Students can be tricky to buy presents for and with three in ten Britons agreeing that money doesn’t count as a ‘proper gift’[1], it can be a challenge for their friends and family to know what to get them.
With this in mind, The University of Law has crowdsourced a list of potential Christmas gifts from students across the UK. Below are the top suggestions from students:
Amazon Kindle
A Kindle is great for reading books, but not everyone knows they can be an excellent tool for students too. It can be used to store textbooks, notes, and research all in the same place within a lightweight, portable device. Kindles also allow the reader to highlight and annotate any book, which is an invaluable feature for university students.
Quality Stationery
It makes sense to invest some extra money in items that are used frequently and in the case of students, notebooks and pens are heavily used. Replacing worn-out notebooks and pens with high-quality stationery can make a massive difference in a student’s capability to take notes.
On-Demand TV Subscription
When moving to university, students can miss home comforts such as satellite television, so a gift of an on-demand subscription can be a perfect replacement. Services like Netflix or Amazon Prime offer thousands of hours of film and television on demand, perfect for quiet nights in either alone or with housemates.
MacBook
MacBooks are valuable investments for students. The long battery life comes in handy for those long nights before deadlines and the high-resolution displays can make extended periods in front of the screen more bearable. Of course, these high-spec machines come with a price tag, so consider clubbing together with family and friends, or getting a voucher to go towards the overall cost.
Slow Cooker
A slow cooker is an ideal piece of cooking equipment for university students, as it makes it incredibly easy to cook hot, delicious meals with little preparation. They’re also good for saving money and reducing waste as any leftover meat and vegetables can go straight into the cooker along with some stock to create an entirely new meal. This certainly beats the student staples of beans on toast or super noodles!
iPhone 11
Apple’s latest iteration of the iPhone is another top suggestion for students. The all-new dual-camera is perfect for capturing memorable moments, and the improved front camera is perfect for video calls with loved ones back home. iPhones are also dependable and feature long battery lives, ideal for long days in the library.
Tickets or Experiences
Those living off student loans can often ill-afford to buy tickets for things they enjoy, so a thoughtful experiential gift can be a perfect present for students. Experiences can also forge lasting memories that material items may not. Make sure to ask for ideas first though, as many tickets are non-refundable.
Peter Crisp, Pro Vice Chancellor (External) at ULaw, said: “I think we’re all guilty of giving (and receiving) a few dodgy Christmas presents over the years, but hopefully this list will spark some inspiration for those buying presents for students returning home this festive season.”
[1] YouGov Profiles+ Great Britain 2019-11-24