6 Perfect Graduation Gifts, According to a Soon-To-Be Graduate

Hi! My name is Kay Finlay and I am currently interning for The Shoe Hive for the month of May. I am a senior at Episcopal High School but am from Columbia, South Carolina and will be attending Southern Methodist University in the fall. So when Elizabeth began talking about writing an article about graduation gifts, I thought I would be the perfect person to assemble a list as I know what I am hoping to receive! (Mom, I hope you're reading this! ;-) )Entering a new chapter of life is daunting (I know I’m nervous!) but feeling prepared and confident can alleviate some of the stress. While I may have a slight bias, you really can’t go wrong with anything in The Hive or The Shoe Hive, but I can offer some guidance while looking. So without further ado, here is my list of gifts to help the graduate in your life feel prepared and ready to take college by storm!With a big college campus comes a lot of walking. You will for sure get all of your 10,000 step in for the day and while your body will thank you, your feet may not. Comfy and cute sneakers are the answer. Elizabeth previously wrote an article about Golden Goose, which you can find here so I won’t go into detail, but these shoes are an everyday essential, college graduate or not! ($655)Big hoop earrings are all the rage right now. They make any outfit night-out appropriate and draw attention to the face. The drawbacks, however, are that earrings like this can be very heavy and, because they are a big trend currently, everyone has pair. Nonetheless, this pair from the Hive addresses all of these problems. These earrings are lightweight and the double loop style with slight studs is different and eye-catching. For the graduate who is on trend but likes to move against the crowd, these are for her. ($98)This item is one your graduate can always keep with her. Layering delicate jewelry pieces is a trend I will always love. This ASHA necklace and pendant is a perfect addition to your graduate’s current collection and is something personalized that she can have forever. The mother of pearl background pops against the gold and will elevate her layering pieces. (Beaded Chain, $100, Charm, $175)Every girl probably has multiple S’well bottles but I don’t think many will have a S’well tumbler. If college is anything like boarding school is, then coffee is a food group. This tumbler will keep iced coffee freezing and hot coffee burning hot. As an added bonus, it’s easy to clean and super cute! (Tumbler, $25, Lid, $10)Late nights followed by early mornings is a combo every college student will eventually face. It can be really hard to get dressed and make it to that 8am class and it can be especially hard not to just go to class in your pajamas. This sweatsuit is the perfect solution! The baby pink is very on trend and while technically it is sweatpants your graduate will look so stylish no one will notice. Also, athleisure is all the rage so your graduate will be making major fashion waves on campus! (Top, $245, Bottom, $195)Every time I bring up college to my parents, the one comment I will inevitably hear is, “You will be too busy to be nervous!” While this only makes me feel marginally better, I know the busy part is true. Between a new campus, classes, friends, and city, it can be hard to keep track of life, but this bag can help you keep everything you need for your new life close while still looking cute. It has room for a laptop, books, and all of your non-class essentials! ($475)