While college is a place for learning, meeting lifelong friends, and getting ready for the next step in life — eventually, you have to graduate and leave. If you have a child who's about to graduate college or know someone who's wrapping up their degree, you know there are lots of changes ahead for them. Whether that means moving into a new place, graduate studies, or a new career, there's so much to celebrate. If you're looking for the perfect for someone who just finished college, we have a few suggestions that are sure to make them smile ear-to-ear.
Help them get healthier
College isn't one of the healthiest of lifestyles, so what better way to get your college graduate back on track than with a Fitbit? The Fitbit Charge 4 excels at all the usual fitness tracking features while also offering week-long battery life, a sleek design, mobile payment support, notifications from your phone, and a built-in GPS.
New iPhone
The iPhone 11 is powered by Apple's newest processor, meaning its super fast and responsive all the time, and it has the latest two-lens camera system, so taking photos is a breeze. It's the perfect iPhone for most people, and it doesn't cost $1000 like the iPhone 11 Pro does.
The MacBook of their dreams
The MacBook Air strikes the right balance between performance and affordability. With the newly-design Magic Keyboard, the options include an i7 processor. Plus, with up to 2TBs of storage, it's easy to find a configuration that will work for your college graduate.
A tablet for creatives
The 11-inch iPad Pro is a great tablet choice for anyone who wants pro power in a smaller form. Running the same powerful A12X system-on-a-chip, the 11-inch iPad Pro offers all of the same capabilities of its bigger sibling, minus the huge screen. It also has the same LiDAR sensor as the 12.9-inch model. It's perfect for the creative pro starting on their new career after college.
Keep 'em caffinated
What college grad doesn't need a coffee maker in their new apartment? Whether you just want a quick cup to take with you on-the-go, or up to 12 cups for all your guests, this Hamilton Beach coffee maker has you covered. The best part is that both sides work with the same grounds, so you don't need to buy different types of coffee. Make up a 14-ounce travel mug, and choose between regular or strong brews with the fully programmable functionality.
Block out the noise
If your graduate is moving in with roommates or needs to do a lot of commuting on public transit, they'll want the best noise-canceling headphones money can buy. In addition to the stellar ANC, the battery lasts up to 30 hours on a single charge. Plus, it has fast-charging capabilities, meaning you can get back to listening to your favorite tunes quicker. They sound amazing, with plenty of bass, and the padded cans are very comfortable to wear.
Music to their ears
Graduated students may no longer be able to qualify for the Apple music student plan. So, keep them supplied with Apple Music, and they won't have to worry about it! With an Apple Music subscription, the graduate can listen to unlimited content across multiple devices through both audio streaming and download.
Big screen
Now that they aren't living in a cramped college dorm room, it's time for your college graduate to get a nice big screen to enjoy their favorite movies and TV shows. This TCL 4K TV is great for streaming all sorts of content; it has a built-in Roku for your smart TV needs. Roku will run a ton of streaming services right from your TV, even Disney+. Not only does it support 4K and HDR, but it also has a lot of ports including, three HDMI ports (one of which is HDMI ARC), a USB-A port, a headphone jack, an Optical Audio Out, and an Ethernet port.
Cable is dead; get YouTube instead
YouTube TV offers more than 70 channels (and growing), including every local network channel (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and PBS) in most U.S. markets, Disney content, including multiple ESPN channels, YouTube Premium original movies, and shows. For most people, YouTube TV is the service to get. Nicely priced, it includes an intuitive interface, great content, and plenty of extras.
A gift that lasts
You can always trust iMore. Our team of Apple experts have years of experience testing all kinds of tech and gadgets, so you can be sure our recommendations and criticisms are accurate and helpful. Find out more about how we test.
Graduating from college can be a bit of a stressful time as graduates are transitioning to the next phase of their life. Lots of people try to get through college without spending a lot of extra money — because tuition is so high. Sometimes they don't replace items, or they are working with old tech that just won't last them. Get a gift that should last them a few years, so they don't have to worry about replacing any items super frequently as they adjust to their new life.
I wish someone had given me a fitness tracker after college because god knows I needed one. That's why I think the Fitbit Charge 4 makes such a great gift. People tend to pick up unhealthy habits in college, and a great fitness tracker can help them get back on track with their physical activity and also help track their sleep.
After years of living in a small college dorm, a nice big TV is a great gift for any college graduate, and the TCL 4K Smart LED TV gives you the best bang for your buck. It has 4K and HDR giving it a fantastic picture and a ton of ports. So, if your graduate has any streaming boxes or gaming consoles, they'll be able to hook them up, no problem.
