<p>Anyone have good gift ideas for the college students? Dorm space is so limited. I don’t want to get anything that may not be used.</p>
<p>iPod if not already owned.</p>
<p>New winter boots, if applicable. :)</p>
<p>Posters by a favored artist or of a favorite place.</p>
<p>Food.</p>
<p>Coupons (gift cards) for Starbucks/restaurants/etc. Or the school bookstore.</p>
<p>A new fleecy jacket or a cozy throw for the bed.</p>
<p>New warm and cozy bathrobe.</p>
<p>New pillow.</p>
<p>My daughter loves to get a “jeans run” as a present—we go to the store, she tries on all the jeans, and I buy the pair that fits and looks the best. I love it too, I get to spend time with her.</p>
<p>I bought D1 some clothes- a new ski jacket- some t shirts- some books of science essays- and getting her a gift certificate to trader joes
since she is moving out at end of the year- am reserving some $$ to help her get set up.
oh rolls of quarters
and a bike.
I was gonna get her a digital camera- but she has a nice SLR- wasn’t really sure if she was interested in it- or if it was just something that I wanted.
don’t know what I am going to get her for graduation either- she thrashes watches…</p>
<p>I wish my daughter would go for a jeans run- her jeans don’t fit- she just trys on a couple pairs and buys whatever is cheapest apparently
When I am sending D2 and her fashiony friend down for winter break- I am giving them money and telling them to get her some new clothes ( sorry hun if you are reading this- but if you dress older than your age- how can I dress younger than mine?)</p>
<p>iTunes, Netflix, sweaters if cold weather, long underwear if cold, LL Bean gift certificate for cold weather gear, deposit into school account to buy food at snack shops, etc., and $$$$$$$$.</p>
<p>“Taste tests.” LY I got DS and DH an assortment of imported chocolate bars. They loved taking small squares from a couple each night and comparing Belgian, Italian,…</p>
<p>One year a big hit was making homemade Hot Fudge from two different recipes. They were his “personal” jars for the midnight snack runs he makes (this kid weighs nothing “dripping wet”). Christmas dinner dessert was profiteroles with taste-off of the two different sauces. Now a Tradition. Guess what? The recipe which had 2 bazillion ingredients, required a candy thermometer and took an hour came in a distant second to the three-ingredient, one pan Silver Palate winner.</p>
<p>My HS Senior D asked for power tools! A drill and jigsaw. Even though she will be an art major next year and needs to make frames to stretch canvas for paintings, these may be the most unexpected Christmas gift requests yet.</p>
<p>Come to think of it, I already got her a powered staple gun…</p>
<p>My son asked for an external hard drive to add to his laptop, as he is filling the memory up rapidly with music. (He IS a music major, but I somehow doubt the music is all class-related.)</p>
<p>He has also mentioned a digital camera, special metronome, and warm clothes, as winter is hitting the Midwest. (He will only be getting ONE major present, but he did give us a few suggestions.) I plan to add some small gift certificates to places like Subway. (and one to his favorite restaurant at home, so he can go out with friends while in town)</p>
<p>I just ordered a new external hard drive for my son and he will be bringing me the old one…I usually get the hand-me downs! And despite his jobs, looks like he needs $$$$$$.</p>
<p>I also forgot to mention my favorite gift to give the kids—travel with us! I asked my son to go to Italy with me for a week—as my Christmas present, not his. His sister then asked to join us, and I think the trip will happen, too… woohoo, a week with my kids! (They’re going skiing with their father (my H) for a week too.)</p>
<p>Jump drives (or memory sticks or whatever they’re called) have been invaluable for my kids. Easy to carry back to school, too!</p>
<p>I got my musician S a really cool gift that I’m excited about, too, but I can’t say what it is because someone might tell him! :)</p>
<p>I was just going to start this thread; definitely need ideas (Ipods and trips to Italy are beyond my budget right now–our income is less than his college bill, LOL).</p>
<p>Things I’ve thought of are DVDs, pro team themed shirts/jerseys, books. I hate to fall back on gift certificates or money, but they’d probably be most useful to him. Have his B-day coming up, too, which always complicates the picture.</p>
<p>He’d love gift certs to things to do with gf in NYC, and may do a Broadway show if I can find reasonable tickets, though this may blow th budget!</p>
<p>House shoes with college team logo, Ipod, new tie, memory foam pillow, cologne and some toiletries. We’re planning a trip to Italy in the summer, too.</p>
<p>For the budget minded, you can find some cost effective MP3 players on line that are not ipods. Check out the daily bargain sites like: </p>
<p>deals2buy.com slickdeals.net or techbargains.com</p>
<p>CompUSA has a 250GB internal hard drive for $59 and a 250GB external drive (either USB or firewire) for $129, all after rebates.</p>
<p>wireless headphones. inexpensive digital camera. flash drives. that’s my list for the kiddies!</p>
<p>this is going to sound really stupid, but can the same headphones be used for everything? (i.e. stereo, tv, laptop…) i’m obviously not very tech-oriented 
Is there anything special I need to look for?</p>
<p>I have a great idea for a holiday gift for college students, especially for those living in dorms or without handy access to stores. I am going to make this for my D, a junior. I am going to make her a get-well box for when she gets sick at college. I have previously purchased every sort of supply for minor illness, but things get used up and then not replaced or get borrowed by housemates and then not returned. </p>
<p>I am going to use a sturdy box with a lid (boots came in it) and cover it with cheerful paper with a get-well label. Inside will be cold medicines; cough drops; the soft, more expensive kind of Kleenex for colds; instant soup, cocoa, tea, oatmeal; vitamins; Emergen-C; Pepto-Bismal. Maybe some small packages of treat items like crackers or cookies. She always feels terrible when she’s sick, and often doesn’t have the energy to go out to get supplies by the time she realizes she really is sick.</p>
<p>This could also be sent around Valentine’s Day–still cold and flu season. So that’s my hint–something every college kid can use.</p>
<p>Great idea, bookiemom! Maybe some herbal teas, like chamomile? And I’m a big fan of an instant ginger drink you can find at Asian stores – ginger and honey grandulated, just add water. Throw in some chocolate, too:)</p>
<p>D called on Thursday and asked us to pick up her eye drop prescription and send one of her dresses for the Dec semi-formal. Since final exams are around the corner, I ran out to the market and picked up some “vege-potato snacks,” beef jerky, Ferrero hazelnut candy, and a pack of Pepperidge Farm Snickerdoodle cookes. H sent it fedex ground this morning.</p>
<p>For Xmas? D told me to check “my” wishlist on Amazon…she had already selected some items! We decided on a Columbia parka.</p>