Graduation day is a momentous occasion for students and families, but especially when you’re in high school. The anticipation and work leading up to the commencement ceremony is stressful enough, but celebrating their accomplishments with a practical graduation gift (and perhaps a party!) will be well worth the hassle.
From college essentials to personalized keepsakes, consider sending your favorite graduate some well wishes to commemorate this momentous achievement — and perhaps something from our curated collection of high school graduation gifts.
Real Simple Editor-in-Chief Lauren Iannotti also stopped by TODAY with Jenna & Friends last year to share ideas that they’ll appreciate, even when far from home. Keep reading to see those picks and more.
High school graduation gifts for her
College dorms are not always the most spacious for their much-loved dresses and garments, so these space-saving hangers will definitely come in handy.
This nostalgic gift is one your grad can look back on one day. They can leave themselves a personalized message to read years down the road.
Help them feel (and look) their absolute best before they step onto campus thanks to this compact lighted makeup mirror. With three adjustable dimming options, they can get ready while their roommate snoozes without disturbing them.
With more than two hours of use on a single charge, according to the brand, even the most forgetful of young adults will remember to always charge this new addition to their getting ready routine.
Whether their a novice in the kitchen or is simply facing time constraints with new responsibilities and priorities, this cookbook from chef David Chang and food journalist Priya Krishna is filled with plenty of quick meal inspiration.
Created to be both spacious and fashionable, this backpack was made to hold all of her belongings — including her laptop! One Shop TODAY writer said it was the perfect companion for her 15-hour flight to Japan.
This daily planner is perfect to help them keep classes, assignments, extracurriculars and work organized. It says it’s undated but the brand describes is as “un-yeared” because the month, day and holidays come pre-filled, but they can use it any year.
Whether they’re waking up early to jet across campus for morning classes or staying up all night to study, they’re going to need caffeine to power them through.
Chamberlain Coffee, (whose founder your teen may recognize), offers a variety of matcha and coffee, as well as drinkware and accessories to help them not only get their caffeine fix, but take it on-the-go as well.
Help them establish a new chapter with a new fragrance! Josie Maran recently launched hair and body mists, and this tangerine option is perfect for summer. It's the perfect balance of citrusy, sweet and woody. If citrus isn't their thing, there are three other fragrances to choose from: Golden Hour (amber, white musk, santal), Bohemian Fig (vetiver, vanilla orchid, bergamot) or Vanilla Vibezzz (vanilla bean, juniper berries, cedarwood).
They’re going to need a sturdy, ergonomic-friendly laptop stand when they’re typing up term papers and theses.
If they already knows where they’re going to school, get them in the spirit with a Little Words Project friendship bracelet. Can’t find your school? An on-trend zodiac bracelet will fit the bill.
Make laundry a little easier with this bestselling personalized bag. Designed for easy trips to the laundry room, this unique Etsy graduation gift can be personalized with different colors, patterns and embroidery options.
Chances are they’re going to want to rearrange their dorm room after a couple of weeks, and a tool bag full of the necessities can help them do just that.
Decorated to include nods to their new school, Catstudio also has a cities collection with zippered pouches that can help them reminisce on their hometown.
Wherever your grad ends up, this candle will make sure they have a little piece of home with them. Each candle comes with its own unique scent that’s meant to remind people of their home state and nostalgic memories.
This Shop TODAY editor-approved gift combines the comfort of a blanket with the style of a hoodie — so your graduate remains comfy no matter where they are!
This subtle but chic wristlet will fit in their backpack or day bag with ease or to simply cling onto when at tailgates, a friend’s dorm or out and about.
She's about to spend the next 4 years looking at screens, so help her protect her eyes with these fashionable and functional blue light glasses! "I didn't start wearing blue light glasses until after college and, as a daily contacts wearer, I didn't realize how much of a difference they'd make," says associate editor Kamari Stewart. "I love this pair from The Framery because they're cute and add a little flair to your look while still being functional. Plus, as someone who looks at screens all day, I try not to go a day without them!"
When she graduated high school, associate editor Allie Wise was gifted a pair of beautiful pearl earrings by her parents. “I remember opening it up and being so excited that I finally had a nice designer pair of earrings to wear,” she says.
Any time is a good time for a cupcake, but we bet any high schooler will appreciate a dozen classic sweet treats from Georgetown Cupcake to celebrate this milestone.
For the coffee lover in your life, surprise them with their very own single-serve Keurig. The brand considers this model to be one of its most compact designs yet, making it perfect to store in small places.
This travel organizer features a bottom compartment for jewelry and a top compartment for cosmetics. For the element of surprise, add a touch of personality with a monogram.
Overnight trips and long weekends just got easier thanks to everything they’ll be able to pack in this duffel. Made out of polyester, this weekender bag will prove to be durable and spacious enough for trips back home or while traveling to visit friends.
Oh, the places she’ll go! Prep her for any upcoming travels with this roomy carry-on luggage with 360-degree rolling wheels, a cushioned grip and an expansive interior.
High school graduation gifts for him
Tests may have been a constant struggle during high school, but at least they can laugh about it now. They’ll find this book comical now that they don’t have the pressures of high school exams, finals and AP tests.
If he’s moving into a dorm with a shared bathroom, he’ll definitely need a durable and waterproof shower caddy to help carry his toiletries.
Every college student looks forward to setting up LED lights in their room. Gift them a set that will last long beyond their college years with this option from Roku.
Now is the perfect time to surprise your graduate with a personalized wallet to keep their belongings in.
Put his school smarts to the test with this game full of random facts and trivia about subjects they probably didn’t learn in class.
For everything from career fairs to job interviews that your graduate will eventually attend, provide them with a pair of cuff links customized just for them. You can add their initials for a personalized touch.
These packing cubes would make a great gift for the frequent traveler. They’re also a favorite of Stewart's who loved how much she was able to fit in them for a two-week trek through Europe.
From pliers to a bottle opener, this compact and miniature 12-in-1 tool set will help them in a pinch. Made out of stainless steel and weighing in at less than three ounces, this lightweight and durable tool can fit in any desk drawer, pocket or backpack compartment.
A handy place to keep all of their belongings, this dock station features a charging station for phones, and side hangers for watches, keys and more. To make it more personalized, you can choose to have the recipient’s name or initials engraved.
If the grad is a huge baseball fan, they’ll love this interactive MLB map. They can add a corresponding MLB Club sticker for each ballpark they’ve visited.
Even if they have a sweet speaker system in their bedroom, they’ll need a quality one for their dorm room. They can control aspects of their space with this pod — that can add items to a grocery list, turn lights on and off or even serve as a Bluetooth speaker.
Unique high school graduation gifts
Former SEO intern Dominique Tolliver was gifted this pen after graduating at the start of the pandemic. “A family friend gifted this to my sister and I when we graduated from college and high school, respectively, and I’ve used it ever since,” she shares. “Not only does it write smoothly, it’s also metal so it survives many drops. I love to use it when I’m goal setting and planning for the future.”
If there’s one thing we know about dorm rooms, it’s that they’re often cramped and lack storage. This thoughtful space-saver can fit on their bathroom door to provide a little extra space to keep them organized.
Morning classes are a bit more manageable with a cup of coffee in their hand. This leakproof option also keep their beverages warm for up to six hours, according to the brand.
Making new friends in college can be intimidating. Make it a little easier for them with these card game that's filled with 90 conversation starter questions.
While it may seem like a bit of a splurge, especially for a water bottle, thanks to the Affinity Filtration Technology included on the interior, their ordinary tap water will be filtered with each and every sip. “The filter is super easy to use and the result is great tasting water,’’ said one reviewer.
They’ll likely want to spend every moment of their summer with friends before going their separate ways to college. This portable Spikeball set will encourage them to get outside and play together instead of staring at screens all day.
They won’t have much space in their dorm room, but at least they can lounge in comfort with this bungee-cord chair.
A splurgeworthy dorm room accessory, they can send photos from their phone straight to this digital photo frame and it will display an unlimited number of pictures at any given time.
This Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Laptop has days-long battery life (it can play up to 23.5 hours of video on a single battery charge!) thanks to its Snapdragon X Elite processor, and it harnesses the power of AI to help boost productivity and creativity. Commerce editor and producer Julie Ricevuto loves how lightweight and slim it is, too.
How we chose
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the product and brand to make shopping easier for our readers.
Be sure to check out Shop TODAY's other gift guides to find the perfect gift for every graduate on your list including pre-school, kindergarten, 5th grade, middle school and college.
