Traditional watches can be expensive, but startups are changing that. MVMT is probably the best-known watch industry disruptor. If you'd like to read more about the company, we've covered them in depth here.
You can get the sort of classic, work-appropriate accessory that makes outfits look a bit more competent and established for as little as $105, and he'll be happy he didn't have to shell out for this small but meaningful luxury. It'll likely come in handy for his first internship.
In general, subscriptions are some of the best gifts that you can give. A monthly treat, especially on a tight budget, can be a really nice thing to look forward to.
Birchbox is one of our favorite subscriptions out there, and one uniquely well-suited for graduates. It combines monthly deliveries of small personalized samples and an easy-to-use e-commerce shop. His box will have four grooming samples (like nice aftershave, body wash, or even cologne), plus a cool accessory or gadget each time.
For him, you can gift a man's subscription for 3 months for $30, 6 months for $60, or a full 12 months for $110.
An annual Amazon Prime membership is one of those things that immediately makes life easier and ultimately better. If you decide to gift one, the recipient will enjoy free two-day shipping; access to the Prime Now app, which provides free two-hour delivery on tens of thousands of items; Prime Video, Amazon's streaming video service; Prime Music; the Kindle Lending Library; Prime Reading; Prime Audible Channels; unlimited photo storage, and more.
If you want to see how Amazon Prime actually gives you a lot more than free shipping, you can read our overview of the service here. Especially if he's planning on ordering anything for his dorm on Amazon (or books for school) he's going to save a lot of money in shipping just by using this.
If he's heading to college, his freshman year will almost undoubtedly feature many trips from his dorm room to a communal bathroom. A nice toiletry bag makes it easier to schlep everything at once, and it looks a lot nicer than one of those plastic caddies.
If you're not looking to spend that much, consider this less expensive option ($35) made by another one of our favorite companies to watch. It's unisex and made out of neoprene, the spongy luxe material you'd find in scuba gear.
This suitcase has become extremely popular for a few good reasons. It's lightweight, comes in a variety of colors, and has both an ejectable battery built-in to charge all devices and 360° wheels. Especially if he's headed more than a car's drive away after high school, he'll be extremely grateful for a nice suitcase with which to travel.
We've covered Allbirds many times at Insider Picks, and for good reason: they might actually be the most comfortable shoes in the world. The originals are all made from Merino Wool, which is not only sustainable but also temperature regulating and unusually soft. He'll probably wear these until the day they finally give out on him, but until then, they're machine-washable and easy to clean.
Few accessories manage to be as versatile as the backpack — especially this one, which thankfully looks luxe enough to transition from class to internship seamlessly. We tried the Lite version of this and called it the perfect commuter backpack.
It features a padded faux-fur lined laptop compartment for his laptop, a secondary compartment with organizer pockets, and hip-side zippered pockets for easy access to things like his phone on the go.
It might seem like an add-on gift (and maybe it will be for you) but I guarantee he'll appreciate an extra long, extra durable lightning cable to charge his phone with. No matter if he ends up on the bottom or top bunk at the dorm, he won't have to inconvenience himself or buy a new charger every month.
If he's headed to college, he'll likely get access to the University gym automatically as a student, but anything guided or more arduous might come with a big added expense or tricky logistics.
Aaptiv is a popular app that lets users listen in on thousands of workout classes led by certified personal trainers so they can get the same workout as in a class without paying the exorbitant entry prices or figuring out how to get there without a car on a Sunday afternoon. Especially if he's adjusting to college after playing sports in high school, this is a nice way to have the best of both worlds and get a really great workout.
Particularly if he's going to a school with a big sports team, you can be sure he'll both need and appreciate all the fan gear.
These hyper-comfortable joggers from popular startup Tommy John go anywhere he does: walking the dog, soccer games, long flights, and class. They're quick-drying, moisture-wicking, anti-odorized, and have four-way stretch. They're also tapered, have a drawstring closure, and he can zip or unzip the ankle zipper for more air flow when needed. He can relax in them and get by wearing them to class occasionally.
The Amazon Echo is easy to transport and use, and it can be used as his stereo, alarm, and personal assistant (setting timers, reporting on local weather and traffic, placing orders on Amazon, and reminding him to send an email by 10 AM).
For everything from sharing a bathroom with 40 strangers to social network do's and don'ts, this funny but useful New York Times best seller runs the gamut.
Whether he commutes or is heading back to school and therefore the library, he's bound to use Bluetooth earbuds a fair amount (especially now that all the new iPhones more or less require them). The Apple AirPods are a popular choice he's likely to love.
If he has an internship coming down the pipeline (or might like carrying his books around campus in something more upscale than a backpack), a great messenger bag is a helpful gift. He'll undoubtedly need one and won't want something that looks amateur or breaks two months in, but he's not likely to want to spend $100+ on one himself on a college budget.
Plus, this one can be used as a briefcase, backpack, or shoulder bag.
The Fire TV Stick is Alexa-enabled, so grads can leisurely control content like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Starz, Showtime, or CBS All Access by voice. They can also stream Pluto TV, IMDB Freedive, and others for free. If his future plans include roommates, this is probably what they'll wind up using most of the time.
There will be plenty of late nights filled with cheap and tasty ramen. If they're going to eat it anyway, at least let them make it quickly and perfectly every time.
There's a reason FitBit has become a household name: They work really well, and the features are helpful and cover what the average person cares about. This one lets you choose from more than 15 exercise modes, records sleep quality, and is swim-proof and water-resistant to 50m.
Especially if he's leaving home for a new place, it doesn't hurt to give him some cool, low-key decorations for his dorm that will remind him of his hometown (or another special place). It can be tough to find the right decor for an 18-year-old boy's room, but this is one you can feel confident about giving. You can the full Insider Picks review here.
Yeti makes the kind of powerfully insulated mugs built for cold mornings outdoors, and they hold up exceptionally well around campus. They also offer just over 180 colleges to choose from to help him show some collegiate spirit.
Perhaps the most convenient gift is as simple as a solid external battery. He's bound to use this countless times, and it might even keep him safer. This one comes with over 8,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, and it'll charge an iPhone 8 three-and-a-half times and a Galaxy S8 two-and-a-half times.
Life doesn't stop just because you're studying. Encourage your loved one to take time to enjoy activities outside of campus with friends by giving them a solely-for-fun gift card to spend on concerts, games, and plays.
Most college students probably don't have a wealth of professional clothing to pull from for high-pressure situations like interviews and a big internship. Help him make a good impression, and see your money go to good use, with a blazer he can use repeatedly and for years to come.
This rugged, portable Bluetooth speaker should be able to take whatever is thrown at it or, perhaps more accurately, spilled on it in the years to come. He'll be thankful for something convenient, compact, highly-rated, and durable.
An easy way to make friends in college (or anywhere) and the best way to pass a snow day, he'll get more use out of this funny and irreverent card game than you probably think.
For weekend trips or schlepping things home, he'll be thankful he has a tough, stylish weekend bag. An internal organizer pocket prevents key and phone float, the bottom zip compartment quarantines heavy stuff, and reinforced grab handles can take on truly heavy loads.
Whether he loves to read or might appreciate the lightness and compactness of an e-reader, a Kindle is a great gift for recent graduates. He can read in broad daylight without a glare with the Paperwhite version, and store thousands of books for the same forgettable weight.
Whether it's on his commute, gym time, weekend trips, or just at the library, you can be sure he'll get a lot of use out of these fan-favorite headphones that are incredible for isolating noise. Plus, they'll be something he holds onto for years to come.
He's probably outgrown the scuffed wallet he has now — and anyway, Velcro doesn't transfer as well to 19 as it did to 12. You can gift him a nice new leather wallet to enter adulthood with, and you can even monogram it for him for added personalization.
Take one more thing off his adult list and gift him a nice electric toothbrush with Goby. The standard Goby electric toothbrush is $60 (with a subscription). An affordable option to consider is Quip (from $25), which has become popular for its low price-point, easy usefulness, and marriage of traditional brush design with the perks of something smarter and electronically powered.
Having a couple of inspirational books on hand that can support ambition and reaffirm priorities is nice, even if they don't pick them up for the first month or so that they're out of high school.
If you want a list to start your thinking, here are 10 books that famous CEOs loved reading.
Sonos makes some pretty great speakers for recent grads. They work well, can be used as a sound system, have useful features like a morning alarm that may sound more pleasant than their phone, and are not so expensive that they can't possibly build upon their collection. If he's planning on entertaining friends, the newest Sonos One is a great option, especially since it now connects with Amazon Alexa. You can read our full review here.
Coffee is something he might not even drink yet, but almost surely will during the next few years, whether they include a finals week or not. In the mad dash laundry list he's likely to have with his roommates of who is bringing which essential, it doesn't hurt to be the guy who has the coffee maker that promises near-instant gratification. And in case getting K-cups becomes a hassle (or you'd like to do your part to be eco-friendly) grab him some refillable filter options, too.
It doesn't hurt to have a photo of the family or a few of their favorite memories from high school, especially since those are the artifacts that gain importance and value the older we get. This service will take care of printing, matting, and framing for you so you can spend as little time as necessary on the task itself.
Whether he's moving out right away or not, his future will almost certainly include putting together furniture and Googling how to fix a leaky faucet when his landlord avoids his calls. It's not the most strictly "fun" gift, but it will absolutely be necessary. He'll be glad he has the tools to handle whatever life throws at him confidently, and this is one gift he may not immediately buy for himself, but which you really want to have before the very second you need it. He's also going to be a huge help to his friends.
It's up to his personal preference on if he wants to use a laptop in class or not, but it can be a huge blessing to only need to lug around an iPad.
If what you really want to do is just give cash but are looking for a nicer equivalent, an Amazon Gift Card is a subtle way to accomplish the same freedom and utility. Amazon has virtually everything a new grad could desire (really, there is everything), so you know that no matter what they'll be getting something they genuinely want — which, in a lot of cases, is best since they know what they need better than anyone.
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