17 New Year Gift Ideas For College Students

Do you know a young adult in college or joining campus at the turn of the year? There could be no better time to gift them than now. The new year offers an opportunity to make memories. And surprising a college student with a well-thought gift will not only touch the soft spot in their hearts but also make their school life better.

However, fashions are quickly changing and technology rapidly advancing. Gifting these Gen-Zers then becomes a daunting task as they have become tech-savvy and more open-minded.

To remain relevant, you can buy them items that will make their school or post-school life more comfortable.

Below are 17 top new year gifts you can consider purchasing for your college student. They range from basic living items, study aids to high-end gadgets. Without a doubt, you will find a piece that fits your budget.

1. Travel Laptop Backpack

A multipurpose unisex backpack will let students run through the rain with no worry of spoiling their expensive laptops.

The bag has a compartment designed to hold any laptop between 13 to 15.6 inches and one spacious packing section for keeping other basic electronic accessories. Several pockets in the front compartment also help the students keep their items organized and easy to pull out if need be.

Its design provides greater convenience with a headset and USB ports for listening to music and charging while keeping your items entirely safe with the fixed password lock and heavy-duty metal zippers.

For school use, travels or hikes, the student only changes items but uses the same bag!

2. Portable Charge Power Bank

After a long day at school, the probability of forgetting to charge their devices is quite high. But you can save the moment when the tablet is going off, and the assignment is due in 30 minutes by gifting your college student with this durable power bank.

Available in different battery capacities, its 2.1A output supplies a superfast charge, significantly reducing the charging time.

 Built with two USB ports, the portable charge power bank can power up to two devices simultaneously, thanks to the smart IC chip technology.

 Again, an integrated circuit protection feature safeguards all the devices against short-circuiting, overheating or higher voltage. Coming with a lifetime warranty, it is a guarantee that they will use this power bank even post-college.

3. Anker Bluetooth Speaker

This lightweight Bluetooth speaker uses BassUp technology to give a well-balanced sound at all times. With a 12-hour playtime, this device would be handy to college students taking online classes. It has quick and stable pairing capabilities that allow connection with both phones and computers.

Students who prefer having some cool background music while completing tasks will appreciate such a gift too. Besides, they can charge their phones via the speaker’s USB-C port in case of emergency.

With an IPX7 rating, the speaker fully waterproof and will not be affected by spills on the coffee table or rain.

4. Home Repair Hand Tool Kit

Soon, the final year college student will be out of school and staying in their apartments. Already, some are like homeowners living in off-campus houses. For either case, a tool kit is a must-have.

Gifting them with this 49-piece toolset will help them in the daily home maintenance works. The kit contains screwdrivers, claw hammer, tape measure, electro probe, wrenches, pliers, and many more.

5. Reusable Cutlery Set

With the increasing need to conserve the environment while meeting human needs, this set would be a great new year gift to a college student. It contains utensils for every meal in a zippered pouch, making it possible to carry almost anywhere. Made from stainless steel, the cutlery is durable, easy to clean and dishwasher friendly.

The 8-piece set includes chopsticks, dinner fork, spoon, knife, cleaning brush, two straws and a carrying case making the student’s dining experience when traveling, camping or at school much better.

6. Cooluli Mini Fridge

This small-sized fridge is designed for residences in which space is a precious commodity, like the college dorms and apartments. With a capacity of 4 liters, it allows students to store medications, snacks or six 12-ounce cans easily.

It can cool or warm up to 18⁰ C below room temperature or 66⁰ C, respectively. A removable shell makes it easy to separate small items during storage—a great piece for college girls.

7. Nano Sticky Notes

Students need to keep track of projects and assignments, write notes to their roommates or have reminders. And sticky notes will serve all these purposes.

These nano sticky notes are 100% erasable and can be washed if they get dirty. Each is reusable up to 3000 times. It sticks like a magnet to virtually any smooth surface.

8. Bedside Tray

This is a good nightstand alternative for college students living in either college dorms or off-campus apartments. It serves as an instant workspace keeping basic items such as mobile phones and laptop within reach even in bed.

Designed with a cable cord insert and a spill-proof cup holder, this bedside shelf allows students to conveniently charge their devices and sip coffee while completing assignments.

9. Tablet Stand

This multiple-angle stand allows students to have a comfortable view of any tablet measuring 4-10 inches, an e-reader or a smartphone. As a result, they can read for hours without feeling any twitch to the back.

Weighing 5.85 ounces and folding flat when closed, students can always carry this stand in their backpack or pouch anywhere they go. It is compatible with several devices, including Kindle, Samsung Galaxy or Tab, iPhone, Google Nexus, iPad, and Nokia Lumia.

10. Amazon Prime Student Package

An Amazon Prime Student membership guarantees several benefits with the shopping giant, including free delivery on any order. It also gives access to several materials, such as textbooks, to rent at highly subsidized rates.

Students can also watch TV shows and movies, listen to music and play free games, among many other exclusive Prime Student deals.

11. Portable Safe

Students may be living or interacting with total strangers in the college apartments. It is, therefore, their responsibility to keep their items safe.

This SAFEGO’s portable safe will help the students lock away their credit cards, cash, jewelry, phones, passports, among other things. They can use the safe’s steel cable to lock it around any fixed object in the dorm, beach, camp or hotel. It is available in multiple colors.

12. Manicure Set

This 16-piece personal care toolset will help the student keep neat throughout the year. They can distract themselves by trimming both their toe and fingernails during the study breaks.

The set includes facial care, hand care and foot care tools housed in a portable PU leather case that makes it easy to carry and use on the go or at home.

13. Under Bed Storage Container

Creating more space in the living area is the dream of every college student staying in the dorms. This under the bed storage bin by StorageLAB is an efficient way of organizing the room and keeping space for uses.

It can handle anything from blankets and pillows to shoes, clothes and books.  Students can, therefore, store rarely used materials in this container and have more space in their dorms for themselves.

14. UV Light Sanitizer Bag

This bag will be a great tool in helping the student minimize contact with germs. Using 24 UVC LED lamps, it kills 99.9 percent of germs, including viruses and bacteria, thereby achieving sterilization within 3 minutes.

The sanitizer has wide applications, and students can use it to sterilize clothes, phones, toys, credit cards, keys, beauty tools, and other items.

15. Coloring Book

Art is therapeutic and does not limit coloring to kids only. The adult coloring book will help college students relax their minds and consequently reduce stress.

This gift would be useful for students having tight schedules in need of a brain break. It contains inspirational designs, bouquets, swirls, decorations, and much more.

16. 3-minute Coffee Maker

Caffeine is a stimulant, and starting a day with a hot coffee cup will make all the difference for a college-goer. This coffee maker machine takes only 3 minutes to brew the student’s favorite beverage without consuming much space in the dorm due to its compact size.

Functioning as a 2-in-1 device, it allows you to brew coffee either the traditional way or capsule method. Students can have their beverage on the go using the thermal mug that comes with the package.

Amazing features such as auto-off and auto-clean functions make students’ work even easier.

17. Laptop Cooling Pad

Continuous laptop use causes overheating that may be quite uncomfortable to students, especially on the lap and reducing the machine’s efficiency.

This cooling pad will be useful for any student with a laptop between 14-17 inches. It works quietly; therefore won’t disrupt the studies in any way. You can also adjust the pad to a comfortable height due to its ergonomic design.

It is built with 2 USB ports that allow data transmission and connection with other devices.

Final Words

Our curated list takes you outside the box with gifts that will be relevant to students either during college or post-school. Regardless of your pocket’s depth and the recipient’s preference, you will find a suitable item for your college student in the above list.