12 gifts for someone starting college out of state

Remember your first day at college? Full of dreams, maybe some stomach butterflies doing the cha-cha. Now, you’re sending someone off with a suitcase and a heart full of well-wishes. Let’s sprinkle in some laughter and maybe just a pinch of practicality. Here are 12 gifts that scream: ‘You’ve got this!’

Customizable Dorm Room Care Package

Remember that one time you moved into your first dorm and realized you owned three flip-flops and a harmonica? With a customizable dorm room care package, your kid won’t have to rely on questionable ramen strategies. Personalize with snacks or toothpaste—the real campus currency! It’s like sending a tiny part of home wrapped in bubble wrap… minus the accidental harmonica.

Noise-Cancelling Study Headphones

Alright, so noise-cancelling study headphones. Let me tell you, they’re basically like having a magical force field around your head that blocks out everything—like the loud roomie who’s always jamming to polka at 2 AM. It’s like putting your brain in its own little library, minus the shushing librarian.

Portable Laptop Desk with Cooling Fan

Alright, picture this: you’re crammed in a dorm room so small it feels like the inside of a Tupperware. Your laptop’s melting on your lap like it’s trying to sauté your thighs. Enter the Portable Laptop Desk with Cooling Fan! It’s got fans more dedicated than my mother at my failed band gigs. Keep your legs ungrilled and your productivity sizzling. If only it came with an alarm for missed online classes—college solved!

Personalized State-Themed Throw Blanket

Listen, when my niece went to college, she took a state-themed throw blanket, and suddenly her dorm became the UN of cozy. It’s like a map you can nap on! Perfect for covering that tiny bed or as an impromptu fort. Keeps the homesickness at bay while broadcasting ‘I come from a rectangle with a personality!’

Smart Reusable Notebook with Cloud Syncing

You know, this smart reusable notebook with cloud syncing is like a college student’s best friend that doesn’t eat their ramen. Picture this: your notes—actual useful ones—not the doodles of cats with sunglasses, can fly to the cloud faster than you can say ‘all-nighter.’ Imagine never losing notes unless you’re prone to misplacing clouds.

Compact Multi-Tool Keychain for Emergencies

Alright, picture this: you’re alone in a dorm with a vending machine that ate your last dollar. Enter the Compact Multi-Tool Keychain. It’s like MacGyver in your pocket! One time I used it to unscrew my roommate’s bad taste from our shared decor.

Subscription to Meal Kit Delivery Service

Alright, so a Meal Kit Delivery Service subscription is like giving your kid an instant culinary miracle in a box. Remember when you first moved out and realized ramen isn’t a food group? These kits solve that problem with actual nutrients. It’s like sending Gordon Ramsay as their roommate, but without the shouting or terrifying critiques! Plus, now they can impress friends with ‘home-cooked’ meals instead of cereal every night.

Digital Photo Frame Preloaded with Family Pictures

Remember when moving out was like a photo album disappearing act? Enter the digital photo frame preloaded with family pics. It’s like having your mom subtly judging you from afar—digitally! My cousin got one, and now he swears his pet cat waves at him during stressful exams. Nostalgic comfort without the awkward ‘look how cute you were’ chat every call. Genius, right?

Monthly Coffee or Tea Subscription Box

Imagine sending your kid off to college, and their biggest stress isn’t calculus or fitting into their new social group—it’s that they might actually run out of caffeine. Enter the monthly coffee or tea subscription box! It’s like gifting them a lifeline for late-night cramming sessions. Plus, my nephew swears it helps him talk to strangers without mumbling. Magic beans indeed!

Bluetooth Tracker for Keys and Wallets

So here’s the deal with a Bluetooth tracker for keys and wallets. It’s like giving them a personal assistant, but without the judgmental stares. Seriously, college life is mostly pretending you know where your stuff is. I once lost my car keys in the fridge. Don’t ask how—they just showed up next to some questionable leftovers. This thing finds your wallet before campus coffee does.

Ergonomic Backpack with Charging Port

So, you’ve got this ergonomic backpack with a charging port. I mean, finally! Carry all your stuff without resembling a hunchback and charge your phone so you can text your mom: ‘Yeah, laundry’s getting done.’ I had one in college—it saved me from having to claim the only outlet at Starbucks like it’s my kingdom.

College Survival Guidebook with Local Tips

Listen, a college survival guidebook with local tips is like having an insider’s cheat sheet for your new life chapter. Remember when I wandered a campus convinced the library was a mythical creature? This gem spills secrets even Google Maps doesn’t know—like the one coffee joint where baristas smile and the best napping spot during finals. It’ll make you feel less like you’re playing ‘Where’s Waldo’ in a textbook.