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College graduation is a tradition so ingrained in our culture that we often forget to think about how challenging this transitional time and its immediate aftermath can be for the individual. Every year, about four million people graduate from college in the U.S., according to data. For most graduates—save those headed right into post-grad education and a few lucky ones who already have a first job lined up—this will be the first time in their lives that they have no real institutional support. They will have to make their own schedules and decisions, establish their own responsibilities, and learn how to be an actual adult. In other words, they’re on their own.
Luckily, many of these newly “on their own” adults will still have a loving support network of family and friends to help ease them into “the real world,” so to speak. (Yes, this is where you come in.) When you give a new college grad a genuinely useful gift, you are being both caring and considerate towards this person and removing a degree of stress from this person’s life (and that is a gift in and of itself). To help you (and the recent college grad) out, we’ve curated this list of practical and quality gifts to give them. While playful gifts are fun, there was a time and place for those—and it was called college.
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It’s a safe bet that recent college grads don’t have decent cookware. It’s also a safe bet that their first home post-grad won’t have a 300-square foot kitchen with an abundance of shelving and cabinetry for storage, so the fact that this cookware set features multifunctional hardware also designed to nest for compact storage is major. These non-stick, oven-safe pots and pans warm quickly and hold and distribute heat remarkably well–and they’re built to last, so your college grad won’t need to replace them after a few years of use.
This cookbook is all about quick and easy meals that also taste great, so the recent grad who is hustling to start a career will take comfort in knowing they can prep healthy and delicious meals well ahead of dinner time without sacrificing their other time well-spent. This book includes more than 125 recipes for instant, overnight, meal-prepped, and overall easy comfort foods (hence the book's full title). Not everyone grows up in a foodie family learning how to cook from scratch, and even if they did, this book will likely teach the young adult something new.
Without their parents around to fix things for ‘em, that young adult is going to have to fix life’s problems themselves–and with this compact but very well-stocked tool kit, they can do just that. This set has practically every tool one would need for basic tasks like assembling furniture, swapping out a light switch, fixing a wobbly cabinet door, and any of the other seemingly endless little projects that pop up as soon as there is no one around to take care of them for us.
A great chef’s knife is an essential kitchen tool. Recent graduates can get away with halfway decent spatulas and cut-rate measuring cups, but there’s no substitute for a great chef’s knife. This ergonomic knife (available in 8" and 6") from the venerable Victorinox brand is perfect for slicing meats, veggies, fruit, and more. It’s also razor sharp, lightweight, balanced, and made from first-class stainless steel to last a lifetime.
Send that new grad out into “The Real World” with a suitcase that’s as one-of-a-kind as they are. This custom-designed rollaboard from ROAM lets you choose the color of everything–from the shell, to the wheels, handles, zippers, and more. In addition to this unique color and flair, the ROAM Carry-On is lightweight and built to last, with a tough polycarbonate body, smooth 360-degree wheels, adjustable handle, an internal compression packing system that eliminates wrinkling, and a TSA-approved locking system. You can also monogram it–so, with all this said–it will be near impossible to mistake this carry-on with someone else's bag.
This soft silk shirt dress can be dressed up and down for practically any occasion–whether that be an interview, a date, a gallery opening, or a day spent casually bouncing around town. This quality machine washable dress will likely also last your recent college grad a long time. Sure, the fit is loose and comfortable, but one is bound to feel sophisticated and confident in this timeless style.
These high-quality earbuds are something that new grads will undeniably use every day–whether it’s for listening to music and podcasts while cooking or commuting to work, or keeping up the tempo while exercising. These earbuds are also great for blocking out city or background noise since they feature a special ambient noise-canceling mode and a mode featuring “HearThrough” technology that allows exterior sound to come through in cases when safety is of concern, like when one is jogging in the city. These earbuds also deliver incredible sound quality that will always pick up the user’s voice during important calls.
This unique gift is a great choice for new grads for many reasons–first, the clean black and white designs effortlessly fit every type of home decor; second, maps can be nostalgic reminders of places recent grads once lived and loved (i.e. their hometown, college town, study abroad city) and a way to welcome their new home into their home; and third, these custom maps are so high quality and artsy that they will complete the look of a post grad’s new home without breaking the bank.
This hardshell suitcase is nearly $100 off right now and is an excellent choice for any college grad whose post-grad life will involve a lot of travel. Not only does it look good, but it’s collapsible and measures just six inches thick when condensed down, allowing the suitcase to slide easily under a bed. Popped up to its full size, the suitcase measures about 11 inches thick and offers great capacity for multi-day trips. Its hardshell design also keeps possessions safe from damage, while a TSA-approved lock helps prevent theft. This suitcase and its 360-degree wheels will help that recent grad breeze through any airport or train station with ease–and style.
This compostable Porto Shirt from Alex Crane can be worn with practically anything–from jeans or shorts for a more casual look and chinos or slacks for a more professional vibe. Made with 100% biodegradable cotton and with natural mineral dyes, this button-up will be a staple fit in that recent college grad’s quality shirt collection. It's also available in three staple colors–deep grey, denim blue, and cream white. Overall, this is a great garment for the grad who cares not only about their look, but about their environmental impact as well.
Life can be tough–it’s sad, but true–so give that grad the gift of safety (and some peace of mind) concerning their precious valuables, cash, important documents, and more, with this compact fireproof and waterproof safe. This safe will protect the recent grad’s important items from anything like fire and water damage and new, potentially nosy, roommates. I suppose you could say this safe will help them feel more–yeah, that’s right–safe.
While you can’t give that recent college grad the gift of a stress-free life, you can at least help them enjoy a good night’s sleep (which is a huge stress-reliever for everyone). Boll & Branch's buttery-soft, 100% cotton sheets and pillowcases included in the brand's signature hemmed sheet set make getting into bed each night a true pleasure–and your giftee is bound to nod off fast in a bed this comfortable and cloudlike. These sheets are very breathable and also become softer with each wash. The brand itself values sustainability, and this set has a whopping 11.6k and counting reviews with an average rating of 4.8 stars.
Stylish enough for going back and forth between work and home, and rugged enough to bring on a hike or during travel, the Allpa backpack is a perfect go-to bag. This travel pack–available in various one-of-a-kind colorways–has enough capacity to serve as a weekender bag. And with multiple zippered compartments, a laptop/tablet sleeve, security zippers, and even a rain cover for when things get stormy, this backpack is bound to become your post grad’s best compact companion.
When you gift a grad a Purple Carrot gift card, you are not only gifting them food, but the gift of less stress over which meals they'll be prepping and eating. All Purple Carrot meals are 100% plant-based, so anyone can enjoy these delicious options. Plus, the brand offers four different kinds of meals, ranging from meals with raw ingredients and detailed instructions, ones that require little prep, already prepared fresh and ready-to-eat meals, and frozen meals that one can enjoy as needed.
This organic quilt from Parachute is the epitome of a comfort blanket. Soft and snuggly and light enough to use even in warmer weather, this quilt is the perfect gift for helping those hard-working recent grads catch some much-needed ZZZs. You could also consider gifting this quilt to be like gifting decor for your recent grad’s new space, as this blanket can be nicely draped atop one’s bed or couch. There’s also no better way to relax after a particularly long day at that first real adulting job than wrapping oneself into this blanket and calling it a night.
Okay, so, while Cremo doesn’t at first glance appear to be a humbly-priced brand, the fact that this barber-grade quality razor works so well and costs under $20 is indeed pretty astonishing. By gifting a grad the gift of a great razor, you are helping them look their best for that interview, those drinks, or that first day of work.
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