Gift ideas for female college grads... besides cash

Woo! You have a friend, sister, daughter, or relative who is graduating from college... Now you just need to get a gift to commemorate the occasion and show that you are proud!

Of course cash is always a great gift, but it's so easy to put some money or a gift card in an envelope and hand it over... If you'd like to put a little more thought into a good gift from a college grad lady, ask a former college grad lady like me! (Or ask the specific college grad-to-be if she has any gifts in mind.)

If you have no idea or if you want to be more creative, then here are some ideas:

• Buy a pet! If your grad has a job lined up with housing all figured out, get a little animal to keep her company. Maybe she's always wanted a dog or cat; now that she's out of the dorms and little apartments, this is a good time for her to have one! If not, then a pretty fish with a tank, or other small animal, would work as well. If she's not an animal person, a really pretty plant or flower, like a potted orchid, could be nice.
• Send her on a trip! Now that your girl has completed an important and monumental stage in her life, celebrate it by introducing her to something new. There are all kinds of organizations that plan trips just for youth, including EF College Break (see the Hub "EF College Break: A great way for students to travel"). This is a great way to show your grad that you believe in her independence and that you want her to experience all the world has to offer. It's also a great way to relax after years of college-level work. Have friends sponsor each stop in each city or country; a lot of people are doing that for honeymoons these days.
• Scholarships for grad school or a PhD! If your grad has aspirations for grad school and/or beyond, offer her a scholarship to help pay for it. It's kind of like cash, but it shows even more your investment in her education and success.
• A camera for more good times. I know that when I graduated from college, my camera was shot from all the formals, beach trips, and parties. This is a great time to buy a camera... With everything costing so much money, it's nice to have a way to record the good times you have without having to pay too much.
• A Blackberry or iPhone. Now that your grad will be entering the work world, she could use a REAL grown-up phone to help her keep appointments, navigate to the office or on business trips, and view documents. No bright-pink phones this time.
• Supplies for her next job. If she has a job lined up, get her whatever she'll need to succeed! If she will be working in business, a really nice business tote or suitcase would be great. Perhaps she needs a new laptop. Maybe you feel like being really generous by getting her a new car to get to and from work... or a public transportation pass :)

Thank you for your interest in getting the perfect gift for your grad. Please leave comments if you have other ideas as well!