10 Gift Ideas for a Girl Going Away to College for the First Time

College is a crazy time in anyone’s life, particularly when they’re going away to school for the first time. Girls preparing to move into their freshman dorms are also preparing to move out – which means, in addition to your back to school basics, she’ll also need luggage, new bedding for that comfy cozy standard issue twin XL, and perhaps even new clothes to survive life on her new college campus. With so many options to choose from, how do you narrow down the best gift ideas for a girl going away to college?

That’s why we’ve put together this list today. From practical to sentimental, inexpensive upgrades to pricier presents, we’ll go over some of the best gift ideas we’ve come across, including:

• Gift cards that will help her throughout the semester or school year
• Sentimental photos and letters for when she’s missing her friends and family at home
• Gifs that make life on campus easier, safer, and less stressful 

1. Gift Cards

Text a GiftYa digital gift card

Going away to college can be tough at first – whether she’s rooming with a random courtesy of the school’s sorting hat (er, algorithm) or her BFF from high school, she might find herself a little more choked up than she thought she’d be watching the people who raised her drive away, leaving her on her own for the first time. It’s exciting, but also college can be scary. Not to mention, expensive.

So when the snack stash that mom set her up with runs out, or she finds that she needs a professional skirt for a mid-semester presentation, make sure she can get what she needs with a gift card. Plus, with GiftYa digital gift cards, you can send a personalized gift card with several convenient ways to redeem or exchange the balance to her email or text inbox in just a few clicks. Here are some of our top gift card ideas for a girl going away to college based on the catalog:

🚘 For getting her and her groceries from point A to point B, text a DoorDash gift card to keep real groceries in her mini fridge or send a Lyft gift card so she never has to walk home when she’s studying late at the library

🛋️ For putting the finishing touches on her dorm room that will make it feel like home, text a World Market gift card or buy a Wayfair gift card

💻 For all of her tech needs this semester, send a Best Buy gift card or grab an Apple gift card

📣 To help her get into the school spirit, text a Fanatics gift card a week or so before the big homecoming game – it’ll give her college sports apparel time to arrive before the school rivals do

🎒 For those last minute dorm living essentials, grab a Target gift card

☕️ To make sure she’s focused for those early classes, send a Dunkin’ gift card or buy a Caribou Coffee gift card

📚 To put a dent in the assigned reading list, buy a Barnes & Noble gift card

👟 Since she’ll be walking a lot on campus, send a Macy’s gift card or text a Famous Footwear gift card in case her old shoes start to wear out

🎮 And finally, to help her unwind and connect with her new classmates, send a Nintendo eShop gift card or grab a Cinemark gift card she can use in her downtime

But if you want to go with this gift idea, you don’t have to stick with national brands. GiftYa also partners with local restaurants, stores, and attractions across the country, which means you can also consider a gift card to that iconic all-night diner near campus or the local roller rink where she can go have some fun when she’s not studying – the choice is up to you.

Text a GiftYa digital gift card

2. Open When Letters

Moving to campus is a big change! It’s inevitable that in addition to new joys and successes, there will be moments of stress and sadness as well. At home, you can give her a hug and make sure she has what she needs – whether it’s some quality time or a pep talk. And while you’re still just a phone call away, it can be nice to have a physical message in your mom or dad’s handwriting when you’re missing home most.

“Open When…” letters are simple – they’re pre-written messages designed to be opened when a particular situation comes up. There are a variety of kits available that include prompts for your messages, and the mailers above are even big enough to tuck in a gift card or a few sachets of tea, a little gag gift or some flowers from the front porch.

You can also DIY this gift with just a pen, some paper and envelopes, and a little creativity. Here are a few prompts to get you started:

• Open when… you are missing home
• Open when… you had a fight with your roommate
• Open when… you can’t fall asleep
• Open when… you finish your first big exam
• Open when… you’ve had a bad day
• Open when… you miss our faces!
• Open when… you’re feeling burned out
• Open when… the holiday decorations start going up
• Open when… you need a hug
• Open when… you’re craving a home cooked meal
• Open when… you’re feeling sick

Including letters for other holidays and occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas can be good as well, if they won’t be able to make it home for break.

3. Self Defense Keychain

No matter how smart or self reliant she is, safety can be a big concern on college campuses. Whether she’s coming home late from the library or going out with her friends, you’ll both feel more at ease knowing she has some protection clipped to her lanyard.

Popular on social media, self defense keychains have never been so aesthetically pleasing. There are a variety of shops out there – from Etsy sellers to dedicated websites like Self Defense Keychain Store and Safety Keychains – where you can get a set of matching safety items like:

• Pepper spray or stun guns
• Air tag keychain
• Personal alarms
• Emergency lights
• Self defense knuckles

And other items, with a few cute keychains or fidget toys to round it out. You can also find sets on Amazon, or DIY this gift when you pick out individual items you think she might need.

4. Stylish Electronics Bag

Chances are, she’s going to be toting her essential electronics with her back and forth to class every day – so help her do it in style while protecting those expensive tech items. This monogrammed clutch from Mark and Graham is one of many options out there that can be used as a standalone item or tucked into a backpack for easy organization. It contains pockets for her phone, headphones, cards or student ID, and other chargers – and it’s big enough for her laptop and/or tablet, too.

5. Going Away Gift Basket

Gift baskets make a great going away to college gift – with extra space, it really opens up your options to include different items. Consider packing it all in a laundry basket she can on laundry day. Some great ideas for a going away gift basket include:

• Cozy blanket or fuzzy socks for when the weather turns cold
• Mug and tea for that inevitable back to school cold
• Snacks for studying or watching movies with her roomie
• Gift cards for restaurants near campus
• Planners and notebooks to keep her organized all semester
• Boring but necessary often forgotten essentials like pencils, batteries, and toiletries
• Little electronics like a smart charger, phone charger, or charging pad

6. Wall Collage Kit

Dorm walls are notoriously bland, so help her add a little personality with a wall collage kit like this one! It comes with lots of stickers, motivational notes, and quotes that she can use to create her own space. 

Consider getting her a Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 camera before she shoves off. You can spend a few days making memories and taking snapshots to remind her of home while she’s at school. And be sure to stock her up on film so that she can make new memories with her college friends to add to the mix! Not only will they look great up on her wall, you’ll get to see what her semester has looked like through her eyes, too.

7. Stanley or Owala Water Bottle

Haven’t you heard? Hydro Flask is out, and Stanley is in. Or is that Stanley cups are out, and Owala is in? Whether you go with a YETI or a lululemon or another water bottle entirely, she’ll appreciate the trendy accessory to keep her hydrated during late night study sessions, long walks to class, and workouts in the campus rec center.

8. Custom Caddies + Bags

Sharing spaces means staying organized is more important than ever. Help prevent her from forgetting something back in her room when she heads off to shower or her roomie from accidentally mistaking her body wash for her own when you get her a cosmetic bag large enough for all of her toiletries. 

Caddies and laundry bags make good choices too!

9. Luggage

Whether she’s down the highway or across the country, she’ll be traveling to get back home for the first time ever. Make sure her stuff gets there safely and that there’s enough room for all that dirty laundry she’s been saving to wash at home when you get her a matching luggage set.

10. Study Aids + Accessories

Making the grade and meeting new people are really the names of the game in college. Set her up for academic success with helpful study aids and products that will give her productivity a boost even when her brain feels like it can’t take any more information. A few little things can make a big difference, like:

• Noise canceling headphones – these turn out to be great for college students
• Electronic tools like iStudiez Pro (calendar and assignment tracker for any OS) or Notability (cloud synced notes app so she can access her notes anywhere)
• Subscription to a service like Chegg or Udemy

That’s it on our gift ideas for a girl going away to college.

Choosing the right gifts for college students can be tough, but we think you’ll ace this first one with any of the items on this list. Still searching for the perfect idea? Check out the full GiftYa catalog for thousands of local and national brands, like her favorite shoe company or the coffee shop near campus. Happy gifting!