1. Massage. Work out the stress and anxiety of finals week with a relaxing massage.
2. Tablet. With accessories like keyboards, it’s even easier for college students to use tablets like the iPad for note-taking. They can even download their textbooks as e-books and save money and the environment in the process. Good-bye back pain from carrying heavy textbooks!
3. Gift card. Whether it’s to iTunes to load up on study music, to a nice restaurant in town, or Amazon where they can get virtually anything, gift cards are a great way to go.
4. Portable Speaker. I have the X-mini ii and you would be surprised at how much it amps up the sound when watching a show on your laptop or listening to Pandora on your smartphone. At$19, it’s a great gift.
5. Gym membership. How better to kick/avoid the Freshman 15 than working out? They can hit the pilates, spin, or Zumba classes to stay motivated.
6. Luxurious mattress cover. Not only will this facilitate a better night’s sleep (what college student wouldn’t go for that?) it will also add some healthy boundaries between them and the mattress in the dorm.
7. Movie tickets. After finishing a big paper or writing a midterm, sometimes you just need to unwind. Movie tickets will let them turn their minds off and reward themselves for a job well done.
8. One Line a Day book. This five year memory book will help preserve memories for years to come. $16.95
9. Money. Green goes a long way with college students and they will welcome it in any amount! Money talks, baby.

Read More… 

Chances are that if you’re away at college that your mom has sent you a care package. How delighted were you when you walked away from the mail room knowing that she had spent the time putting together a box of some of your favorite things? Why not give her that same feeling for Mother’s Day by making her a care package of your own. Here are a few things you can include:

Photographs- We all know moms are suckers for the sentimental. Play it up by sending her photos of you- bonus if it is a photo of you and her together. Plus, she probably still thinks you’re just as cute as the day you were born.

Bake her something- If you know her favorite recipe of chocolate chip cookies, why not whip up a batch. Just make sure that you send them in an air tight container. She’ll be thrilled that you put that much thought into something.

Custom Stamped Jewelry- This is a big trend right now and you can find some very economical pieces at etsy.com. Think of including all of her children’s names or go with something as simple as “super mom.”

Image from Patricia Ann Jewelry Designs on Etsy

Thank you note- A well thought out note of appreciation can trump almost every gift out there. Sit down and write a card letting her know just how much she’s helped you. Chances are now that you’re on your own that you realize how muchcooking and cleaning was done for you in the first place.

Bath Salts- or other products she can use to pamper herself. You may not be able to send her to the spa for a day but you can certainly spring for a sugar scrub that will make her look and smell fantastic.

Magazine Subscription- With all the choices out there you’re bound to find one that would peak your mother’s interest. On top of that, magazine subscriptions are super affordable these days. Buy a copy from the news stand and include a note that she’ll be receiving the mag for the next year. You’ll seem thoughtful year round.

Whether or not you get around to sending her a care package at least make sure to call her on the big day.  Chances are, hearing your voice alone will make her grin.

Frame that college degree! It’s the most expensive piece of paper you own. Photo: Farmer Dayv

Graduating college is no easy feat. A college degreerequires hours of study and dedication and it’s nothing to be taken lightly. Now that it is Graduation time, let that scholar of yours know just how awesome a job they’ve done by giving them a gift to remember. Here are our top picks for grad gifts:

A Tailored Suit. Grads planning to enter the workforce straight away will need this closet staple. A suit is a job interview must and this will help them start off on the right foot.

Kitchen Essentials. Now that there are few worries of roommates stealing pans on or novice student chefs ruining knives, now is a great time to invest in some good quality kitchen tools. I’m sure by now the set they got when they were a freshman has been put through the ringer.

Degree Framework. Frame that achievement! Don’t let that certificate go into a box somewhere. A custom frame with the college name can get that certificate of bragging rights up on the wall.

Camera. Your grad is about to embark on some great adventures. Give them a camera to capture the memories.

Business Cards. While your grad may not have a job yet, business cards can be an important part of networking. Have some custom cards made up for them with basic information. They can pass these out to potential employers or attractive ladies/gentlemen they run into. Nothing says sexy quite like smart does.

Laptop Bag/ Briefcase. Give your grad a sense of sophistication and style with a laptop bag or briefcase. Opt for ones with a lot of structure and in a neutral color.

Money. We know this is kind of a cop-out gift, but trust us, it is what they want AND need. College graduates have some rough roads ahead and any little extra will really help out. If money is too generic for your taste, try giving them a gift card to a store where you’d like them to purchase something for themselves. This way you can be assured that they’ll find something they love.