can be paired with colorful blankets and pillows for a pop of decor.

BUY IT: Amazon, $215.99

First Tool Kit

We love a practical gift and this tool kit can help your grad when they need to hang a picture, fix a leaky sink, assemble furniture or if they are feeling inspired and want to tackle a few DIYs.

BUY IT: Amazon, $79.99

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