By Erin Everhart for GalTime.com
Presents your college student will appreciate these midterms.It's only been six weeks of them living on their own, but your new-to-college kid has had just enough time to settle into a groove. And while you feel like you've packed more than they could ever need when you shipped them off back in August, there's still a few things they may be clammering for once they've realized what college life and living on your own actually is. With midterms coming up, it may be the perfect time to surprise them something a little extra.
Backup hard drives
If you've sent them off with a laptop, then they have a great portable way to get their work done anywhere around campus. However, you'll want to equip them with a backup hard drive just in case that laptop meets an unexpected crash. This will allow them to keep a backup of all of their files safely stored away in their dorm room or apartment, instead of being left without a laptop AND all their files.
A small portable flash drive is also a pretty handy gadget for times when they only need to transport a few files to the printer or to a class.
Digital Voice Recorder
This may get a few laughs at first, but a digital voice recorder can quickly become a student's best friend when the work load in class starts to pile up. There's always one professor who likes making life hard and taking notes impossible by talking way too fast. Make sure they catch every word and get the most out of those credit hours you're paying for.
Related: 5 Ways to Help Your College Freshman Adjust
Microsoft and Adobe programs
Writing papers and completing assignments is all in a day's work for a college student, so their computer needs to be updated with the latest software. Basic Microsoft Office programs like Word, PowerPoint and Excel are necessary, and Adobe products like InDesign, Dreamweaver and Photoshop are quickly becoming just as important as more careers go digital. Most of these programs are also available at discounted prices to students, so be sure to take advantage.
Scooter
On most campuses, having a car is out of the question, but they'll still need a way to easily get around if public transportation isn't reliable. Scooters are one of the most popular modes of transportation around many college campuses because they offer students better access to parking and help rack up tons of savings when it comes to gas and there are lots of models and types to choose.
Magazine Subscription
If you're looking to keep in touch via snail mail, but don't want to go overboard with the XOXO postcards, try throwing a magazine subscription their way. Magazines like Entertainment Weekly, TIME Magazine or National Geographic make great gifts for college students and will give them something to look forward to when they check their mailboxes.
Related: 8 Essential Budgeting Tips for College Students
Piggy Bank with quarters
A fun way to get a little sentimental without packing a photo frame is through a personalized piggy bank. You can add a family photo or decorations to give it some zing and fill it with quarters for them to start saving. This is perfect for all the vending machines around campus and the laundry machines they'll have to tackle.
Cooking and Cleaning
The last drawers to fill up in a college student's apartment are normally located in the kitchen. You've got the bowls, plates, forks and spoons, but somehow the lack of pots, pans, can openers, spatulas and cooking spices goes unnoticed until fast food just won't cut it anymore. Even for residence halls on campus, the smell of cookies on a simple baking sheet will bring new friends to the communal kitchen area and help make the homesickness go away for a least a little while.
A Swiffer Wet Jet mop or new vacuum also make great gifts for any college kid. Ignoring the chores can only go on for so long. Soon they'll be cleaning up because they like it, not just because you're dropping by for a visit, right?
What are some other things college kids will need but may not ask for?
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