By Gavin Swanson and Marcos Duran Posted June 9, 2016
All the seniors who are going to college really need help. Coming from two seniors ourselves, we need all the help we can get. As we go off to Cornell and Utah for our own college experiences, we leave without a lot of money, a lack of personal possessions, but a lot left to figure out. So help out the college-bound senior in your life by giving them a little gift; any small thing helps. If you’re not quite sure what to get, then we can help point out some of the best gifts to give to seniors and some of the gifts to avoid.
First and foremost, the obvious answer: money. Seniors need money. We’re not even going to talk about it. If you can, give us money.
Electronics are a surefire way to help any senior out; pretty much any item in this category of merchandise is helpful in some way. Thinking about spending quite a bit on your senior? Then buy them a laptop to help with studying, projects, and personal use, and the occasional essay that makes them question why they are even in college in the first place. Or buy them an XBOX, PlayStation, or Wii U for some personal relaxation and decompression. Trying to spend in a more moderate range? Then purchase a little Bluetooth speaker for music or a tablet/smartphone for eBooks, easy-to-access to-do lists, and internet access on the go. Even if you don’t have too much to spend, a simple universal micro-USB charger or a pair of earbuds can be very useful to a new college student. Some school-oriented gifts also include calculators, preferably the TI series, with built-in Calculus operations, which will definitely come in handy.
If you really love your senior, a car is always a good present, albeit a very expensive one. All college students are in need of mobility, whether it be to the store for some groceries or to the various classes around campus. It does not have to be a car that is very expensive, just one that fulfills the basic needs of the student. Speaking of basic needs, everyone always needs clothes, so they would not be uncalled for.
On to the no-nos. While clothes are always needed, socks are just something that does not need to be gifted. It really is a disappointment when a gift is opened, and all that awaits at the bottom of the box is a melancholy pair of white striped socks.
Another gift that leaves the graduate in a state of disappointment is a tin lunchbox. Come on, people! What are we, eight? The time for this gift is long gone!
Self-help books, such as the “For Dummies” series. Yes, we know we could use a couple more brain cells, but these books aren’t doing the trick.
There you are, folks, your handy dandy guide for what to get your graduate this graduation. Heed our advice.
