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1. A Polaroid Now camera and film set to capture precious memories with new friends and hold them right in your hands straightaway. Any party with a Polaroid is a fun one in my book! I maintain that this is one of the best gifts I've ever been given, so of course, I recommend asking for it for yourself.
2. A bag of Death Wish Coffee if weak dining hall coffee just hasn't been cutting it for you. Brew up some of this super-strong java and watch as those term papers practically write themselves.
3. A clip-on reading light that has two brightness levels and two light temperature settings so you always have the perfect amount of light. Reading without risking your roomie being mad at you? Incredible.
4. A pair of fluffy open-toe slippers because padding to the shared hall bathroom before your 8 a.m. class feels so much better when you're wearing trendy, comfy footwear.
5. An trendy JW Pei Gabbi handbag whose scrunched handle, vegan leather, and rad selection of colors made it a cult-fave. I mean...look at it! Just plain cool.
6. A string light curtain to help jazz up the white cinder block shoebox affectionately known as a "dorm" you now spend all of your time in. One semester with no decorations was enough!
7. A desktop shelf and organizer so you can keep your desk tidy *and* display cute pictures and keepsakes at the same time. We love a practical gift around here.
8. A Fjallraven Kanken backpack if you're in need of an impressively chic daypack that's suited for class and off-campus adventures alike.
9. A weighted blanket to help you snooze in peace. A ton of folks find that the weight relaxes them, making their sleep deeper and more restful. I think we could all use deeper sleep, especially in college, don't you?
10. A cold brew pitcher so you can save a little money by making your own chilled bean juice right in your mini fridge. All you'll need to do is put grounds into the filter, add some water, let it sit overnight, and enjoy.
11. A pair of AirPods Pro headphones, because wireless noise-cancelling headphones will be *chef's kiss* when your neighbor in the library isn't taking the sacred "be quiet in the stacks" rule seriously.
Promising review: "Here's the main thing you need to know: the noise cancellation on the AirPods Pro is genuinely, alarmingly effective. The first time I put these on and toggled them into noise-cancelling mode it was like the whole world fell away. Like, walking down the street I felt like Anne Hathaway in an early 2010s rom-com because I genuinely could not hear one thing on a busy crowded New York City street except pop music in my ears.
"They're also super comfy and stay put — and I am saying that as someone who wears them pretty much all through my waking hours. I take them on long, absurdly sweaty runs and they don't budge. I have them in my ears all day at work and they never ache. I use them to go delve into Netflix black holes at night, and even after a full human day, my ears feel fine." —Emma Lord, BuzzFeed Staff
For more info, check out the rest of Emma's full review of the AirPods Pro headphones.
Price: $265.69
12. Or pair of wireless Marshall Major IV headphones if you're interested in a non-noise-cancelling, on-ear option that have 80 — yes, 80 — hours of playtime on a single charge. I'll say it: These are the greatest headphones I have ever used. I am constantly listening to something, so only having to charge these every few weeks is amazing. And because they're Marshall brand, the sound quality is top-notch. I can barely think of one downside to these, so they're 100% worth a spot on the wish list.
13. A cute moon phase garland to hang above your desk so the moon can keep you company as you work on late-night homework.
14. A handheld milk frother for anyone who wants to be their own barista and add a nice little dab of foam to their DIY coffee. Yum!
15. A set of 72 high-quality Prismacolor colored pencils, because you've been working hard and deserve to flex your creative muscles and relax. Prismacolor pencils are a joy to play around with — they're super smooth and pigmented and are just plain nice.
16. A Porter Bowl so you can easily take lunches on the go (and maybe sneak a bowl of pasta out of the dining hall when nobody is looking...I won't tell).
17. The Voting Game, a card game that makes fun out of intimately knowing your friends' personalities. My roommate and I called this "The Friendship Ender," but still broke it out every time we had people over. What's college without some playful DRAMA?!
18. An Amazon-famous thickened-down jacket for anyone who goes to school in a wintery town and is sick and tired of shivering as they scurry from class to class.
Be sure to check out our write-up of this reviewer-loved coat!
Promising review: "Very warm and cute. I am actually obsessed with this jacket. I stopped a woman on the street to asked her where she got hers. I immediately ordered one. I wasn't sure what size to get so I ordered the small and medium. I am smaller on the top so actually the small was better because I could open up the zippers on the side." —Susan Alexander
Price: $89.99+ (available in seven colors and sizes XXS–5XL)
19. A wireless karaoke mic to liven up any party you bring it to. There's no way your rendition of "Everywhere" by Michelle Branch won't make you a few new friends for life.
Checkout our write-up of this super-fun karaoke mic!
Promising review: "Oh my gosh, I love this! I got mine in the mail yesterday and ended up playing with it for about five hours last night LOL. It connects via Bluetooth so you can connect it to your phone — the music and your singing comes out of the microphone's speaker. It has a volume control for your voice and for the music and also an echo feature. You can put an SD card into the bottom of it and record yourself, or connect it with an audio out to record on one of those karaoke apps on your phone. Between this and being able to find just about any song on karaoke via YouTube, you could easily have your own karaoke parties at home!" —Ferretocious
Price: $25.49+ (available in 15 colors)
20. A tube of Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen that makes wearing daily SPF less of a greasy inconvenience. It's nearly weightless and is great on its own or acts as a lovely primer if you want to layer makeup over it. Sunscreen is an essential skincare step, and this splurge-worthy option is perfect to ask for as a gift.
21. A set of custom stickers if you've really been missing your pets or best friends from home. Now they can tag along with you on your laptop, water bottle, binder, anything!
22. A set of cascading hangers, because you knew the dorm closet was gonna be small, but still overpacked anyway. It's a tale as old as time, but these will help.
23. A pair of soft Bluetooth headphones that doubles as a sleep mask to help you fall asleep listening to music or a podcast while also blocking out the light your roommate is stubbornly keeping on. Good shut-eye is the ultimate gift.
24. A supportive back pillow, because when a Twin XL bed is one of the only pieces of furniture you have, it's important to make it as versatile as possible.
25. An 18-pack (!!!) of colorful pens, perfect for note taking or journaling. You're a "grownup" now, and that means taking detailed notes about advanced subjects in rainbow colors if you want to.
26. A Nalgene water bottle, because reusable water bottles are a must while schlepping across campus and sitting in class all day. These are virtually indestructible, super fun to put stickers on, and are my personal bottle of choice.
27. A Keurig K-Mini coffee maker so you can whip up a quick cup of java in the dead of night while studying or in the morning to avoid the crowded dining hall.
Mmmk, hope you had fun reading this...now get back to studying for finals!
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