Gift for high school grad

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abl1944@reddit

A nice piece of jewelry and some cash. A new laptop.

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Any thoughts on how to pick a piece of jewelry that a generic teenage girl will like? I’m a clueless man. Are there certain brands that teenagers like today or is Tiffany the classic option they all know still?

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abl1944@reddit

I dont know what the young women like these days. The jewelry sub may know.

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Affectionate_Ask_769@reddit

The cash gifts I got for graduation meant a lot to me. I also got a really nice ring that was special.

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

Any thoughts on how to pick a piece of jewelry that a generic teenage girl will like? I’m a clueless man. Are there certain brands that teenagers like today or is Tiffany the classic option they all know still?

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Affectionate_Ask_769@reddit

The ring I got wasn’t even necessarily to my taste but I was so appreciative to get a real gold and sapphire ring that I loved it. I came from a very poor family so it was my only “real” piece of jewelry.

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rialucia@reddit

Cash. 💵

I don’t have kids either, but I’ve been volunteering for my sorority for a decade and have had to stay current on what the modern college environment is like. Gen Z is, on the whole, a lot more money conscious than we were. We at least got to see (if not experience) the economic boom of the 90s, whereas your niece was born in or around the financial crisis of 2008 and it’s more or less been shit ever since. So today’s college students are bound and determined to get the most value for money.

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

That makes me think even more that a custodial account that she gets when she graduates is even more fun

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rialucia@reddit

Yeah that’s more or less why I’ve been contributing money to my nephews and nieces 529 accounts since they were babies. I tell them that auntie gives the gift that keeps on giving: compound interest.

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Financial_Ostrich_56@reddit

My auntie gave us (all the cousins) forms and $$ to get our US passport and took us to get our photos done! I was too broke in college to use it, but it felt very special and grown up, and like I was ready to take on the world

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

This is a great idea! But luckily her parents have taken them on international trips so she has a passport. Thank you! I would have loved to do this for her

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ShootinTheBreez@reddit

My father gave me a tool box full of tools when I graduated from high school. It was one of the most-used gifts I have ever received. In my early 30’s I dated a man who described me as “handy for a girl.” This should have been offensive except that it’s a very accurate description of my level of handiness. I partially credit the tool box. I mounted floating shelving and all sorts of cool stuff in my freshman dorm.

Inside the lid of the toolbox, he had put a plastic sandwich bag with $20 bill in it and labeled the bag “Emergency 20” with a sharpie. Inflation is for real, so “Emergency 50” is probably more appropriate now, but I used the Emergency 20 (and then diligently replaced it at a later opportunity) at least three times in college. Credit is more pervasive now, but I actually even had a credit card in college (that I paid), and it was still nice to have some cash. Having a little cash fund around is very helpful to buy gas in a place you’re not supposed to be (no record), birth control or Plan B you don’t want to tell anyone about, or some weed or beer for that party you really want to go to. If you’re not keen on the toolbox, a little box of Petty Cash (with instructions to keep for emergencies and replace afterward) can be a super useful gift that won’t just immediately get spent on dumb TikTok crap, color-coordinated office supplies, and beer.

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

Love the emergency hundo idea! Thank you!

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Jenn31709@reddit

Let her have the alcohol and bad choices...

We all did it

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

And I’m excited for her to have all of that! We all have to learn through our own mistakes.

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Any-Ordinary-1252@reddit

Wonderbly book for sure! They’re so personalized and cute! Also use the code AMBDAMI for 15% off

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fmpy@reddit

If she’s going to college, one of my favorite gift ideas is a small clear stadium bag with a custom strap that matches her college colors

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

Love that idea - it’s a big football school so that’s perfect. Thank you!

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GenericRedditor1937@reddit

That's a nice gift and you're making me feel cheap for what I've given a niece and nephew so far. 😅

What about $500 cash now so she can get whatever she wants for her dorm room. Put the rest in a hysa or a CD, and she may end up with over $5k at college graduation depending on what interest rates do.

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

Well a couple things: I stopped buying them gifts for their bdays or Xmas after they turned 3, because it just felt like giving them more toys and things that they already had plenty of was kind of wasteful. So my justification to myself for the last 15 years was that I would do something big for their graduations instead, again because of my own experience wishing would have graduated with some money to get started in life. And since I don’t have kids of my own, saving up the money wasn’t bad.

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fidgety_sloth@reddit

Mom of a high school senior. I’m telling people (who ask) Just money or gift cards please! She hasn’t finalized a roommate yet, her dorm hasn’t been assigned, and the dorms include different things. All of them include fridges though. Plus many girls are extremely “particular” about the color of their supplies. Mine was looking at a sage green steamer because it would match the ideal color of her room decor (the mythical room that she has not been assigned, of which her currently non-existent roommate will have to agree to the color palette).

If she’s taking a car to college, gas cards would be amazing. Get her an InstaCart+ subscription and some gift cards if she’ll need to buy her own groceries. Target gift cards, Amazon, Pottery Barn teen if she’s into the bougie trendy dorm decor products. If she’s on the college Instagram and TikTok college pages, she’s probably already begged her parents for the obligatory Woozoo fan and stuff that is “absolutely essential” that didn’t exist when we were in school. So much has changed, it’s completely nuts.

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

You are exactly the person I was looking for. My sister was nowhere near as helpful. And good point even buying her a laundry basket may be the wrong color. Gas gift cards are a great idea as she has a vehicle. Thank you!

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a_solid_6@reddit

I second gift cards, maybe Amazon and Walmart? That way she can get necessities and fun things for her dorm. Honestly, the $5k for later sounds amazing. You don't really sound pressed for money, if you don't mind me saying so. So maybe a couple hundred in gift cards for now and $5k waiting for her at graduation? All of that would make one awesome graduation gift.

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a_solid_6@reddit

Re: your edit about 5k not being life changing. At that stage of life (fresh out of college), $5k can be a significant boon, covering some of the basics you need to get your adult life started... a deposit for an apartment, basic furniture, maybe a down payment on a decent car. It can be the difference between starting your life in survival mode vs simply being able to take care of business. Sure, in the scope of an entire life, 5k isn't a ton. But for a young adult just getting started, it can help avoid stress and early debt.

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

Absolutely agree. It would have been a lot for me at that age, would have felt like I had so many more options!

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slypmpkn19@reddit

Definitely Amazon! That will be the most helpful imo. I was a returning student not too long ago (C/O 2019). One of the girls that lived in my apartment brought all of her dishes pots and pans, and utensils that her aunt and uncle got for her. You can also get her toilet paper. I didn't live in the dorms, so I'm not sure if she'll need any of that but it certainly came in handy for us.

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Elenakalis@reddit

If she's taking her car to college and they have a tiered parking pass system, paying for the higher tier would be life changing for her and save her some money down the road.

My middle kid transferred to a college that had tiered parking and he just picked the basic level and told us nothing besides he remembered to get his parking pass. He didn't realize that tier he paid for was a 2 mile round trip on foot from his dorm to his car. He never left campus, got kind of depressed, and didn't tell us when his battery first died. It was so dead by the time he told us that the car would die if you had your foot on the brake for more than 20 seconds. I ended up replacing the battery too. His car has never been right since sit sat most of that year.

We paid the extra for the next tier, which put him within 100 ft of his dorm and the next year was much better.

If she doesn't have a car jump starter/air compressor pack, that would be helpful too. If she has a subscription a music service like Spotify, she'd probably appreciate someone paying for a year. If she likes anime, she might appreciate a gift card covering a year at Crunchy Roll.

We have a Regal theater here that has an unlimited showings subscription for pretty cheap. My best friend's daughter didn't go to college, but loves seeing movies, so I bought her a year of that and a year of Spotify, since she was moving in with friends after high school. Having a "free" entertainment option helped her get through that first year in the real world when she needed a break from the house, but didn't have money.

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

The parking thing is so smart, I’ll look into that. And the Spotify subscription, love that idea too. Thank you!!

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rharper38@reddit

Start an IRA for her. You can start those when they are 16. Or find out the local places around the college and get some gift cards to those places. Like coffee shops or little restaurants.

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ShootinTheBreez@reddit

She has to have earned income to have an IRA.

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rharper38@reddit

But maybe she has a job. It doesnt say the money to fund it has to come from that job.

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Fickle_Wrangler_7439@reddit

She's 18, give her the money and let her make her own choices.

Unless she's an alcoholic, I don't know why you'd assume she'd blow it on alcohol.

I barely drank in college and that was the 00s. They drink even less these days.

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Primary-Strawberry-5@reddit

Good point on kids drinking less these days. Too many of them have seen the long term effects on other people and thought “Nah, I’m good. I’ll stick with edibles.”

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kg51113@reddit

I also think that there's more consequences on businesses selling to minors so they're more conscious about checking ID. Most places have registers that are programmed to request birth date for age restricted products. When we were younger it was easier to find independent little stores that would sell to under age college kids.

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Primary-Strawberry-5@reddit

Not easy for me because I had a baby face until my 30s

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kg51113@reddit

I simultaneously was always told that I looked younger than my age but also rarely asked for ID.

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Primary-Strawberry-5@reddit

My mom got carded until she was 40. Now she looks all of her 68 years. I don’t quite look almost 50 but I goddamned feel it.

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kg51113@reddit

I have an old injury so my knees have been making noises for 25 years but I'm starting to feel it more. My mom always knows when wet weather is coming and I'm starting to get to that point as well.

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Primary-Strawberry-5@reddit

I’m 400 pounds with knee injuries. I feel your pain (probably quite literally)

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Bad-Moon-Rising@reddit

Being young and blowing money go hand in hand, damn near a rite of passage. It teaches you what not to do.

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Fickle_Wrangler_7439@reddit

I learned what not to do from my father actually.

I was quite responsible with my money in college, thanks.

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JackBlackBowserSlaps@reddit

Yup, she was defi calling you out there, good job standing up for yourself!

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

Good point. My own choices haunt me there 🫠

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BoysenberryKind5599@reddit

I was going to post something similar.

Give her an assortment of gift cards and some cash, too. Let her make choices, good or bad.

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Biddy_Impeccadillo@reddit

I had a couple family friends sending me care packages from time to time. It really helped combat loneliness and was a great unexpected lift whenever I got the package slip in the mailroom in my box. Find out her favorite snacks and send now and then. Could stuff in an envelope as well with a bit of mad money / gift card.

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AlmnysDrasticDrackal@reddit

I got a lot of use out of a mini-fridge.

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fidgety_sloth@reddit

Many, many colleges don’t let you bring your own fridge. You either rent through their vendor, or it’s already included in the room.

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AlmnysDrasticDrackal@reddit

I should have expected colleges to find new avenues for greed.

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SophieintheKnife@reddit

Same. Mini fridge and a hot pot got me through university. So many ichiban noodles

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1Frazier@reddit

Cash. Gift cards are a hassle and not better than cash.

If you are thinking of a large amount maybe go with a smaller amount and save the rest for a graduation gift later or house down payment gift, etc.

Also be the fun uncle and reach out over the next 4 years. Send a text or card with a $10 or $20 venmo to get a treat while studying for finals. Mail and love from family while away from home is appreciated. And a little cash here and there will be valued by them.

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suzy-spit-fire@reddit

A tool kit.

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kg51113@reddit

Ask more questions. What does she need money for? Tuition, books, living expenses, groceries...that will help you.

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

As with many gifts, trying to intuit some ideas rather than letting an 18 year old tell me what she thinks she needs. But you’re not wrong!

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kg51113@reddit

Ask the parents. They're saying "money for college." Have them clarify what she needs money for. Does she have scholarships for tuition but paying for books + supplies on her own? Paying for housing? Food? Are there larger items that she needs for her dorm or maybe she doesn't 100% know until she talks with roommate? That will give you direction as to what kind of gift cards to get or if you want to give cash.

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KRaeRap@reddit

This

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t00_much_caffeine@reddit

Cash or gift cards !

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spaceporter@reddit

Even if that $5000 is spent on alcohol, what’s the problem? It would be a gift for them and drinking is part of the college experience. Besides, money is fungible, so however you allocate these funds, they could reallocate other funds toward booze as a result.

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AshDogBucket@reddit

Gift cards for college instead of money? For places like grocery store, household goods store, maybe a gift card for a restaurant or fun experience they'd like.

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illini02@reddit

I second this.

If you know where she is going to college, maybe get her a couple of gift cards to restaurants you know are on/near campus. That way she can treat herself to some good meals while there.

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BeanerSchnitzel38@reddit

Money for college will be highly appreciated. You can stick it in a 529 plan in her name. It has to be used for legitimate college expenses. It doesn't need to be spent on tuition or room/board and can be used for laptops/books/supplies etc etc.

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YarnBunny@reddit

I did a lundary bag, tide pods, a blanket and lights to decorate his room. He didn't need too much else since his parents had him covered

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crazycatlady331@reddit

Amazon gift card.

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Working5daysaWeek@reddit

I actually really like the idea of putting $5K in an account for her and giving it to her upon college graduation. Although I think that qualifies more as a college graduation present than high school. If you want to do that, I think the hamper filled with "college essentials" is a great idea. It's practical, yet also thoughtful. Personally, I'm not a gift card person. If you want to put a few in the hamper, ok, but I really like gifts that show effort.

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TangerineFade@reddit (OP)

Is this sarcasm? I have no idea what kids like these days.

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