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Graduating from high school is a major accomplishment. After years of hard work, your grad is ready to take on the real world with college and work. They deserve to be rewarded for the time and effort they have sacrificed, so we’ve rounded up some of the best gifts to give to your 2022 graduate.
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For every graduate, there is a diversity of interests. That’s why we’ve found gifts like a coffee machine for the grad who loves coffee, or a portable speaker for the grad who loves music. Whatever fascinates your proud graduate, there’s something here for anyone.
1. For the grad learning how to cook on their own: A cookbook
For graduates trekking off to college, learning how to cook is a life skill they have to learn. Lucky for them, this Half Baked Harvest cookbook by Tieghan Gerard has everyday recipes that are perfect for beginner cooks. They’re balanced meals to help your graduate stay healthy and keep their minds sharp for college.
Half Baked Harvest Every Day Cookbook at Amazon for $19
2. For the graduate who loves jewelry: A personalized jewelry box
If your grad loves wearing chunky or dainty pieces of jewelry, they most likely need somewhere to keep them organized. This personalized glass jewelry box is something they can use years down the line. The clear and beveled box has an antique but classy look to it, making it the perfect space to hold cherished jewelry.
Personalized Graduation Gift For Her Glass Jewelry Box at Amazon for $45
3: For the graduate on the go: Yeti Rambler
Treat your grad to a Yeti Rambler that they can store cool and hot drinks it. It’s leakproof and convenient for anyone on the go. They can bring it with them around campus to stay warm with some coffee, or stay cool in the summer with some icy water.
Yeti Rambler at Yeti starting from $25
4. For the grad who needs a new laptop for college: HP ENVY Convertible Laptop
If your graduate needs a reliable, new laptop at an affordable price point before they head off to college, this one is perfect. The HP ENVY x360 Convertible Laptop is the best budget laptop we tested because of its premium performance, beautiful design and sturdy hinges. Your grad will definitely send you a thoughtful “thank you” email from their new computer.
HP ENVY x360 Convertible Laptop at HP from $850
5. For the proud graduate: A diploma frame
Made from solid wood and real glass, this diploma and tassel shadow box with a double mat is a beautiful way to show off that hard-earned diploma. The sturdy frame with three hangers can be displayed horizontally or vertically, and makes a great addition to a new office or workspace.
Golden State Art Wood Diploma Tassel Shadow Box at Amazon for $39
6. For the graduate who deserves something extra: A necklace
Treat your graduate to something truly special! These affordable gold plated initial necklaces are timeless. You can choose between yellow or white gold plated finishings, both equally as stunning. The material is nickel free, lead free and hypoallergenic.
PAVOI 14K Gold Plated Initial Necklace at Amazon for $12
7. For the graduate who loves versatility: A laptop sleeve
This pastel pink laptop sleeve contains handy pockets so your graduate can fit more than just a laptop. It has shock resistant bubble foam padding layer, to fully protect a computer. The best part? This case has an extendable handle so your grad can carry around their laptop with ease.
MOSISO Laptop Sleeve at Amazon for $19
8. For the graduate hosting a grad party: A guest book
Signing an end of the year yearbook is old news! This creative guestbook alternative poster will surely have your guests flocking over to sign cute notes and designs. It’s professionally printed to fit any 11×17 inch frame. Treat your graduate to something they can proudly hang on their wall and look back to cherish the memories.
Katie Doodle 2022 Creative Guest Book at Amazon for $13
9. For the graduate who loves to relax: A scented candle
As a candle lover myself, receiving candles as a gift is top notch. Candles are something that bring warmth and comfort. This “Congrats!” candle is sure to bring a smile to your grads face. The fruits and sugared citrus island scented candle burns for 40 hours and is perfect for summer.
Sweet Water “Congrats!” Candle at Amazon for $20
10. For the graduate who has big dreams: An inspirational necklace
Etsy is a hotspot to find unique pieces of jewelry. This rose gold necklace writes “She believed she could so she did,” which is the perfect statement for any grad. You can choose to engrave both sides of the necklace or just one. This piece is customizable, dainty and beautiful.
11. For the t
imely graduate: Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Series 7 is one of the best smartwatches of 2022. Our reviewers found the product to offer a stunning design and contains stellar advanced features like blood oxygen tracking. Your graduate can put this watch to use for years to come. They can be sure to make it to class on time while also keeping track of their fitness.
Apple Watch Series 7 at Amazon for $384
12. For the graduate moving out: A crate set
It’s a big step to move out of your home after graduating! One thing that graduates have to master is keeping their apartment or dorm room organized. There’s no better way to do this than with a good stack of baskets. These will help your grad ensure that their space is never cluttered. The colorful basket set is youthful and is sure to fit any aesthetic!
13. For the graduate who’s stocking their living space: A set of bath towels
These Pinzon luxury organic cotton towels check all the boxes for texture, performance, and overall experience. For your graduate who is moving into a new place and needs everyday essentials, these towels fit the bill. They come in various shades of blue and nudes, colors that are sure to fit any vibe.
Pinzon 4-pack Luxury Towels at Amazon for $41
14. For the graduate ready to pack those textbooks: A new backpack
Finding the right backpack to fit heavy college textbooks is tough! Help your graduate out and gift them a Nixon backpack, which has a sleek and simple design but is very sturdy. They have a wide selection in different colors like black or a swampy green, so it will be easy to choose which style best suits your grad.
Backpack at Nixon starting from $65
15. For the graduate who is low-key a photographer: Kodak Photo Printer
The best part of the college experience is to capture moments. Luckily with technology these days, you can print pictures straight from your phone. With this Kodak smartphone printer, your graduate can snap memories and print them out quickly. It comes with an 80 sheet bundle and uses bluetooth to connect to your device, so no messy wires to worry about!
Kodak Smartphone Printer at Amazon for $155
16. For the graduate who loves to jam out: Sonos speaker
This Sonos Roam has earned a spot as one of the best portable speakers of 2022. Through WiFi, this portable Bluetooth speaker will definitely be used by your grad. It contains automatic Trueplay tuning, gets up to 10 hours of play time and all you need is a handy USB cable to charge it. Your graduate will be able to create whatever ambiance they want, wherever they go.
Bluetooth Portable Speakers at Amazon for $200
17. For the graduate who needs quick meals: An air fryer
With an air fryer, you can make a quick meal in the flash of a few minutes. For graduates headed to college who don’t have much time in between classes to cook a full meal, an air fryer is the perfect gift for them to quickly heat up frozen items. This Dash Deluxe air fryer is simple to operate so your grad won’t have to waste time fidgeting with too many buttons.
Dash Deluxe Air Fryer at Amazon for $56
18. For the grad who likes personalized gifts: A personalized tumbler
These cute tumblers can be customized with several different skin, hair and hood colors in addition to the graduates’ name and quote options to choose from. The skinny size is convenient for taking on the road, and the stainless steel, double wall insulated cups are an eco-friendly alternative to plastic bottles and cups.
Lara Laser Works Personalized Skinny Tumbler at Amazon for $28
19. For the sneaker head graduate: Puma sneakers
If there’s one thing your graduate is going to do a lot of in college, it’s walking. Gift your grad these unisex Puma shoes! These casual athletic sneakers will pair perfectly with any kind of style, feminine or masculine. They come in different colors like black and white or blue and navy.
Puma Unisex Athletic Sneakers at Amazon starting at $55
20. For the coffee lover graduate: Breville Coffee Maker
If your graduate loves drinking coffee as much as they love making it, then this is the perfect gift. This Breville precision brewer thermal is a 60 oz drip coffee maker. It’s been commended to be capable of packing a few gadgets into one. The machine can make cold brew, iced coffee, and even-pour using an adapter.
Breville Precision Brewer Thermal at Amazon for $330
21. For the graduate who loves reading: A new book
A huge part of graduating is adulting and becoming a more mature part of yourself. This Four Agreements book is filled with powerful words of wisdom. It explores a code of conduct that can transform life experiences of freedom, happiness and love.
The Four Agreements at Amazon for $8
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.