By the time I started grad school, I was feeling like an adult. I had my first real apartment with my college boyfriend and we started to look at things more from a design perspective rather than one of necessity. We were moving from scoring furniture off the streets to IKEA, which is to say we were still on a budget. If you know a grad or just someone with their first apartment, these gifts are a smart way to go. Got more ideas? Share below!
- Freshly Picked's awesome Leather Neon Mouse Pad, $35
- Time to up the sophistication with this Charbonize modern iPad sleeve, $59
- Scientific American says houseplants make you smarter, which is what you should tell your grad when you give them this cool Urban Outfitters Turning Triangles Terrarium, $39.
- For owl lovers: Anthropologie's Sleepy Hollow Pencil Holder, $16
- Everyone could use some soap, but these step up the style a notch, thanks to Orla Kiely and Method, available in limited release Fall 2012
- Jane Austen fans will appreciate this Etsy Pride and Prejudice iPhone Dock, $52
- You don't need to study in Brooklyn to fall in love with these Restoration Hardware Brooklyn Bridge Bookends, $69
- No more t-shirt twists — this Georg Jensen Elephant Bottle Opener mixes cheek with chic.
- Ferm Living's Wall Calendar Sticker (just add chalk!), $127
The Ultimate Used Furniture Cleaning Kit
Ana Creates a Community at Home
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Z2 iPod Dock and Wi...
Soda Recipe: Homemade Ginger Ale
Recipe: Spring Fruit and Nut Tabouli
Things I needed in grad school: gift certificates for Chinese take out when I got home late at night and was too exhausted to cook, an iPod preloaded with music to listen to while spending late nights in lab, a reason to go outside and see the sunshine, ...
First, as I think someone's already pointed out on a previous post, those Orla Kiely + method soaps have already been available at Target for awhile (and are sold out a lot of places). Second, I kind of think Jane Austen fans will be more annoyed than appreciative of that - presumably people who like Jane Austen like to READ Jane Austen, not stick their iPhone into an incapacitated edition of hers. Maybe buy that for someone who hates books?
I bet a lot of people would welcome these at the start of grad school, but honestly, the last thing I needed was more office supplies (already had plenty left over from undergrad), accessories for devices I already owned, and *stuff* to cram into my space, especially when it might not even be to my taste. I really appreciated gift cards for grocery stores and Target, gas cards to fill the car, Amazon gift certificates for text books, etc.
I snagged a nearly identical owl pencil holder from Target for $2.50!
drooling over the anthropologie owl pencil holder and the wall calendar sticker. We (poor grad students) could use all the gifts you want to give us.
When I was in grad school (not so very long ago!) I had neither an ipad, iphone, or a desk for a computer mouse. I had no wall space to hang anything (nor was I allowed to). I guess this is a good list for rich kids?
I am currently in grad school, and if someone bought me a $35 mouse pad I would have a strong desire to punch them in the face. When most kids are in grad school they are still building a foundation of the basics. From a design perspective I would much rather use that money for a set of matching lamps (either big-box or thrifted), a large print or piece of art to cover the start white walls that come standard with most apartments, or for a thrifting spree-for $35 I could easily get glass to make my own terrarium, an interesting pencil holder, a unique soap dispenser, a bottle opener, and have money left over.
Depends on the grad student, really. I would be kind of irritated to have this much spent on me if it weren't actually to my taste, which I've been developing. (Because if it cost a lot one almost feels obligated not to chuck it....)
A $35 leather mouse pad? A mouse pad is totally unnecessary for almost everyone -- who doesn't have an optical mouse by now? I guess you might still want a mouse pad if your desk was super reflective for some reason, but to my grad student friends, a $35 mouse pad would feel like a punch in the gut. That would buy a few weeks' worth of groceries rather than saddling them with a total white elephant.