35 Thoughtful Dorm Gifts For College Students

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The Best Dorm Gifts For College Students

This post is all about the best dorm gifts for college students.

Being far away from home for the first time in your life and living in dorm rooms can be really overwhelming. There will be so many things you’ll need and so many things you’ll forget to bring with you!

And if you’re trying to find the perfect gift for your favorite college student and having a hard time going about it, here is a list of 35 dorm gifts that are perfect for college students and that they will actually need (and love!).

1. Memory Foam Pillow

A nice Memory Foam Pillow can go a long way in making us college students sleep better. Any college student will love it for sure.

2. Fuzzy Blanket

Just like a memory foam pillow, a fuzzy blanket also makes for a great dorm gift for making you sleep better, especially during those harsh winters when there’s nothing you want to do more than to curl up with a blanket and stay warm and cozy.

3. Mattress Topper

I consider this an essential dorm room item because dorm mattresses are not exactly known for being the most comfortable. So a memory foam mattress topper will really make their bed really cozy, which is just what they need after a stressful day of studying!

4.  Bedrest Pillow

A Bedrest Pillow is a great dorm essential to have to support your neck and back while reading a book or using your laptop sitting on a bed, or even on the floor.  This pillow is super comfortable with a memory foam filling.

5.  Bedside Shelf

A bedside shelf is a cool way to keep useful items like your phone, a cup of coffee, or a laptop next to your bed, especially in lofted bedrooms. You can easily clamp it to the side of the bed and don’t have to get out of the bed every time you need something.

6.  Candle Warmer

Most dorm rooms don’t allow to have candles, incense, or anything that required a flame and created smoke. But sometimes dorm rooms can get so stuffy and smelly! That’s when a candle warmer comes really handy.

It will make for a great gift for college students to keep their room smelling good. When that candle wears out, all you need to do is replace it with a fresh one!

 7.  Scented candles

A scented candle is a great way to make any room smell warm and relaxing and there are a variety of scents to choose from.  My best friend got me this candle that smelled like clean, fresh grapefruit. It’s perfect for me as I didn’t like smells too perfumey.

Related: 7 Best Ways To Make Your Dorm Room Smell Amazing

8.  Hydroflask

Hydro flasks are crazy popular water bottles in college. It keeps cold water icy cold and hot water piping hot for up to 24 hours and are a breeze to clean too!

9. Charger Cords

Since charger cords are something we use a lot, some extra phone charger cords will be very well appreciated by your college student.

 10. Portable Battery Charger

On some college days, you might need to use your phone or laptop for longer than usual and your phone battery may just not be able to keep up with you. Make sure your favorite college student never runs out of battery with this super useful portable battery charger.

11.  Amazon Echo

The Amazon Echo is a voice controlled compact speaker that uses Alexa.

It lets you play music or answer questions or anything else without even having to get up. You can even call anyone hands-free.

It’s such an awesome dorm gift to have. I’d love to have had one in college.

 12.  Clip On Fan

Most dorm rooms won’t have air conditioning. So a clip-on fan can go a long way in making you comfortable during the hot summer days. They are battery-operated and easily clips onto the side of the bed.

Related: 25 Dorm Room Essentials You’ll Actually Use

 13.  Sound Machine

Dorm rooms can be noisy and distracting at times. A Sound Machine comes in really handy in those times to help you sleep or do homework in peace

14.  Desk Organiser

A desk organizer lets you compartmentalize all your desk supplies, without taking up too much desk space. Having a clutter-free desk has always helped me be more productive.

15.  Mini Keurig

Any coffee-loving college student will be forever grateful to you for gifting them this Mini Keuring coffee maker. They make great coffees and don’t take up much space.

16.  Towel Wrap

A towel wrap is an absolute must for living in dorms, especially if they’ve communal bathrooms, as mine did! They come with a velcro strap so that you can wrap it around your body and walk between your dorm and showers without the fear of it slipping off.

17.  Shower Caddy

Another dorm bathroom essential that lets you carry around all your bathroom stuff. Make sure to get a mesh shower caddy to let water drain off well.

Related: 7 Dorm Bathroom Essentials Every Freshman Needs

18.  Shower Speaker

A lot of college students love listening to music in the shower! These waterproof Bluetooth shower speakers are the perfect dorm gift that will be super useful and appreciated as well! 

19. Make up Mirror with Lights

Make-up mirrors with lights can be a lifesaver for girls living in those dorms with poor lighting. This will make a perfect dorm gift for makeup-loving girls. It’s portable, easy to use, and doesn’t take up a lot of space as it easily folds up.

 20.  Tapestry

A simple and easy way to add personality to those boring dorm rooms is a tapestry.

21.  Tracker Tile

A tracker tile is a device that helps you keep track of anything you attach it to, using Bluetooth and GPS technologies. It’s the perfect gift for those college students who have trouble keeping track of their keys or phone or other essentials.

22.  Noise cancelling headphone

Dorm rooms or public spaces are noisy, in general. Here’s where a pair of noise-canceling headphones come in handy! These beautiful wireless headphones are both stylish as well as super-efficient in blocking out loud noises, whether you’re studying in your dorm room or in the library, or in a public space.

23.  Travel Bag

College students travel a lot! So they will need a good quality travel bag to take along with them on home visits, small vacations, or any other journey.

24.  Travel Mug

Yeti Travel mugs are super popular on college campuses because they keep your hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold however long as you want; perfect to have on the go.

25.  Laptop

A laptop may not exactly be cheap but it’s one of the most valuable dorm gifts you could ever buy for a college student! I got my Macbook during my freshman year and it’s the best gift I’ve ever received! A good laptop like this one will last them throughout college and even after college.

26. Lap Desk

Nowadays every college student owns a laptop and uses it almost every day throughout their college life. Getting them a Lap Desk can make it super comfortable for them to use their laptops anywhere they go. It’s thin, lightweight, and portable! I like this one because the work surface has a mouse pad and even a phone slot!

27.  Cotton Storage Bins

Saving maximum space in dorm rooms is important. So your college student will surely find these cotton storage bins super useful. I love these ones because they are collapsible and come with cute handles. They can be stored under your bed, above your closet, or anywhere else they fit!

28.  Storage Ottoman

A Storage Ottoman doubles as a storage space and an Ottoman. It’s a very thoughtful dorm gift for college students!

29. Ugg Slippers

I love these Ugg Slippers which are so cozy to wear on those cold winter nights and protects you from that ice-cold tile floor!

30. Day Planner

A Day Planner is a great way to make college life more organized and productive! I would make a list of important things to do in my planner so that I won’t miss out on anything of priority!

31. Rolling Cart

A Rolling cart would not just be the perfect gift but also a great dorm room addition to neatly store books, make-up items, etc. Use it as a nightstand, or shelf, or however, you want! The greatest benefit is that you can roll it around to wherever you want.

 32. Cordless Desk Lamp

Cordless desk lamps are sleek and portable. They come in handy, especially during those power outages. They are also much better than having to bulk your desk with a bigger lamp that needs to be plugged in.

33. Power Strip

College students will have more than a couple of electronic gadgets that need charging. But most probably there won’t be enough outlets or they will be at the farthest corner of their dorm room. So a power strip will be a really valuable item to have!

34. Brita Pitcher

A Brita water filtering pitcher is the perfect dorm gift to keep your water fresh and clean all the time. Just go to the shared kitchen and fill it up once a day or two and drink filtered water throughout the days.

35. Electric Kettle

An electric kettle offers a safe and easy way to boil water. This kettle could come in handy for making a warm drink or fixing a quick meal. This kettle is cordless and is made of borosilicate glass, with an anti-slip handle.

Best Dorm Gifts for College Students

This post was all about the best dorm gifts for college students that they are sure to love!

These dorm room gifts are perfect If you have a college student graduating soon so you can gift them at their graduation, or on college move-in day. Or maybe around Christmas or any holiday season! They will surely appreciate it.

Check out the following posts for more college ideas:

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