Choosing gifts for uni students is a pain. If it’s too practical, it’ll never get used; too childish, you’ll earn yourself a hefty scoff instead of a polite “thank you.” Tread the tightrope with a useful, fun gift that isn’t too grownup, and you’ll be every millennial’s favourite Secret Santa.
Unikia Microlock
This baby two-digit combination lock probably won’t keep a bike in place overnight, but it’s perfect for making sure your backpack doesn’t walk off while you take a bathroom break at the library. http://unikia.com/microlock.html
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Microsoft Surface 2
Instead of buying your beloved collegiate a laptop and a tablet, spring for this laptop that folds into a touchscreen tablet and get the best of both worlds. It’s already fantastic when used strictly as a laptop, and the tablet function is great for note taking in cramped lecture halls. Or, frankly, watching YouTube at 4AM.
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Little America backpack by Herschel Supply
With a padded laptop sleeve, an MP3 player pocket, and plenty of storage space, this $90 backpack carries college essentials with way more panache than a beat-up leftover from high school. Plus, the tasteful design won’t look out of place in a business setting — like, say, a job interview.
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Sol Republic Tracks Air Bluetooth Headphones
Help your college kid graduate from those freebie smartphone earbuds to some worthy headphones. These cans have nice sound, especially in the all-important bass range, and at $200 they’re pretty reasonably priced among wireless headphones. Bluetooth means no more getting tangled in zippers and backpack straps, and the built-in microphones mean they can even be used to call home every now and again. Theoretically, at least.
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Dropbox Pro
Okay, this isn’t a sexy gift, but it’s damned useful. A free Dropbox account is fine for small-time file syncing, but even a 100GB Pro account ($100/year, a little more if you pay by month) offers enough breathing room to collaborate on a lengthy research paper, backup an iTunes library, or archive photos.
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Logitech UE Boom
There are lots of Bluetooth speakers out there, most of which are chintzy and cheap-sounding. The $180 UE Boom is rugged, water-resistant, and offers great sound. It’s also roughly the size of a 22oz beer can — something even the most cramped dorm has space for.
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Lifeproof Smartphone Case
Smartphones lead a hard life in a college kid’s hands. Protecting that pocket computer from a tumble down the stairs or a soak in an unspecified puddle of beverage/liquid/general yuck is definitely a good idea. Lifeproof has cases for a wide variety of smartphones, and destroying a phone entombed in one of these will require extra-credit levels of dedication — especially good when that phone’s on your family contract.
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