<p>I have a son who’ll be entering college in the fall. Any ideas for some good Christmas gifts he could use in college? He probably won’t be committing to a college until April so I really can’t get him anything specific to a college.</p>
<p>Thanks for any ideas.</p>
<p>new laptop?</p>
<p>Last christmas (S is a college freshman this year), I got my S some towels & washclothes and a Dirt Devil hand vac. Let me tell you-he was thrilled. (Did you catch the sarcasm there)?</p>
<p>He got his laptop for his HS graduation. I would say something for his dorm room but maybe a little more fun that the towels and hand vac!</p>
<p>A tool box of sorts packed with items he would need. Screwdriver, hammer, stuff to hang posters with ( the tacky stuff and some of the 3 M hooks), paper clips, thumbtacks, etc.</p>
<p>Maybe a bike? Depends if he will be riding his bike from dorm to class?</p>
<p>A nice, sturdy new backpack?</p>
<p>A new coat - depends where going to school?</p>
<p>I mean, yeah, she’s my sister and not my kid, but I’m going a little bit less “practical” and more “kid-friendly,” if you get what I mean. My sister is obsessed with my dog, and she’s constantly joking that she wishes she could take him to college, so I’m getting her stuffed animals that look like our family’s pets (dog and bird) so she can keep them with her in college. </p>
<p>I acknowledge that it’s a pretty girly idea. </p>
<p>If he’s in need of a new computer, a laptop is probably a good idea (although I’d hold off until the summer if the one he has isn’t broken). Or maybe an iPad? I take notes on an iPad, and it’s been really nice so far. Or a nook. I hear nooks are great.</p>
<p>Although tempted, I refrained from doing this for my kids. I wanted them to enjoy, relish and treasure their last months in high school…and to remember they still had to perform well in hs in order to get to college. Seems like we all wring our hands about pushing kids/growing up too fast, but then we don’t let them live in the moment either…
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Besides, D probably wouldn’t have liked my selections and anything I would have bought my S would have been trashed or lost by the time he went off to college.</p>
<p>Minifridge or microfridge…</p>
<p>I thought about LiveScribe pen or a bike, but then decided I really need to wait for his final decision. I thought an iPad may be better than LiveScribe and a bike is only needed at some of the campuses where he applied. It will not be an exciting holiday for my son, but better than spend $ on items that may not work.</p>
<p>New Camera?
New iphone?</p>
<p>I second the tool box and tool idea. I did that for my son and he really appreciated it. He had a bike at school and could do repairs/tune ups on it. He also used some of the tools to fix his PC and other small things he had that needed it. I got him a heavy duty tool box and a lock so he could safely store his tools.</p>
<p>I gave my son a Livescribe for Christmas when he was a HS senior. It gave him time to practice with it in high school and not be distracted by another “new thing” by the time he started college. He loved it, by the way; he’s a college sophomore and uses it daily.</p>
<p>Along the lines of a toolbox, which we did, we got our son a Leatherman. It’s been great. My husband still has his and uses the one his parents hot him years ago. We also got goretex hikers that can be worn in rain, slush, or snow under 6". It beats having wet feet all day. Also, a lightweight goretex shell that comes past his hips. It’s three season, can be worn alone as a light jacket, a raincoat, or over a fleece layer when it’s colder until it’s time for a winter coat. They’re packable enough to be rolled up snugly and tucked into a backpack. REI has a number of good options. The backpack is a good choice. Depending on the school guys will carry backpacks or some might carry messenger bags. The North Face Surge is made to carry a computer and is nearly indestructible. S2s been very happy with his. </p>
<p>Good luck. He’ll appreciate the thought you put into anything you choose.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great ideas.</p>
<p>Luggage is the traditional gift in our family.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t get a fridge unless you know the college your child will be attending and can find out what the rules are. I think a tool kit is a very useful thing to have.</p>
<p>Odd man out here. There was another recent thread about this. I’m going to post the same thing here as I posted there.</p>
<p>The year our kids were high school seniors we did NOT buy college things. We tried to make this a regular Christmas. They had spent time applying and working on essays and such. Since they had no idea where they would actually be going for college, we did NOT make that a focus for Christmas.</p>
<p>I would second a good rain coat - Marmont is a great brand - light weight. Kids don’t want to carry umbrellas or wear rain coats but when it is pounding rain - a good water proof rain coat is invaluable on their walk to campus.</p>
<p>“Minifridge or microfridge…” - My suggestion is to wait on that. Some schools only allow a certain kind (usually combo fridge / microwave) , which you can rent or buy. It has something to do with the power consumption.</p>
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<p>To me it makes sense because I’ve looked up everything allowed and not allowed in dorm rooms at the college I wanna go to but I guess if you don’t know which one and they have wildly different specs, you’d have to wait…</p>
<p>I’m getting my son a set of sound isolating earphones and some type of speaker/docking thing for his iPod.</p>