10 Gifts College Students Will Love (& Will Actually Improve Their Lives)

There’s a reason everybody refers to college as the best days of their lives. It’s because those magical years are pretty freakin’ rad.

But on the flip side, navigating that very same period of life is also insanely hard. First, there’s the fact that — with homework, parties, part-time jobs and actually going to class — most students only have time to lay their heads down at night for about 10 minutes of sleep. But when they do finally have a moment for some shut-eye, their roommates are so damn loud it’s impossible. Throw in some homesickness, an empty bank account, a tiny living space and a stench in the bathroom that just won’t quit, and it’s not hard to understand why college isn’t all rainbows and butterflies.

That’s why picking the right holiday gifts is so important. The college student in your life will love you for how cool all these gifts are, and you’ll feel good about the fact that they actually make their life a little more pleasant.

Originally published December 2016. Updated November 2017.