25 High School Graduation Gifts to Prepare Them for Life on Campus

This is a backpack that would work if they're entering the workforce or if they're going to college. It's as good for backpacking across campus as it is going across Europe on the rail. It takes an absolute beating and looks good in the process. 

More: 100 Dorm-Life Must-Haves for Every College-Bound Student

Freshman dorms may be too small to display a TV, but this mini projector is a great solution for streaming all of your grad's favorite shows from any open wall. It can project up to 170 inches across, and features two powerful built-in speakers for a thrilling theater-like viewing experience. 

They’ll definitely have a desk in their new dorm, but let’s be honest — the best place to do homework is in bed. This lap desk has some cushions on the bottom and holders for their phone, laptop, and wireless mouse.

For the adventurer, whether they're an athlete or a study-abroad candidate, a Hydro Flask is the perfect gift. This double-wall, vacuum-insulated, nontoxic, BPA-free, reusable water bottle will last them a long time. 

The bottle will keep drinks icy cold for up to 24 hours, and hot for up to 6 hours. The powder coating will give them a solid grip and zero condensation, and they come in other fun colors and sizes, too.

Big occasions call for big gifts. There is no gift that is more useful or more wanted for graduation than this Macbook Air. It's lightweight and powerful, and every high school grad is clamoring to get their hands on a model with the new M1 chip for speedy processing and better overall performance. 

These smart string lights worth with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and they can be controlled through an app on your phone. For when your grad wants to have friends over, they can sync the lights to their favorite song for a fun (but appropriate) party.

We love the fun color of this crossbody bag. It features an adjustable strap, an interior and exterior pocket, and a water-repellent fabric that makes it useful no matter what's happening outside.

Leaving the comforts of home can be scary for anyone, especially an 18-year-old. Give them the gift of security with a weighted blanket. This pick from Casper features slim rectangular quilting that the brand says is inspired by performance outerwear, and is meant to keep the microbead filling more evenly distributed. The blanket comes in dark blue.

Any new grad will appreciate a pair of Allbirds. This pick features the classic wool fabric, but it also has a water-repellent shield that makes them perfect for rainy weather, too. After all, eventually they're going to be trudging to class in a storm. 

A personalized jewelry box is the perfect high school graduation gift for someone who wants to keep a few things safe and secure. This pick comes in three different leather colors, and personalization options range from various colors to different fonts and styles. Inside the case, you'll find spots for earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and more.

This retro-cool graduation gift will allow them to capture amazing moments and share them with friends IRL. The Instax Mini 9 Camera is tricked-out with a selfie mirror, LED-lit flash, and an automatic exposure measurement, so even nighttime shots won’t come out too dark.

A dorm essential that'll make your college-bound grad slightly more excited about having to do their own laundry, this personalized hamper makes for a practical gift. Embroidering their initials with a custom monogram will make it easy to tell their basket apart from all the others in the laundry room!

College dorms can often be a cold, and sort of lonely place. Make their bed their cozy refuge by getting them some genuinely wonderful sheets. (That just so happen to be super durable if they say, forget to wash them for a few weeks.) Brooklinen's core set is the perfect gift for your new grad in need of their own haven.

Whether their lounging in bed or on the floor for movie night, this cozy husband pillow will keep them comfortable. It supports the entire upper body and is filled with shredded memory foam that forms to your body. Plus, it comes in tons of fun colors.

You could gift a new grad any old AirPods case, but we think this pick from Cuyana is a little more luxurious. It comes in light pink and black and can be monogrammed, too, for an extra special touch. Note that it's only made for the original AirPods, not the Pro version.

Make sure they aren’t spending their entire first-semester meal plan on coffee when it couldn’t be simpler to brew in their dorm. 

This Keurig has a small footprint and won't take up too much space. Gift them a reusable coffee pod and some coffee beans for a full coffee-themed gift.

We love the sleek look of this dopp kit, making it a great graduation gift for high schoolers. It has a front zip pocket, a top zipper closure, a side handle, and our favorite part — a hidden hook on the inside to easily hang in the shower or on a towel rack.

You never forget your first college roommate — especially if their musical tastes were horrendous. Allow the incoming freshman to get their studying done in peace by gifting them these top-rated noise-canceling headphones. They're comfortable enough to be worn for extended periods of time without numbing their ears.

Everyone needs studying tunes! A portable Bluetooth speaker is an absolute must-have item for college students. We love this compact yet rich-sounding speaker from JBL that comes with a handy carabiner to strap securely to their bike or desk.

They've most likely been using hand-me-down luggage from a parent's old set. Use their high school graduation to get them one that's all their own. This sleek rolling suitcase from Away has a lot of interior room, while still being able to fit in the overhead bin of major airlines. It even has an ejectable phone charger. 

Candles are usually a no-go when it comes to on-campus living, which is why we’re recommending this gorgeous oil diffuser from URPOWER for the scent-obsessed. It’ll run for up to 6 hours and can change between seven colors of lights. Either set it on a pre-programmed cycle or just keep it going until the water runs out.

For the incoming freshman in need of some extra comfort in their new digs, we also recommend this set from Lagunamoon, so they can diffuse a blend of relaxing scents as they wind down for the night.

Who needs awkward icebreakers when you have this card game on hand? This game is comprised of two different decks: a photo deck and a caption deck. With each turn, everyone picks a caption card from their hand to match the photo card drawn by the judge. The judge determines which meme is the funniest, and the game continues rotating judges as long as everybody wants.

There's a lot of walking involved when it comes to life on campus. With the Fitbit Inspire, they'll be able to track their steps, distance, hourly activity, and calories burned. They’ll even be able to track their sleep and set silent alarms to buzz them awake in the morning. Plus, the battery will last them 5 days so they won't need to charge it nightly.  

Worried about sending your recent grad — who tends to lose things — off to college? Rest assured. They can track down any misplaced items with the Tile Mate, which has a ring they can attach to items like keys or wallets. You can also double-press the Tile button and find your phone, even when it’s on silent.  

If you can't make the ceremony, but you still want the grad to know how proud you are, have them treat themselves to whatever they've been dying to get from Amazon on your dime with a gift card.