Earth to parents, or anyone struggling to find a gift for their college-aged friend: pay close attention because I did the research for you. If you are still scrambling to get someone the perfect present for the holidays, check out CM's hottest items for college students this season:
1.) iPad 2
There’s no denying that the iPad 2 is one of the hottest items this holiday season. Anyone who doesn’t have it wants one. Let the other kids be jealous of your son or daughter by putting this present under the tree. “The iPad 2 is a good gift because a lot of students don’t like lugging their laptops all over campus to class. Tablets are so much lighter and they’re more practical to use when you’re using it while lying in bed or something,” said Michigan State University senior Chris Matthes.
2.) Pea Coat
“A nice pea coat would be great because you can wear it if you don’t want to look sloppy at internship interviews or nicer events. Plus, everyone already has those puffy North Face jackets,” said Denison University senior Ryan Smith.
3.) Kindle Fire
If your parents don’t want to spring for the iPad, ask for a Kindle Fire because it’s much less expensive. “It’s good for college because it can hold thousands of electronic textbooks so you don’t have to carry heavy books everywhere,” said Grand Valley State University senior Thomas Rogers.
4.) Headphones
This is the perfect gift for music lovers everywhere…even if they are going to use them to listen to Nickelback. “I’m asking for nice headphones like the Audio Technica ATH-M50. They’d be great to listen to while you’re studying, on the plane ride back to school or just hanging out in your dorm,” said Duke University junior Matt Block.
5.) GPS
Awesome for your directionally challenged student. “A GPS would be a great gift because upperclassmen can usually bring their cars to school and it’s nice to know exactly where you’re going when searching for those late night munchies,” said Michigan State University junior Rachel Dickerman.
6.) A Wallet
He or she may be on a college budget, but your kid will still need a place to put the little money he or she does have. If you’re getting a less expensive gift, get them a present from Mighty Wallet for a stocking stuffer. For pricey but high quality wallets, try Ralph Lauren or Paul Smith.
7.) Gift Cards
You can never go wrong buying a gift card for Amazon or Ebay becuase they give your kid a lot of flexibility. “I want a bunch of gift cards for places like Target and other grocery stores. When you start to run out of points on your meal plan it would be nice to be able to get food to cook in your dorm or apartment,” said Hofstra University junior Chelsea Tirrell.
8.) A Watch
It’s pretty obvious that watches are making a huge comeback this year. Even if you’re still going to use your cell phone to check the time, there’s nothing wrong with wearing it simply for flare. For girls, try Marc Jacobs or Michael Kors for some unique designs like rose gold. “I asked for a nice watch like one from Timex because it’s something everyone should have,” said University of Michigan juniorEvan Rosenzweig.
9.) Tickets
Whether they’re a Taylor Swift groupie or the Steelers’ biggest fan, tickets to big events are always a good time for us young adults. “Tickets are awesome for anyone because when you get sick of doing the same thing every night at college. It’s good to have a day to go into the city and do something totally different,” said Boston College junior Amanda Del Bove.
10.) Boots
If he or she goes to college on the East Coast or in the Midwest, boots are an absolute necessity. Heck, even if they live in Arizona, they’re at least stylish. “Frye or Steve Madden or any kind of canvas combat boot are perfect because they last forever. Black or brown boots are something you’ll wear every day if you give someone the right pair,” said Georgetown University junior Catherine Mullarney.
Photo: Pedro Eugenio Antunes at flickr.com
