Being a college student is living through one stressful situation after another. The hard classes, long and sleepless nights spent studying and working late shifts to make ends meet—among other things—tend to pile up, and giving them a little emotional support can go a long way to help them feel better. Of course, a nice gift can also do wonders to lift their spirits, especially if it’s something that shows that you know what they’re going through and want to help.

If you know someone who’s about to embark for college and all the things that entail, why not give them one of the best gifts for college students in 2019? Any of them is sure to be a game-changer for all future students regardless of their lifestyle. We chose each one of them based on how much they would help a person adapt to their new surroundings, and range from the big and flashy to the practical and restrained, so they can fit into any budget. Finally, we added links under each entry so you can compare different prices online and get the best option. 

Amazon’s Echo Dot

Voice-activated digital assistants like the Amazon Echo Dot are very useful tools regardless of lifestyle because of how versatile they are. A student can play music, make audio calls, check the news or the weather, customize and track their fitness routine, connect to their smartphones, and that’s just scratching the surface. Unlike Amazon’s more famous Alexa, the Echo Dot sports a compact form while retaining most of the functions, which makes it perfect for smaller spaces like a dorm room or apartment.

The option to automate and synchronize different parts of their routine and make internet searches without dropping what they’re doing can really make the difference for a student.

Find it on Amazon.

ICON Lite Backpack

Many students are on the move all day, which means they will be carrying much more than just books and a laptop from place to place. This can spell doom for most not-so-sturdy gadgets and other objects that they might need for specific classes or even for work, and their old high-school backpack might not be up to the task at all. Enter the ICON Lite Backpack, a minimally-designed backpack without any bells and whistles that focuses on mobility, portability, and compression instead. Features include a built-in laptop sleeve and a padded pouch for smaller pieces of tech so they don’t get knocked around.

The main purpose is to fit and blend in any environment possible, be it school, work, or just moving around town while keeping everything inside it safe. While it might not be the most exciting thing to spend $100 on, this will prove to be a sturdy and reliable tool that will last any student a long time.

Find it on Amazon, 

Takeya 1030 Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker

Let’s be honest and admit that coffee is the lifeblood of academic and professional life for college students. It keeps millions of people going through the day, so they will definitely appreciate this iced coffee maker that’s easy to use so they can keep their focus on other important things while saving a ton of money in the process. The Takeya is made of BPA-free Tritan, comes in 1 and 2-quart pitcher size variants, and is resistant enough to pour both cold and hot water using any variety of ground bean.

The best thing about the Takeya is that it’s not only easy to use, but to generally have around. Coffee can be prepared the night before and be good to go in the morning and cleaning it is super simple.

Find it on Amazon, 

YnM Weighted Blanket

There really is no way to buy a college student their youth back, but you can get them the next best thing: A restful sleep each night. Stress and anxiety can do terrible things to a student’s sleep schedule, and the YnM blanket uses evenly distributed weight and seven different layers to make a person feel like they’re being hugged through the night, making them relax much more easily. It comes in several presentations that go from 5 to 25-pounds, all of which offer that gently-but-firm sensation of slight, comforting pressure of being hugged while a person drifts off to sleep.

There are many stress-inducing situations in a college student’s life, that’s a sad reality that most people go through, like the dreaded pre-finals nights, so getting them something that helps them relax and sleep better will give them a huge morale boost. 

Find it on Amazon.

These practical gifts for college-bound students will help them out while they adjust to their new life, or just make it a lot easier for them. Still, other options are simpler and more affordable than the items listed above, like giving their dorm or apartment a professional clean. Don’t let them forget what it is to live in a clean home just because they live away!