2021 college graduation is right around the corner, which means thousands of students will be leaving their college towns and setting foot into the real world. Seeing your little girl grow into an accomplished, college graduate is a proud moment in every parents’ life. Not only did she survive four or more years of intense studying and hectic schedules, but she did it all during a worldwide pandemic. 

Graduation gifts can be difficult to pick out because college graduation looks different for everyone. So, whether your grad is planning on moving to a new city, start their job search right away, or take a year off and explore the world, we’ve created a list of gifts that will be perfect to celebrate your daughter and her milestone accomplishment no matter what her plans are. 

We can all agree that the 2021 grads deserve nothing but the best when it comes to graduation presents, which is why we’ve curated a list of some of the greatest gifts you can give to 

A tote bag to enter the real world in style 

Graduation marks the moment where your daughter is leaving the world of late night parties and library stays and entering the world of professionalism. Make sure she starts her new job in style with a staple tote bag to carry all of her workplace essentials. 

There are so many versions of tote bags to choose from, but here are our favorite bargain and splurge options to choose depending on where your budget lies. 

This Kate Spade leather tote bag is the perfect size to hold all of your everyday work needs like wallet, keys, phone, laptop, and extra cash for that much-needed after work happy hour. The best thing is it’s under $100, so you’ll be getting all of the quality without breaking the bank. This tote also comes in deep magenta for any grad who prefers a pop of color in her bags. 

If you’re looking to splurge a little more on a nice work tote for your daughter’s graduation, this is one of our other favorite options. It’s higher in price than the Kate Spade version, but you can’t beat the quality that TUMI provides in each of their totes and purses. Their totes come with plenty of pockets and a zipper to keep your contents safe at all times so it’s perfect for a long commute or a weekend getaway. 

New Bedding, Who dis? 

Bedding so comfy you’ll never want to leave. Photo Courtesy of OCM. 

If your grad has been sleeping on the same bedding since freshman year, chances are it’s time for a serious upgrade. OCM offers so many cute and affordable bedding options that keep up with current trends and provide quality comfort that all beds should have. 

Bedding is a great way to decorate your new place also. With dozens of different colors to choose from, she’ll be able to find the perfect fit to make wherever she ends up feel like home. 

Audible or Blinkist to keep her brain sharp

Is your daughter a bookworm? Is she constantly flying through the New York Times’ Best Sellers list days after it’s released? Give her the gift of books with an Audible or Blinkist subscription. 

Using audible she’ll be able to listen to her favorite books on the way to work, while she’s at the gym, or on a Sunday afternoon walk. It’ll be like she’ll never have to put the book down. 

If the new job she’s entering has hectic hours, Blinkist could be a good option for her. It gives users condensed versions of hundreds of books, so they can read the blinks without missing any of the important parts. It’s reading for the busiest of bookworms. 

A new camera to capture priceless moments

Entering the real world comes with plenty of surprises and fun events. Make sure she has a way to remember all of the wonderful changes the next few years of her life will hold with a new camera capable of taking high-quality photos she’ll be using for years to come. 

There are plenty of great options on the market when it comes to cameras, but our current favorite is the Canon PowerShot SX530 HS because of its portable size and useful features. 

A fitness smart watch to crush her goals

If your daughter is interested in fitness or wants to get more in shape after college is over, a fitness smartwatch is the perfect gift to keep her motivated and ready to crush her goals. 

Most fitness smart watches come equipped with applications that make it easy to stay accountable to your health and wellness, while still keeping it interesting enough that you want to stay committed. 

There are plenty of options of smart watches from Apple watch to Samsung Active watches, but our personal favorite at the moment is the FitBIt Inspire 2. 

A memory-filled shadow box 

Is your daughter the sentimental type? If so, shadow boxes are wonderful, thoughtful gifts that can be filled with memories that your grad hopes to cherish for the rest of their lives.

You can choose to fill your daughter’s shadow box with nostalgic pieces from her childhood, or give her the option to fill it herself. She can fill it with concert tickets, photos, trinkets that remind her of a person or place, or whatever else she wants--there are no limits. One thing is for certain, it will be a gift that holds a special place in her heart for years to come. 

You can find a shadow box at any local craft store or online. 

Desk organizer 

Many new college grads will be entering the workforce this year, but things will probably look a little different than they’re expecting. Most businesses are transitioning to a more remote workplace environment, so chances are your grad will be involved in business meetings from the comfort of her bedroom instead of a boardroom. 

This means that desk organization is imperative to keep all of her documents in order. Getting your grad a decked out desk organizer is the perfect way to help her ease into her first job without feeling overwhelmed.

Portable photo printer to remember the good times  

After graduation your daughter may be taking off to new and exciting places once she lands her first job out of college. New places can sometimes feel lonely at first when you don’t have your friends and family surrounding you anymore. 

Having pictures around your apartment of those people you hold dearest to you can transform your lonely home into a more comfortable place to live. Make it easy for your grad to print out whatever photos they want with a portable photo printer. 

Forget about the complicated printers of the past, this printer makes it easy to print photos from home or on the go right from the compatible printing app on your smartphone. 

Roku stick for ultimate entertainment 

With so many different streaming services available to choose from today, it seems impossible to choose just one. Make your daughter’s choice simple by giving her a streaming device that gives them access to whatever services she likes including Hulu, Netflix, HBOmax, Showtime, Youtube, and more. 

You’ll still need to purchase the subscription services you want to watch, but with Roku you’ll have all of your options in one place without an additional cable bill or smart TV that is typically required to watch netflix or hulu on your normal television. 

Give your daughter the gift of endless entertainment with Roku! 

Versatile storage for their new place

Give the gift of stylish and versatile decor. Photo Courtesy of OCM. 

Moving to a brand new city after college is exciting, but figuring out how to fit all of your old stuff into your new place can be a challenge. Make it easier for your daughter with OCM’s stylish organizational trunks. 

 They come in multiple colors to fit any apartment or house decor, and there’s plenty of space to hold favorite sweatshirts they couldn’t bear to part with, books, photos, or whatever else your grad needs storage for. The best thing is these trunks minimize junk around the house while doubling as a footrest, bedside table, or coffee table.

Stylish new luggage to travel the world with

For the girl who hopes to explore the world after graduation, a new set of luggage will increase her excitement to see new places and learn the culture of the world around her. There are hundreds of different suitcases to choose from, but you can’t just pick any old black suitcase. 

An adventurous traveler like your graduate deserves a set of luggage that fits her personality. Kohl’s offers dozens of different colors of hard-shell luggage in carry-on sizes and larger, so your daughter will feel confident and ready to jet set off to whatever country is first on her list. 

No matter what your daughter’s plans are after graduation, surviving this year alone has been a huge accomplishment. We hope we offered enough inspiration to find the perfect gift for your loved one to celebrate all she’s done throughout her time in college. Congrats to the class of 2021 and good luck with whatever you find yourself doing in the future!