Celebrating significant events like birthdays or graduations with gifts is paramount in the past few years. Students may not have included the most “normal” educational experience in recent times, but their hard work persisted even amid virtual classes and online study classes.
Now, it’s time for them to drive on to the next step in their lives, whatever that may be. It’s a great device to keep them attached through more schooling or their new professional career.
Students and graduates would appreciate at home, but also services and technology that could aid a purpose in a climate where many of us are either forced to stay at home or stick to social distancing guidelines.
Products to enhance virtual conferences or catch-ups with others, to make graduates appear their best in front of a camera, and smartwatches to maintain contact are only part of the story. Well-being must be considered, too, whether this is taking time out to play a game, stream a movie, or enjoy a new flavor of coffee from the other side of the globe.
With this in the intellect, we have assembled a list of gifts, including gadgets and services, that might make their lives a little more comfortable and more enjoyable in the forthcoming months.
Best Gifts for Graduates
Apple Watch Series 7
| Pros | Cons |
| Beautiful and refined hardware, Excellent third-party application support | Less than two-day battery life |
It’s an exciting time to enter the workforce right now. However, with most companies still virtual or offering hybrid-remote options, your graduate will most likely find themselves working from home or interviewing virtually at some point. The Apple Watch Series 7 has stand-out features like Apple Fitness+, sleep tracking, Apple Pay, Siri, taking or making calls/texts, listening to music, etc. It’s the perfect all-in-one gadget for the graduate in your life.
Amazon Echo Dot or Google Nest Mini
| Pros | Cons |
| Third-party app support, Smart home routines | Voice recognition technology isn’t always perfect |
The Amazon Echo Dot is a smart speaker with the Alexa voice assistant built-in and is available in various colors. Users can access the news and traffic reports, control IoT devices, ask general queries, and connect to streaming services, including Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Spotify. The Google Nest Mini, complete with the Google voice assistant, has similar IoT control and query functions and can also stream from sources including YouTube Music and Netflix.
Amazon Prime Membership
| Pros | Cons |
| Includes Prime Video and free Kindle e-books, Fast, free, and same-day delivery options | Gift receiver will have to renew subscription themselves |
Amazon is no longer just an e-commerce forum for products. In current years, Amazon has endeavored to capitalize on the shifting toward streaming services and has opened up Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video, an e-book and audiobook platform, etc. The Amazon Prime subscription covers these services on a limited basis and offers free and improved delivery terms for a range of products. In addition, same-day delivery is also available in some regions, so your student can get whatever they need to be delivered quickly.
Rocketbook Fusion Smart Reusable Notebook
| Pros | Cons |
| Transfers notes from book to app, Useful for to-do lists, calendars, goal-setting, sketching, and more | Not hardcover |
For that family member or friend who is constantly making lists and carrying a notebook with them everywhere, the Rocketbook Fusion Smart Notebook is the perfect gift for continuing their education. The notebook’s synthetic paper allows you to write the included Pilot FriXion pen, then wipe the page clean with a damp cloth to reuse it again and again. In addition, you can save your pages to the Rocketbook app’s cloud to make them easy to find later.
MunchPak
| Pros | Cons |
| All snacks are full size, Both sweet and savory snacks | Cannot create your own box |
Students and graduates like a monthly subscription box of goodies — especially if they are adventurous in what they are willing to try. MunchPak sends subscribers a selection of snacks, candy, and drinks from different countries so that their apartment/dorm is always stocked. A travel guide is also included with each delivery. There are three boxes to select from MunchPak Mini, MunchPak (standard), and FamilyPak, depending on whether you want 5+, 10+, or 20+ snacks. Prices begin at $9.95 per delivery.
Aluratek Distressed Wood Digital Photo Frame
| Pros | Cons |
| Easily view your favorite photos, Automatic slideshow | No built-in memory |
The Aluratek Digital Photo Frame makes a personalized and sentimental gift for those you love. Insert a USB or an SD card into the frame’s back slide slots, and photos will cycle through the frame. Images are displayed on the frame’s genuine digital LCD panels for clear and vibrant colors and definitions.
Instant Pot Duo Crisp Large 11-in-1 Air Fryer & Electric Pressure Cooker
| Pros | Cons |
| Cooks meals up to 70% faster, 11 different functionalities for all types of food/recipes | Relatively large and heavy |
This Instant Pot’s 11 functionalities possess pressure cooking, sautéing, air frying, steaming, slow cooking, baking, broiling, roasting, and warming. You can even sous vide with this Instant Pot. Your graduate will require some cooking in their new dorm/apartment, so this Instant Pot happens to be a great gift that they can cook anything with. With its 15 built-in innovative programs, this Instant Pot allows you to push a button — and it cooks your food at precisely the right temperature for the right amount of time.
Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam
| Pros | Cons |
| Works for both desktops and laptops, Automatic light correction | No adjustable field of view |
Webcams have become hot property as many of us are now working from home. While some laptops and PCs have’ good enough’ webcams,’ a decent external camera can make all the difference. In addition, graduates may enjoy an update to their existing setup — significantly for virtual Zoom interviews for positions they used to. An option to assume is the Logitech C920S HD Pro. This $59.99 model provides Full HD 1080p video on videoconferencing apps, including two built-in mics, Skype and FaceTime and alternative video conferencing software, and automatic low-light correction on Windows and Mac machines.
Zone Wireless Bluetooth Headset
| Pros | Cons |
| Great for canceling out noise during work calls/meetings, Separates your voice from background noise | Not super comfortable to wear over long periods |
Users can link their headsets to PCs and mobile devices simultaneously within a 30-foot range. The Bluetooth headphones are customizable thru the concurrent Logi Tune app and are compatible with Skype for Business, Google Assistant, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and other applications. Buttons can control active noise cancellation, starting or ending calls, playing music, and Bluetooth 5.0 pairing. In addition, the microphone’s boom can be flipped for muting and unmuting. The Logitech Zone Wireless headset is unrestricted in three choices: the Wireless Plus, which comes with a USB receiver able to connect up to six Logitech Unifying peripherals — including mice and keyboards up to 10 meters away — the standard wireless headset ($229), and the MSFT Teams Zone Wireless, built mainly with the Microsoft Teams in mind. Zone Wireless has an evaluated battery life of 14 hours of talk time, supports wireless Qi charging, is lightweight, and comes with leatherette ear pads for comfort. The included microphone utilizes isolation technology to divide your voice from background noise, and sidetone controls can be used to modulate your voice to the desired level.
Driftaway Coffee Subscription
| Pros | Cons |
| Cold brew option, Coffee is based on your taste profile | Pricing can get expensive depending on what you choose |
Driftaway Coffee delivers a monthly subscription, including coffees from small coffee farmers. Subscription holders start with a tasting pack of whole bean or ground coffee. After you have rated your coffee, this makes a flavor profile that can be used to match new coffees available for delivery to your tastes. The subscription process deviates depending on whether deliveries are made every two weeks or every month, how long the duration, and the size of coffee samples. For instance, 8oz over three months, with one monthly delivery, will cost $54 when bought as a gift. It could be your graduate is living on their own for the first time or is proceeding into their first apartment—either way, they will need some requirements to make their home life more effortless.