We’ve offered some suggestions for holiday gifts for your college student for the past two years.  We still think they are good, timeless suggestions.  Check out our previous posts for ideas for gift books for your college student and general holiday gifts for your student.

This year, we’d like to go smaller and offer some suggestions for stocking stuffers for your student.  Obviously, not all of these suggestions will be appropriate for all students.  Think about your student’s situation, interests, and progress in her college career.  Your freshman and your college senior will need and enjoy different things.  We’re sure you’ll find something on this list to spark your imagination.  Get creative!

• USB or thumb drive — students need to transport information to library computers, classroom, computer labs, etc. — and they are notorious for losing thumb drives.  This is always a welcome gift.
• Mechanical pencils — the more interesting the better.
• Fun or personalized pencils — consider having a message or your student’s name printed on them.
• Gum or candy — students never have enough.  Is there something nostalgic from your student’s childhood?
• Highlighters — multiple colors.
• Butterfly or binder clips or fun shaped paper clips
• Three hole punch for putting important papers in a binder or notebook.
• Cozy, fun socks for the dorm.
• Ink cartridges for printers.
• Post-its or sticky notes in fun colors or shapes with desk organizer
• Post it page markers –  to mark important pages in textbooks
• Gift cards — iTunes, local restaurants, grocery store, Amazon
• Roll of quarters — if your student needs them for laundry or parking
• Business cards — if your student will be applying for internships or jobs
• Business card case — for networking
• Quality pen — for interviews
• Good quality earbuds — make music more enjoyable
• Mini stapler — if your student prints a paper at the library on the way to class, he’ll need to staple it.
• Mug warmer
• Picture frames
• Movie passes – buy these at a discount if you are a AAA member
• Booklight — for late night reading when the roommates need to sleep
• Tide stain pen
• Camera memory card — if your student has a digital camera, he’ll appreciate more space for pictures
• Mini hand sanitizers

Of course, the best stocking stuffers or gifts are those that you come up with because you know your student best.  Once you get started, you’ll be surprised how many things you think of.  You may need to get a larger stocking!

Note: Some links in our post are for affiliate products. If you use our links, College Parent Central receives a small percentage of your purchase price. This does not change the cost to you.  We think it’s only fair to let you know that.