31 Super Useful Off To College Gifts For Students They Actually Want

Have someone close to you going to college soon and looking for some off to college gifts for them?? Here is the best list of off to college gift ideas.

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.

It can be hard to know what off to college gifts to get someone who is going to college for the first time.

As someone who recently graduated college, I’m here to give you the best gift ideas for things that college students need the most, along with some other super cute off to college gifts.

After reading this post, you’ll have a ton of amazing going away to college gift ideas!!

This post is all about off to college gifts.

The Best Off To College Gifts

Top Picks

Best College Essential: Ipad And Apple Pencil

Top Budget Friendly: BagSmart College Backpack

Best Easy Gift: CRAVEBOX Snack Box

Most Thoughtful: UnboxMe Self Care Box

Table of Contents

Dorm Gifts

1. Twin XL Bedding Set

Dorm beds are usually size twin XL. Before college, a lot of students don’t just have some twin XL bedding lying around. So this is the perfect gift for someone going off to college!

2. Cute Laundry Basket

There isn’t a lot of space for decor in dorm rooms. So, using a cute laundry basket as a decor piece is perfect!

3. Cozy Throw Blanket

You can never have enough blankets, and a cozy throw blanket is the perfect gift for someone going off to college.

4. Weighted Blanket

Getting a weighted blanket in college was a game changer for me! It helped so much with all of the stress anxiety that goes along with college life, and it’s something that every college student would make use of!

Related Post: The Best Dorm Room Essentials For Girls 2024

5. Back Pillow

College students do things, like homework, in bed a lot because of the lack of space in dorm rooms. A back pillow is a perfect gift that will help them have some back support while sitting in bed and doing things.

6. Towel Set

going away to college gifts for best friends

They’ll likely need new towels for college, so a towel set is the perfect gift idea!

7. Kitchen Essentials

College students don’t need a ton of dishes for the dorm, but they do need some. These small sets are perfect for use in the dorms because they’re microwave safe! And they’re pretty cute.

8. Coffee Machine

It’s no secret that college students live on coffee and caffeine. Getting them a Keurig coffee maker will help them make coffee from their dorm room and save them money on having to buy coffee out all the time.

9. Handheld Vacuum

No products found.

To clean their dorm room they’ll need a small vacuum. This vacuum is a dyson dupe and I’ve heard amazing things! A more budget friendly option that I’ve also heard really great things about is this one.

10. Roku

I absolutely loved using my roku throughout college (I still do). It has all the streaming services you could think of all in one compact little box! It’s perfect for a dorm room because it doesn’t take up a lot of space.

11. Self Defense Kit

Self defense is unfortunately something most people have to consider when going to college for the first time, especially if they’ll be living in the dorms. These are some great options for self defense!

12. Decor

Some cute dorm decor is another amazing gift idea! These vines and fairy lights are super trendy and something any college student would probably enjoy to help them decorate their dorm room!

School Supply Gifts

13. Laptop

Most college classes require college students to have a laptop, so it would be a great gift. I used a Macbook all throughout college (I still do) and I loved it!

14. Ipad And Apple Pencil

Another electronic that would be SUPER helpful to any college student is an Ipad and apple pencil. Getting an Ipad my third year of college was an absolute game changer for me. I downloaded all of my textbooks on it, I took all my notes on it, etc. It’s a gift that every college student would get use out of and appreciate!

15. Headphones

Headphones are another great school supply gift idea, I always listened to headphones when walking to class! They’re also super useful to use when studying in the dorms or on campus, because things can get pretty noisy. These are the headphones I used in college and still do and I love them!

16. Backpack

Every college student needs a backpack, and this one is perfect for college. It has a separate laptop compartment, pockets for water bottles or drinks on the sides, and it even has a built in USB port for phone charging!

17. Rainy Day

One thing I literally didn’t think about when I went to college was bringing things for rainy days. Save your college student the trouble of having to get wet walking to class in the rain and get them some rainy day essentials beforehand.

18. Travel Mug

This travel mug is perfect for taking coffee to class!

19. Reusable Water Bottle

This reusable water bottle is perfect for college students to take to class so they stay hydrated during their busy days.

20. Cute Pencil Case

This pencil case is perfect for keeping note taking essentials organized and it is really cute!

Cute Off To College Gift Ideas

21. Hammock

Lots of college students like to use hammocks to lounge on campus or to hang out with friends! It is a perfect gift for someone going to college for the first time.

22. Cozy Slippers

Some cozy slippers are a nice gift that any college student would appreciate! These are so cute and look so comfy!

23. Polaroid Camera

A polaroid camera is a perfect gift idea to help a college student capture memories of their time in college!

24. Photo Printer

Along similar lines, this photo printer allows you to print pictures from your phone! It would be perfect to help them make a college photo album.

25. 5 Year Memory Journal

I had a 5 year memory journal during college and I absolutely loved it. Now that I’m graduated, I love going back and looking at what I was doing every day during college! It has a line a day for 5 years. It’s a perfect gift!!! (speaking as a someone who received this as a gift in college)

26. Self Care Box

No products found.

This is one of my favorite gift ideas for college students. This self care box is such a thoughtful gift idea. It has tea, honey, comfy socks, a cute succulent, and more! I would’ve absolutely loved to receive this as a gift in college, and I know any other college student would as well.

27. Coloring Book

A coloring book is a really cute gift idea to help a college student relieve stress and have some fun.

28. Lip Balm

I use this lip balm and it is absolutely amazing and really lives up to the hype. This would be the perfect gift idea for a college girl!

29. Snack Box

This is another gift I would’ve loved to receive in college, especially when living in the dorms! This snack box has all kinds of snacks in it that a college student would love.

30. Under Eye Patches

It is no secret that college students are sometimes sleep-deprived. These under eye patches would be perfect for helping a college student get rid of their eye bags after pulling an all nighter studying.

31. A Hug In A Mug

A hug in a mug is another insanely cute gift idea to help college students relieve stress! It has a cute mug, honey, and tea.

This post was all about the best off to college gifts ideas.

More posts you’ll love:

31 Perfect College Gifts For Friends That Your Bestie Will Definitely Love

The Best Dorm Room Essentials For Girls 2024

45+ Perfect First Apartment Gifts For Their New Place

If you liked this post and would like to see more like it, be sure to hit the button below to subscribe to my email list and be notified every time I publish a new post! See you next time. 🙂

Join the Ryality Community