Gift for teen off to uni -

[salmonfreezy]

I wanted to buy a gift for a friends DD who is off to uni and had thought a toastie maker would be a good thing but she will be in a catered hall and they apparently aren't allowed any plugs apart from haircare (!)

What else would be a good "making friends" kind of gift?

Two things; pack of playing cards and a door stop so they could keep their door open / encourage others to say hello.

Also some advice - they should find some clubs to join and find their people with similar interests that way too.

On the first day we helped move DS in, the girl opposite came over to say hi which was really reassuring for us as parents!

I'd say a voucher is best, you don't know what she has, or alcohol. And she's an adult, not a teen!

And she's an adult, not a teen!

She's presumably both.

You can get painted door stops like famous people

https://www.meetthewedgies.com/brand/wedgie

theres Taylor swift, George Michael, two pak
loads on there

Money

Hard cash.
whilst lots of the bits suggested here are useful, people often will already have bought them.

Takeaway delivery vouchers or shots glasses!

Two things; pack of playing cards and a door stop so they could keep their door open / encourage others to say hello

They may not be allowed to prop their doors open - fire safety. Certainly that was the case in my dcs' halls.

Honestly - you won't know what she will have already. A lot of the suggestions you've had are a bit naff. The one thing most students want is cash. Just put some in a good luck card. Or buy a supermarket/coffee shop voucher.

If you buy her a pack of playing cards and a doorstop and she’s already got those (my DC had both), then it’s a bit of a rubbish present-she’ll either have to tell you she has them already or lie and say, ‘wow-that’s a really great gift!’.

Go with money!

Alcohol consumption is trending down in young people, 26% of 16-24 year olds don't drink at all, so don't assume alcohol or shot glasses are a good present!

I think money is probably safest. Though there is nothing naff about biscuits or a pack of cards or something. My son lived off toasties until he got more confident about cooking!

I mean, isn't ignoring the fact that you aren't meant to prop the doors open the entire purpose of a door wedge? It's certainly a rule I broke, and I wasn't a crazy teenager by any stretch of the imagination.

a cook book, student nosh?

When my parents dropped me off at uni, I walked downstairs with them to walk them out of the building when I was all unpacked. When I came back to my room there was an envelope sticking out under my rug. I opened it and my mum had written me a letter saying how proud she was of me and how much she loved me etc - I still have that note! But she had also enclosed a £20 to buy the people in my flat a round of drinks at the student union, and a £20 Pizza Hut voucher. Honestly I am extremely shy and having something to talk to my new flatmates about really helped and we are still friends 14 years later. (May or may not be the lager and pizza - but it can’t have hurt!)

@Tisfortired awww that’s so very sweet 🥰

Ahh that’s so lovely Tisfortired

I think people use Google now

An electric blanket for her bed