So, someone you know is leaving to go and study abroad: Whether it’s a family member, your daughter, sister, brother, friend, you want to give them the perfect present to remember you by.
It can be quite daunting trying to pick out the best gift for them, which is why putting together a study abroad gift basket for them shows the care and thought gone into making an important moment in their life extra special.
This article guides you through the nine steps to create a thoughtful travel gift basket, with items that are not only useful and essential in student life abroad but are thoughtful, luxurious gifts to make this moment memorable.
Awesome items to include in a study abroad gift basket
Knock it out of the park when you add these items to your next study abroad gift basket.
1. Zoppen Travel Passport Wallet
Any traveler needs to keep their important documents and passport safe at all times, so the Zoppen passport wallet is an ideal solution. Made with high-density, nylon fabric, the wallet is not only durable but water-proof as well, meaning your documents are safe from the weather. Inside the wallet, you have two passport pouches, a boarding pass pocket, a pen holder, two zipper bags, six card slots, a mesh bag, and a removable keychain and wrist strap, and it’s lightweight and easy to organize — what more could you ask for? It also comes in different colors, so check it out.
2. RAVPower 26800mAh Portable Charger 26800
With a colossal battery power of 26,800mAh, this RAVPower portable charger is a great addition to the study abroad gift basket. With 9 days worth of power stored in one charge, you’ll have peace of mind that your devices won’t lose battery when you’re out and about. With three 2.0 USB slots to provide charging for three devices at the same time, this superb power bank charges smartphones up to six times over, and a tablet at twice over 9 days on average, with unrestrained use per charge — how crazy is that?
3. Wantdo Hooded Jacket
The weather changes in every country, so making sure you have the essential clothing to keep you warm is a must. Available in both men and women’s versions, this nylon jacket is windproof and DWR (durable water repellent), which helps to keep you warm whatever the weather. What makes this jacket stand out is the quality of fabric, its durability, the media port and earphone line located in the inner pocket—perfect for listening to music while running and walking. To top it all off, the fabric is lightweight, breathable and compact, meaning it doesn’t take up much space as it can be stowed away in the small bag that it comes with.
4. SublimeWare Power Travel Adaptor
Don’t you hate it when your pins sink back into the travel adaptor? Well, fear no more as the SublimeWare Power Travel Adaptor has a unique pin locking mechanism that will ensure this will never happen again. A must for any traveler, and an especially great travel gift for a student studying abroad, this gadget enables you to travel in over 150 countries worldwide. This all-in-one travel adaptor boasts four USB ports, so you can simultaneously charge four devices in any country, without the hassle of keeping track of multiple adaptors. This makes a fantastic addition to the study abroad gift basket.
5. Kindle Paperwhite
As much as books are great to feel in your hand as you turn the pages, chances are that the person you’re intending to give this study abroad gift basket to will not have a lot of room for many books. So how about giving them access to over a million titles and bestsellers from one device? The Kindle Paperwhite is the lightest of the range yet, and a single charge of the battery lasts for weeks. Enjoy millions of books on the go whenever and wherever with the built-in adjustable light. The Kindle Paperwhite now comes with Audible also, so stick your headphones in and listen, rather than read. It is now also waterproof and has a 300 PPI glare-free display – so you can go and enjoy it on the beach.
6. Luggage with battery pack
This is the ultimate luggage option for the over-packer. The two oversized wheels enable the traveler to have a whopping 20% more packing space. For the tech fans, this luxury Samsonite carry-on luggage has a removable battery that is allowed on all airlines as it’s TSA and airline approved. You’ll never have to sit on this luggage to close it, as it comes with assisted compression to help you zip it up; its padded sleeves for laptops and tablets help to keep them safe while traveling also. Overall, you get 35% more expansion, which means an extra 15 liters on top of the 45 liters it already has — it is the best option on the market right now.
7. Yorepek Charging Travel Backpack
Every traveler needs a backpack, so how about one with 20 pockets and an external USB port with charging cable? The tear and water-resistant Yorepek backpack has it all: a large capacity of 45 liters with three main compartments that has many hidden pockets, a deep side zipper pocket for easy access to your essentials and a whole lot more — it’s your very own Mary Poppins’ magic bag, and it can charge your phone!
The backpack is very thoughtfully-designed, so you can thread your headphones through to use them while charging your phone. You can easily stow away your laptop and your other travel essentials, and still have room to spare.
8. Smartphone camera lens kit
While there are many affordable DSLR cameras available nowadays, there are many smartphones out there with a good quality camera anyway — so why not utilize that and add a smartphone camera lens to your phone? The Olloclip multi-device clip is one of the best in the market, with a 3-in-1 lens kit, including a super wide-angle to get those panoramic scene shots, a macro, and a fisheye. It’s super light to travel with, works with all camera apps and is fantastic for creating videos, live broadcasting, time-lapse, panorama and 360° VR. This kit provides everything you need to create high-quality memories of traveling abroad.
You might not think of it at the onset, but this phone upgrade is definitely one travel gift for a student studying abroad that they won’t forget.
9. Coordinate keychains
The latest gadgets and tech are great and everything, but sometimes adding a personal touch is what’s needed. People love personal and sentimental gifts, especially someone who’s leaving home. They may get homesick sometimes and miss you, so these personalized coordinate keychains are the perfect, quality gift to remind them of home in a lovely way. Having the coordinates of where they’re from and a compass engraved into the metal will remind them of pleasant memories of home whilst they’re away. You can also engrave other words etched into the gift; these are the perfect final addition to your epic travel gift basket.
Don’t forget the basket!
But wait, no study abroad gift basket is complete without…the actual basket. Take a look at this highly recommended Wicker Basket: the strong folding double handles make this basket particularly unique and the natural design ensures that the basket is also eco-friendly. However, I wouldn’t recommend attempting to put the carry-on luggage in the basket!
Another recommendation that would make a unique gift basket is to use the carry-on luggage as the gift basket! It makes for a really fun surprise when your traveling friend or family member receives the gift, then opens it up for even more thoughtful treasures before they depart on their travels.
Make your study abroad gift basket one to remember!
These steps have been put together to help you choose the perfect gifts to include in your study abroad gifts basket with ease. Whether they’re off to study in Europe or further afield, make sure that your study abroad gift basket to them is one to remember. They will appreciate the thoughtfulness, time, and effort that goes into creating the luxury basket full of gifts, and leaves them feeling prepared for their adventure abroad. What more could you want in a travel gift for a student studying abroad?
Authored by Lauren Raybould
Lauren is a freelance writer and editor in the UK; after graduating with a degree in Creative Writing and Journalism, she went on to become a Magazine Journalist at a local B2B magazine, before taking the plunge into the freelance world. Currently, she is setting up her own editing and copywriting business, The Night Owl.
When she’s not writing or editing, she’s taking her dogs for a walk, going to gigs, or curled up with a crime book and a cuppa.