It’s that time of year again! College graduations are upon us, and if there’s one thing that graduates love more than anything else–except maybe September start dates–it’s gifts. Here are my picks of the best you can give.
Gym Class Package: One of the biggest drawbacks of the transition between college and the real world is that you lose unlimited and free—albeit, part of tuition—access to a gym. Instead of getting a recent graduate a monthly membership, get them a package of classes. Gyms usually have better prices the more classes you purchase, so I suggest a package of at least 10 or 15. My recommendations are Barry’s Bootcamp and Soul Cycle—both have locations all around the country!
Black Pumps: It’s not easy for a 22-year-old girl with an into-level salary to transform her shoe game from frat house-ready to office-ready, but a classic pair of black pumps will certainly help! I recommend these Christian Louboutins
Classic Black Tote: Along the same lines as the pumps, a black tote is also essential for being stylish, yet subtle, at work. I recommend this Ralph Lauren Tate Classic
For male equivalents of the classic black work shoe and bag, I recommend these Cole Haan oxfords
Cookware Set: Recent grads living on their own for the first time will quickly find that eating out for every meal is impossibly expensive. Lead them on the path to home cooking with an introductory cookware set like this one by Induction. It includes three sizes of pots and pans, a sauté pan and a grill pan, aka everything necessary for cooking simple meals.
Speaker/Alarm Clock: Because life is better with a soundtrack, and a great speaker ensures that your graduate’s apartment will always have one. This Bose SoundDock is powerful enough to carry across a room full of loud people, but not powerful enough to cause complaints from neighbors.
Salad Chopper: It may seem like a simple tool, but a salad chopper is life changing. Salads really do taste more delicious when chopped, and what 20-something isn’t looking for easy ways to eat healthy? Try this one by OXO.
A Tour: For a recent graduate, tours aren’t something that are usually in the monthly budget. But when moving to a new city, a tour is a great way for someone to become acquainted with their surroundings. Pick a tour that caters to the graduate in question’s interest—for example, this NYC Chocolate Tour will hit the spot for those with a sweet tooth. Make sure you gift them with two tickets so they can bring along a friend!
Wine Of the Month Subscription: The title basically says it all. You can choose the type your graduate receives (red, white or both!) and the length of the subscription (up to one year). I promise, your graduate will love you forever. On wineofthemonthclub.com.