Gifts for Graduates Starting College or Grad School
The products listed here were selected by a member of the editorial staff. Should you choose to purchase a product through a link on this page, we may receive an affiliate commission.
Keep your friends close and your laptop bag closer.
Image: Baggu
Only the academically dedicated or slightly masochistic return to school after just having finished school. They'll get by with a little help from these gifts.
Co-op Cycles CTY 2.1 Bike, REI Local
$799
Image: REI
REI Co-Op's sleek, simple cycles get rave reviews, especially for the price point. The latest version of our outdoor overlord's top-rated urban cycling model, also available in a traditional frame style, comes equipped with added suspension for pothole-filled roads (hi, Seattle).
Baggu 13-Inch Puffy Laptop Sleeve, Prism Local
$32
Image: Prism
Baggu runs the world of fashionably playful bags, and this puffy laptop case—available from Ballard's Prism boutique in a couple sizes and a bunch of bright patterns—is no exception.
Smart Writing Set, Moleskine
$279
Image: Moleskine
Conventional wisdom—and at least one scientific study—insists that putting pen to paper when taking notes helps students better commit subject matter to memory. But, um, how do you get those notes on your phone? Moleskine's smart notebook setup truly brings the best of both worlds, with an actual pen, actual paper, and a mobile app all those lists and doodles will wind up on.
Hario Cold Brew Coffee Bottle, Food52
$34
IMAGE: FOOD52
This stick-it-in-the-fridge brewer takes up zero precious counter space and provides high-quality, environmentally friendly caffeine with virtually no ante meridiem effort.
Round Blue Light Clear Evolve Glasses, Ray-Ban
$193
Image: Ray-Ban
A college student's whole life happens in blue light, from phone to laptop to projector screen. The only way they'll actually want to block it out is to do it in style, like with a classic pair of Ray-Ban frames.
Tall Steel Shower Caddy, Yamazaki Home
$48
Image: Yamazaki Home
Mesh shower caddies get the job done, but become the stuff of nightmares when left to get soggy. This metal version looks nice everywhere it goes, whether it's got a permanent spot in a proper bathroom or it finds itself on a constant trek between the dorm room and the dorm shower.
Rains Mountaineer Backpack, Nordstrom Local
$155
Image: Nordstrom
Rain-proof, outdoor-inspired backpacks don't have to look moments away from heading up a mountain. This simple and reflective pick from Rains adds style to Seattle's beloved sporty aesthetic.
The Completist Daily Planner, Re-Soul Local
$40
Image: Re-Soul
Ballard's most fashion-forward shoe store recently started stocking gifty goods, from vases to extra-cute stationery. That standard-issue, academic-calendar agenda doesn't stand a chance against this artsy daily planner, especially for students with quotidien schedules busy enough to require a full page.
Anywhere Vases, Fruitsuper Local
$44 for a set of three
IMAGE: FRUITSUPER
These simple and supremely storable steel-and-cork shapes from Seattle design studio Fruitsuper support everything from foraged fern fronds to farmers market bouquets, transforming dorm room staples like beer bottles and mason jars into botanical displays.
