9 Smart Graduation Gifts for the Recent Graduate in Your Life

It’s graduation season! If you have someone in your life who is making that long walk across the stage, you’re probably wondering what to get them as a gift. With that in mind, we have a few ideas for graduation gifts to help you show how much you care and how proud you are.

These gifts are geared towards a wide variety of personality types and price points, so odds are, you will be able to find something on this list that fits your needs.

Graduation gifts: 9 ideas to help you celebrate

1. Day planner.

If there’s one thing for certain about graduation, it’s that it opens the door to new experiences. Whether the grad in your life is heading off to college or becoming a young adult, they are undoubtedly going to have lots of new commitments and responsibilities that they need to put on the calendar.

In that case, a fresh day planner is the perfect gift for the grad who wants to keep track of it all. Find one with a cover that matches their personality and you will be good to go.

2. Plate set and silverware.

One thing that all recent graduates need is some basic kitchenware. Even if they are only frying up eggs and boiling pasta, they need something to eat off of and some utensils to use along the way. A plate set and silverware will come in handy, no matter whether they’re moving into a dorm or their first apartment.

In this case, you don’t necessarily want to go for fine china as a graduation gift. Instead, an indestructible set that is both dishwasher and microwave safe will probably get a lot more use.

3. Framed map print

If your grad is moving away to start their next adventure, a framed map print can help remind them of home or their former college campus. There are a ton of these custom prints on Etsy, so you should be able to zero in on one that features the exact location you need.

4. Subscription box.

These days, there are subscription boxes for everything. From cooking to booze, to clothes, and beauty, you should be able to find a subscription box that will fit your grad’s interests. Plus, an ongoing subscription as a graduation gift gives them something to look forward to receiving each month and a reason to think of you.

5. Meal kit.

Along the same lines as a subscription box, consider signing them up for meal kit delivery. While the recent graduate lifestyle will still undoubtedly include lots of late-night pizza and tacos, you can still make sure that they are eating healthy some of the time by having fresh food delivered to their door.

6. New laptop.

If you really want to make your recent grad’s year, you could surprise them with a new laptop as a graduation gift. Many recent graduates have been working off the same laptop for years and their current model has likely taken more than a little bit of a beating. A new laptop will help them feel ready to tackle the next set of challenges, whatever they may be.

7. Bar tool set.

When you’re dealing with a college graduate, there’s a good chance that any type of boozy gift will be a hit. While you don’t necessarily have to supply them with the alcohol, a bar tool set will work along those same lines. Combine this gift with a book of cocktail recipes and you can be sure they will be a hit among their friends for at least the foreseeable future.

That said, if you do want to make this graduation gift extra special, feel free to add on some basic cocktail ingredients. Odds are good that your grad will appreciate not having to stock their bar themselves.

8. Fancy coffee machine.

Being a recent graduate means putting in a lot of late hours. Whether they’re hitting the books to ace an exam or putting in lots of overtime at their new job, they will likely need some caffeine to help them get through it.

Setting them up with a fancy coffee machine is an ideal graduation gift. Make sure to get one that is programmable so they can set it at night before they wake up in the morning, as well as one that has an automatic shut-off. That way, if they forget to turn it off in the morning, they won’t be risking a fire.

9. The graduation gift that everyone loves: Cash

When all else fails, don’t be afraid to just give a recent graduate some cold, hard cash. The reality is that recent graduates have lots of expenses that they need to take care of in the immediate future. Whether it’s putting a deposit down on a new apartment or getting ready to go off to school, chances are that they will appreciate someone helping to shoulder the burden of those costs.