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It’s graduation season, and we’re here to provide you with a bit of diversion — our high school graduation gifts for her. We hope you’ll find inspiration in this list of best graduation gifts for young women with a mix of traditional and trendy.
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High school graduation gifts for girls
1. Wonderboom 3 Portable Speaker
When your daughter wants to crank up the music in her dorm, she will love having this gift. The UE (“Ultimate Ears”) Portable Bluetooth Speaker has excellent audio quality and is waterproof and dustproof. This is the #1 top choice for wireless speakers and is available in several vibrant colors. With this new model, the battery life on this durable speaker is 37% longer.
2. Lululemon Backpack
If your daughter loves her Lululemon leggings, she will be thrilled with a backpack from one of her favorite bands. This durable, water-resistant backpack has a padded pocket for her backpack and an exterior one for her water bottle. Available in two colors. Perfect for her next adventure in life!
3. Bombas Day of the Week Socks
Bombas wins ALL of our FEEL-GOOD points for the highest-quality socks. They are comfortable, durable, pretty and last for years. This 7-pack has a pair of socks for each day of the week from Monkey Monday to Sunset Sunday. Plus, they donate an item to help the homeless on your behalf for every item purchased.
4. Personalized Note Cards
We love the idea of giving your new grad personalized note cards from Minted that can be designed with her style, favorite colors, and/or new college colors in mind. She will want to let those in her life know how much she appreciates all they have done for her, so order these notes to have them ready. We think this is a beautiful gift for any high school grad.
5. College Apparel, College Gear
There’s no better place to find a wide variety of officially-licensed NCAA merchandise than Fanatics. With 500+ college teams, you can find t-shirts, pajama pants, tote bags, and more with your daughter’s college logo. This is one of the most popular of all graduation gift ideas.
6. Kyle Cavan Jewelry
We’re excited to spread the word about a gem of a company offering beautiful, sentimental college jewelry. Introducing Kyle Cavan, a female-founded business that thoughtfully offers several lines of elegant and affordable necklaces and bracelets (and cufflinks for guys) to celebrate the friends and accomplishments that make the college years so unique.
The women-led brand offers over 100 officially licensed schools and Greek affiliations. You can also customize and personalize pieces if your school is not among the existing options. Our hats are off to them and their line for the Class of 2023! (aka MMXXIII)
7. She’s Birdie — Personal Safety Alarm
This small personal alarm might help your daughter prepare for a situation where she feels frightened. Pull the pin to activate a loud alarm and flash the strobe light to create a diversion. The pin can be replaced and reused.
- And, now, there’s Birdie+, the second-generation alarm with enhanced options, including:
- connection to a live representative 24/7 (the US only)
- the ability to trigger an excuse-to-leave call to remove herself from a sticky situation
- location sharing with her emergency contacts
- loud siren
- monthly or annual subscription
- Save 10% on qualifying purchases as we are Brand Ambassadors. Use this code at checkout: GROWNANDFLOWNFF
8. IKEA Frakta Bags
These lightweight, waterproof, and incredibly durable bags will make all the difference in the world for your daughter (and you) on move-in and move-out days for all four years in college! The #1 must-have for college students can be an even more perfect gift if you fill it with twin XL sheets, towels, laundry detergent, or other essentials she will need in her dorm.
9. Centered Student Planner
Created by an award-winning college professor, this unique (and did we mention gorgeous?) planner can help to motivate your student to develop good time management habits, stay organized, and be cheered by the positive messages embedded throughout. This innovative planner comes with weekly college success tips that link to video tutorials to support your student throughout the year.
10. Cozy Sherpa Robe
This sherpa robe is available in five colors, and you can add your daughter’s monogram to make it more personal.
11. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
This slim volume of love and wisdom is a perfect send-off to any young woman in your life. Written and beautifully illustrated by Charlie Mackesy, this global bestseller offers hope and inspiration in celebrating friendship between four unforgettable characters. From the book:
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” asked the mole.
“Kind,” said the boy.
12. Lightweight Battery Charger
Your daughter’s best safety device is a charged phone, and having one of these small, lightweight, high-speed battery chargers in her backpack to plug her phone into is invaluable.
13. Project Repat T-Shirt Quilt
A T-shirt quilt from Project Repat is not only a practical throw blanket for chilly days ahead, but it’s also a wonderful reminder of home. Custom design a memorable quilt with her t-shirts from camp, class days, teams, and more; she will have a tangible way to remember all those memories of her early life. Great conversation starter at her NEW home at college.
14. Dimmable Desk Lamp — 5th Gen
Being a good roommate means keeping quiet and lowering the lights when your roomie tries to sleep. This LED Desk Lamp with a wireless high-speed charger and USB charging port has seven brightness levels and five lighting modes.
15. Laptop
Having a reliable laptop at college is a necessity, and this is at the top of many grads’ wish lists. Look for student discounts at Apple, Microsoft, Best Buy, or wherever you prefer to shop. Some stores will use an acceptance letter to prove your grad’s soon-to-be college status.
16. Laptop Lap Desk
Using a lap desk like this one while studying in a dorm bed (or apartment couch) will make juggling her laptop, phone, and notes much easier. A hard surface desk with dual bolster cushion gives this desk a comfortable and cool fit.
17. Mattress Topper
Most college dorm rooms have elevated twin XL-size beds with mattresses as firm as bricks and typically awful. One of the most popular mattress toppers is this one by Lucid. Your daughter will thank you every day when she gets a better night’s sleep in a much more comfortable bed.
18. Echo Dot – 5th Gen
Having Alexa as a digital assistant can help your daughter wake up, report the forecast and play her music — all with voice commands. In the 5th generation, the Echo Dot shows time, alarms, weather, song titles, and more. Amazon devices have loads of functionality, and once you have gotten used to using them, you will never want to be without Alexa close at hand.
19. Bedding and Bath Bundle
Has your daughter started looking for a comforter for her dorm room? Dozens of retailers offer twin XL bedding, but we LOVE the dorm selection at Pottery Barn Teen. She would love high-quality, well-priced, and sustainably produced essentials and decor items. This bundle is an example that has it ALL — 11 pieces for her bedding, bath, and laundry needs — in a super-cute pattern.
20. Clear Tote Bag for Game Day
When your daughter gets ready for her first football game, she can use a clear tote bag to comply with NCAA stadium regulations. Sometimes she may need more than a pants pocket for her phone, lip balm, card case, or wallet, and she’ll be ready with this tote.
21. Napkin Finance
In this Wall Street Journal bestseller, author Tina Hay covers financial literacy topics that all high school grads need. With illustrations and clear explanation, Napkin Finance has garnered excellent reviews, including this one: “An entertaining introduction to saving and investing. This is the best personal finance primer I have read in years.” (Paul M. Brown, The New York Times)
22. Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone: Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening
There is one reason we have DYL on our list every year — it is simply one of our favorite graduation gifts for girls. Written and illustrated by Becky Blades, it includes all the wisdom you want to impart to your daughter, but with Becky’s witty and heartfelt words and gorgeous illustrations.
23. Rain Boots
If your daughter doesn’t already have a good pair of rain boots, now is the time to invest in some, and Hunter Tall Boots are our favorites. (Photo credit Hunter boots: Lara V)
24. Dorm Safe
The Sentry Compact Safe is small and has a cable that can be looped around a heavy piece of furniture. This is important if your daughter is taking jewelry, a passport, or meds to college.
25. Fan
Dorm rooms are stuffy, and good air circulation is beneficial in a small shared space. If your daughter is attending school in a hot climate, the fall and spring months can be uncomfortable, especially in older dorms that lack air-conditioning. People love WOOZOO fans, now in several pretty colors.
26. Keurig Mini
Being able to brew a cup of coffee in your dorm room is a tiny luxury AND cost savings. This adorable coffee maker is only 5″ wide and is available in multiple colors. Sized to fit a travel mug, she will be on her way to class, coffee in hand, without the need to be tempted by an expensive Starbucks. Available in six fantastic colors.
27. Scratch Off Map
From one of our favorite sites, Uncommon Goods, come this scratch-off-where-you’ve-been map that gives your student a beautiful visual of all the places they have traveled to in a dynamic and eye-catching way.
Looking for more gifts for her that she can use at college? Read 10 Things All Freshmen Need to Bring to College
