Graduation Gifts for Boys, Son, Brother, Friend, Him
By Roopa swaminathan
I HATE SAYING THIS – this falls into every gender stereotype that exists out there. But…BOYS WILL BE BOYS. And they need their gadgets, their gizmos, their tech stuff – whether they’re at home or they’re at school. And let’s face it it’s a LOT better that they stay in their dorm rooms and have fun with friends there instead of going out and doing shitty things they shouldn’t.
Just FYI – this curated list of graduation gifts for boys includes not just tech stuff but also other items that boys will need when they go to college.
FYI: Contrary to my emphatic opening paragraph for this blog post – I also personally think that these days there aren’t many items that are specific to men and women. And that a LOT of the gifts for your son maybe applicable for your daughter and vice versa. So do NOT skip checking out my curated list of graduation gifts for women below and see if there are items that your son/brother may like.
ROKU Streaming Stick
College kids will want to stream Netflix, Hulu and other streaming and gaming devices on their TV/Laptop. Giving them these streaming sticks is a cheap alternative to expensive Smart TVs and one they will enjoy very much.
Back-up Hard-drives
This is something that a LOT of parents don’t think about but it is so, so, so helpful to have. Having a 1 terabyte (1000 gbs) or even 3 TB back-up hard-drives are so incredibly useful when in college. Again, your kids will download music, games, movies – that’s just a given. So, you may as well give them a back-up hard-drive which they can use to back-up all of their school work (uhhh – smart move) AND use it to do what they really want to do. Which is download and save movies, TV shows, games etc. From Seagate to Toshiba – I have them. I use them ALL the time. And they’re FANTASTIC.
USB Sticks – Flash Drives
Another MUST-NEED item for your college-going kid. They will need these flash drives and over the four years of studying in college – they’ll need more than a few of them. Trust me – the single-most ‘lost’ item for college kids are these flash drives (I say that as a professor who often hears this from her students). If I had a penny for every time my student said to me, “Ma’am…I lost my USB-Flash drive and my assignment was on it!”
Get them these. Get them more than one. I beg you!
Portable Power Bank
All tech items need to be charged. And when the charge runs out – your kid will need a lightweight portable power bank. Check out from the following assortment of options for you to choose from!
Combination Lock for Laptops
Let’s face it. Kids will be kids and they will lose things and be careless about their belongings. A laptop is one of their prime possessions in college and needs to be protected for more reasons than one. These combination locks will make sure their laptops are protected and what’s more – they will ensure that their information stays safe. MUST BUY.
Alexa Echo Dot
If you have to even wonder why you need a technology friend for your kid who can help answer his/her questions, order Chinese food, give them the meaning of Russian words – then I don’t know what to say…except – GET THIS!
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
An irritating roommate. Noisy dorm floor. Parties. Loud music. Roommate getting it on with noisily with his partner! A dorm room is loud at its best and deafening at its worst. These noise-cancelling headphones are one of the most popular and most wanted and used and demanded gifts from all college-going kids.
You should definitely get it.
SONY headphones
Task Lamps with Charger / USB Connection Slot
A combination of task light and a charging station in one. Perfect!
Air Pods
Kids in college will listen to music and they will listen to it LOUD. So giving them the wireless or the wire air pods are an amazing gift that they will love.
BUT – This is expensive AF. So I’m going to give you regular wireless earbuds options below as well.
Wireless Noise-Cancelling Earbuds
As promised – if the Apple Air Pods are too much – you have these amazing but cheaper options for your kid going to college.
Key/Phone Finders
If I had a penny for everytime a college kid lost his/her phone or their dorm room keys – yep – let’s just say that I would be very rich. No question. This is something that is, of course, useful but it’s NECESSARY. You HAVE to give your college going kid this.
Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers
Your kid is going to college and you know they’re going to listen to music at the loudest decibel possible. You may as well make your peace with it and get them these amazing bluetooth speakers which are also waterproof. You know they’re going to take these portable speakers inside the shower when they bathe – so you may as well give them these incredible waterproof speakers.
V
Mini Washing Machine
Like, hello? Admit it. YOU would like this for yourself, no? Can you imagine how convenient this will be for your kid to do their undies and bras and throw in an odd t-shirt for a quick wash?
Complete VFM – Value. For. Money.
Mini Washing Machine with Spinner and Dryer
Non-electric Mini Washing Machine
Shower Caddy and Organizer
He is going to need this. There are gifts and there are the absolute essential must-haves. You can either get him a fixed shower caddy or the portable shower caddy that will come just below this. MUST BUY.
Portable Shower Caddy and Organizer
Surge Protector Strip
The dorm rooms are TINY. And on top of it…there will be roommate(s). And there will be barely any plug points. This is a MUST HAVE. Your kid will have all kinds and manners of gadgetry and they will need multiple plug points for them. Get them one, two, three…
Portable Tower Fans
Try and buy the tower fans for a dorm. By tower fans I men the tall and lean and vertical fans. They take less space and they cover a larger area than the regular round fans. In a tiny and somewhat-dingy dorm room – fans are a literal life saver.
Combination Laptop – Breakfast Tray Desks
Oh, screw it! This one is so cool and convenient and space-saving – I’m ordering for myself. How cool that your kid can eat breakfast AND use the same foldable tray to do his/her college work?
Shower Slides
Like, hello? Enough said.
Adjustable Bed Lifts For Dorm Rooms
This is so important and useful. Dorm rooms are tiny and your child maybe a tall guy. And his bed? touches the floor! These adjustable heavy-duty lifts are excellent when you raise the height of the best to match your child’s height.
Laundry Bags
Hello? Kid in college. Mounds of dirty clothes which they will NOT wash anytime soon. How to keep away the unwashed mess? Cue…laundry bags, of course. Give them, give them…GIVE THEM THESE.
Stackable Fabric Drawers
Heavy wooden dressers are so passé. Please do NOT insult your kid by asking them if they want their grandmother’s hand-me-down 1965 antique dresser for college? Uhh…the answer is a NO. They want something stylish. Something light. And something that can be tucked away if they have friends over.
CUE – Stackable Fabric Drawers. These are incredibly versatile and useful.
PHEW! Quite a comprehensive list of items already for your graduating person, isn’t it? But we’ll continue to keep adding more items here or I’ll start another blog post for the newer items. So, keep checking back in at roopakiyatra!
Congratulations to the graduating person in your life!
