The Best Gift for a College Student Is a Fancy Travel Mug
It can be especially tough to choose the best present for a college student. They’re likely living away from home for the first time, so you don’t see them all that much, and they’re old enough to have formed pretty staunch ideas about their likes, dislikes, and what exactly fits into their lives. They already have the gadgets they need, the things they want, and not a lot of space for anything else. But there’s one thing that every college student needs more of, and that’s caffeine.
There are a few other things typically true of your run-of-the-mill college student: 1) They aren’t rolling in dough, so they probably won’t buy nice things for themselves. 2) They are a sleep-deprived, so they are in a constant state of needing a little energy boost (and probably some fuel for those all-nighters making them tired to begin with). 3) They are really busy, so they appreciate things that they can take on the go and not worry about breaking when they unceremoniously chuck it in a tote bag.
So, from where I’m standing, there’s exactly one present for a college student that can speak to all of this: a top-notch coffee travel mug—specifically, the Zojirushi New Stainless Mug.
This travel mug is basically the cadillac of on-the-go coffee vessels. It received The Sweethome’s coveted “Our Pick” designation, and it consistently receives effusive five star reviews on Amazon. The design-conscious mug keeps your beverages super hot for more than six hours, and super cold for over an hour. It features a safety lock so when it is inevitably dropped in a backpack or tossed onto a bed, it won’t spill a drop. The 20 oz. container weighs less than half a pound, so it won’t slow people down, even though it will hold a whole lot of coffee. And last but not least, it has a five year warranty, which means that the freshman you’re giving this to will likely be able to hold onto it even beyond college.
Granted, it isn’t cheap, exactly; the newest make of this travel mug costs around $40. But for something this handy and long-lasting, it seems more than reasonable. Plus, you can’t put a price on still having hot coffee from the morning ready to combat the afternoon slump. I think that college student you know would agree.
Zojirushi Stainless Mug, $39.95, amazon.com
