10 Brilliant Gifts for the College Kid in Your Life

If anyone needs a great holiday gift, it’s a broke college student. Give them something they’ll love (and use). May we suggest one of these?

Mental Floss has affiliate relationships with certain retailers and may receive a small percentage of any sale. But we only get commission on items you buy and don’t return, so we’re only happy if you’re happy. Thanks for helping us pay the bills!

1. KEURIG® K55 Coffee Maker

College kids may not have time between classes to make—or drink—a full pot of coffee, making them perfect candidates for single-serve pod machines. This Keurig machine makes anywhere from 6 to 10 ounces. Plus, it’s compact for easy dorm storage, and comes in several different colors.

Find It at Amazon for $80 and also at these other retailers:

2. Ban.do "After This We're Getting Tacos" Gym Bag

Just because exercise is healthy doesn’t mean it’s always fun. Help your reluctant student get to the gym with this cheeky bag, which is sure to help him or her make like-minded friends—who might know where a student group will be giving out free tacos that night.

Find It at Amazon for $35 and also at these other retailers:

3. Moleskine Smart Writing Set

Reviewing has never been easier with Moleskine’s smart pen set, a portable digital tool that converts hand-written notes into digital files in real-time, allowing drafts to be emailed or uploaded to a LiveScribe account with the push of a button. The smartphone app will even convert handwriting into digital text, though it doesn’t always recognize messier script.

Find It at Moleskine for $199 and also at these other retailers:

4. Uber Gift Card

iStock

Joy ride: Most students can get from place to place on campus just fine, but they could probably use extra help hitting the town. Make sure they get on route safely with Uber gift cards.

Find It at Amazon for $25 and up and also at these other retailers:

5. Beyoncils

It’s hard not to be inspired by the wisdom of Beyoncé, and these nine handmade pencils are sure to remind the writer to be as confident as Queen Bey. They’re handmade and feature lyrics like “fresher than you,” “flawless,” and “I woke up like this.” For every set sold, LZPENCILS donates nine pencils—minus the lyrics—to a school in need.

Find It at Etsy for $18.

6. Roku Streaming Stick+

It's rare to find a college student these days who has a cable subscription, so you might as well give them the gift of streaming. This Roku streams smoothly in high definition and supports most major services like Netflix and Hulu.

Find It at Amazon for $50 and also at these other retailers:

7. Mophie Powerstation Mini

Help your favorite student keep smartphones charged during a full day of classes with Mophie’s ultra-fast portable charger. The gadget has the capacity to charge a cell phone about twice. Perhaps they’ll even use that extra battery power to call home.

Find It at Amazon for $24

8. State Bags KENT Backpack

Students can carry their books in style and feel good about it. For every backpack sold, STATE Bags gives one to a child in need. And it’s machine washable, just in case it ever ends up at a frat party.

Find It at Amazon and also at these other retailers:

9. Logitech Keys-To-Go Wireless Keyboard

Let your student stand out in the lecture hall—and get work done on the go—with this bright-colored, stain-resistant bluetooth keyboard. Each one is compatible with both Android and Apple devices and can pack up to three months of battery power into one full charge.

Find It at Amazon for $50 and also at these other retailers:

10. Kodak Printomatic Instant Print Camera

Help them make college memories that won't just sit in a forgotten album on a smartphone. The Kodak Printomatic automatically creates high-resolution photos as soon as you capture them. The printed photos make for perfect dorm room decoration.

Find It at Amazon for $70 and also at these other retailers: