Holiday Gift Ideas for College Students During Uncertain Times

By Luke Douglas

Some might still be in denial that we couldn’t possibly be welcoming the first snow soon, but the holidays are approaching quickly. You already know from your previous years that it’s best to prepare early for all of your holiday shopping. 

Although you might be still enjoying the October sun and the occasional rainy day,  the sooner you pick the perfect gifts, the more prepared you’ll be for the holidays. If you don’t, you risk ending up with the last thing you want to buy for the college student in your life, the one person who needs cheering up the most, considering the tough year we’ve all had and the challenges that students have yet to face.

Whether they study languages, medicine, graphic design, or physics – the world is brimming with gift options to make them happy and help them enjoy the jolly season. Here, we’ve listed a few good ideas for all kinds of students, and hopefully, these will simplify your holiday shopping and make your college student happy!

Empower your student’s self-care

During college, students rarely invest enough time to take better care of themselves. Add the pandemic into the mix, and they probably experience even more stress and tension than they normally do. With all that in mind, your gift can help your college student understand the relevance of self-care and invest more time in it. If they need advice from a nutritionist, you can cover the expense of a few consultations.

Then again, a self-care package with scented candles, massage oil, and a good meditation book might do the trick. A bag of skincare essentials, especially for students with sensitive or acne-prone skin is another brilliant idea. Your gift can be simple, but wellness-focused, so it can be a gift card covering a few relaxing massages, too!

Think of purposeful presents

Unless you’ve been a nursing student or you’ve studied quantum mechanics yourself, you most likely haven’t the foggiest as to how difficult or mind-bogglingly challenging these studies truly are. So, choosing purposeful gifts for these hardest-working students is the best way to show them how much you care and help them cope with their workload in practical ways. 

Some of the most useful gifts for nursing students can help them organize their lives, ranging from portable phone chargers for students who are always on the go, all the way to nourishing hand cream to prevent chapping during the cold season. Then again, medical books tend to be expensive, so you can purchase a set of books they’ll need for the upcoming semester. Staying awake for long hours is another task medical students need to tackle, so a portable coffee mug or insulated travel mugs are a brilliant solution, too. 

Gadgets to simplify their life

Most students love tech, so this is your chance to impress your college student with a perfect gadget they’ll both love and use for months, if not even years. Some gadgets such as wireless headphones, or top-notch speakers for their computers are both practical for studying, but can also encourage them to have a little fun with their favorite audiobooks, podcasts, and music.

Then again, safety is a prime concern for most parents of college students, so it’s a good idea to find gifts that ensure their safety. Anti-theft backpacks, tactical pens, pepper spray, and approved tasers are all excellent ideas for your busy student. 

Holiday-themed cozy items

Even the busiest students cannot say no to a pair of superbly comfy, fluffy slippers – especially with antlers and deer ears. Perhaps not every student will go for a goofy gift, but oversized, warm sweaters for cold winter nights, and blankets and throws to make those long study sessions more comfortable are always welcome. Make sure not to go overboard with the holiday theme, so choose colors that your student will actually want to wear.

Gifts that keep on giving

Students are known for leading thrifty lives. After all, they have to, especially those that are already piling up student debt while working their way towards a hopefully lucrative career. Until that day comes, you can give them a gift that will not just be useful, but that will serve them for a while. You can, for example, cover their annual gym membership to encourage them to stay active and healthy while enjoying their favorite activity.

Alternatively, you can purchase an annual subscription to their favorite magazine to help them stay informed and enjoy some quality unwinding their own way. Since the situation is challenging and the pandemic doesn’t really allow for classic gifts such as theater tickets, you can go for something different, but equally useful, like self-defense lessons, online workshops, and the like.

The life of your college student is anything but easy right now, but the holidays are the perfect opportunity to bring some joy into their busy days and remind them of what matters the most: their health and wellbeing, as well as some quality family time! Let this guide be your checklist for present purchases, and make this year’s buying frenzy a little easier on your wallet and your mind.

Some might still be in denial that we couldn’t possibly be welcoming the first snow soon, but the holidays are approaching quickly. You already know from your previous years that it’s best to prepare early for all of your holiday shopping. 

Although you might be still enjoying the October sun and the occasional rainy day,  the sooner you pick the perfect gifts, the more prepared you’ll be for the holidays. If you don’t, you risk ending up with the last thing you want to buy for the college student in your life, the one person who needs cheering up the most, considering the tough year we’ve all had and the challenges that students have yet to face.

Whether they study languages, medicine, graphic design, or physics – the world is brimming with gift options to make them happy and help them enjoy the jolly season. Here, we’ve listed a few good ideas for all kinds of students, and hopefully, these will simplify your holiday shopping and make your college student happy!

Empower your student’s self-care

During college, students rarely invest enough time to take better care of themselves. Add the pandemic into the mix, and they probably experience even more stress and tension than they normally do. With all that in mind, your gift can help your college student understand the relevance of self-care and invest more time in it. If they need advice from a nutritionist, you can cover the expense of a few consultations.

Then again, a self-care package with scented candles, massage oil, and a good meditation book might do the trick. A bag of skincare essentials, especially for students with sensitive or acne-prone skin is another brilliant idea. Your gift can be simple, but wellness-focused, so it can be a gift card covering a few relaxing massages, too!

Think of purposeful presents

Unless you’ve been a nursing student or you’ve studied quantum mechanics yourself, you most likely haven’t the foggiest as to how difficult or mind-bogglingly challenging these studies truly are. So, choosing purposeful gifts for these hardest-working students is the best way to show them how much you care and help them cope with their workload in practical ways. 

Some of the most useful gifts for nursing students can help them organize their lives, ranging from portable phone chargers for students who are always on the go, all the way to nourishing hand cream to prevent chapping during the cold season. Then again, medical books tend to be expensive, so you can purchase a set of books they’ll need for the upcoming semester. Staying awake for long hours is another task medical students need to tackle, so a portable coffee mug or insulated travel mugs are a brilliant solution, too. 

Gadgets to simplify their life

Most students love tech, so this is your chance to impress your college student with a perfect gadget they’ll both love and use for months, if not even years. Some gadgets such as wireless headphones, or top-notch speakers for their computers are both practical for studying, but can also encourage them to have a little fun with their favorite audiobooks, podcasts, and music.

Then again, safety is a prime concern for most parents of college students, so it’s a good idea to find gifts that ensure their safety. Anti-theft backpacks, tactical pens, pepper spray, and approved tasers are all excellent ideas for your busy student. 

Holiday-themed cozy items

Even the busiest students cannot say no to a pair of superbly comfy, fluffy slippers – especially with antlers and deer ears. Perhaps not every student will go for a goofy gift, but oversized, warm sweaters for cold winter nights, and blankets and throws to make those long study sessions more comfortable are always welcome. Make sure not to go overboard with the holiday theme, so choose colors that your student will actually want to wear.

Gifts that keep on giving

Students are known for leading thrifty lives. After all, they have to, especially those that are already piling up student debt while working their way towards a hopefully lucrative career. Until that day comes, you can give them a gift that will not just be useful, but that will serve them for a while. You can, for example, cover their annual gym membership to encourage them to stay active and healthy while enjoying their favorite activity.

Alternatively, you can purchase an annual subscription to their favorite magazine to help them stay informed and enjoy some quality unwinding their own way. Since the situation is challenging and the pandemic doesn’t really allow for classic gifts such as theater tickets, you can go for something different, but equally useful, like self-defense lessons, online workshops, and the like.

The life of your college student is anything but easy right now, but the holidays are the perfect opportunity to bring some joy into their busy days and remind them of what matters the most: their health and wellbeing, as well as some quality family time! Let this guide be your checklist for present purchases, and make this year’s buying frenzy a little easier on your wallet and your mind.