11 Insanely Thoughtful Graduation Gift Ideas For Friends To Stay Connected After College

Curious to know what the best graduation gift ideas for friends are? This post is all about the best graduation gift ideas for friends who you appreciate. 

Graduating from college can be just as sad as it is exciting. It’s so thrilling to start a new chapter of your life, but it’s very depressing to leave all of your friends.

One of my friends was depressed for an entire week before graduation because she was going to miss all of her friends, so I understand the sorrow. 

To keep ourselves in our friends lives, these 11 genius graduation gift ideas for friends will help you stay connected to them. These graduation gift ideas are meaningful and will make you think of your friends each time you use the gift. 

After reading these graduation gift ideas for friends, you will feel ready to give your friends amazing gifts for graduation. 

This post is all about the the best graduation gift ideas for friends. 

Best Graduation Gift Ideas For Friends

1. Pictures With A Magnet Background 

Back in high school, my friend gave me a magnet with various of picture of us together and I still look at it all of the time! The magnet allows for your friend to put it on your fridge so you can always see your fun memories with them.

If you aren’t a magnet type of person, you can get a friendship frame and put your favorite pictures in them. 

If you decide to get a picture frame, then remember that there are so many different frame aesthetics so you should get your friends aesthetic. There’s rustic, classy, modern, feminine, earthy, crystals, and more!

If you are unsure of your friends aesthetic, Amazon’s best seller from Malden International Designs has a high rating and works with virtually any type of aesthetic. 

Best Places To Get Picture Frames:

• Hobby Lobby
• Michales
• Target

2. Friendship Bracelets

Friendship bracelets never disappoint, especially for a graduation gift. If you are looking for a gift that will constantly remind your friend about your friendship, this is the item!

Wearing a friendship bracelet everyday will make your friend and you feel connected in no other way. Knowing that other person is wearing the same bracelet or the other half (depending on the type of bracelet), is an awesome connection to have with someone no matter how far apart you are. 

I use to have a friendship keychain with my best friend and the keychain would always remind me of her. For friendship bracelet, my boyfriend and I like the Pinky Promise bracelet from Amazon because I like the way it looks. This bracelet can definitely be used for friends and they are subtle enough that they can be worn every day. 

Best Places To Get Friendship Bracelets:

• Francescas
• Target 
• Amazon

3. Personalized Friend Mug

Mugs are a wonderful graduation gift idea for friends, especially if your friend loves coffee or tea. There are many websites such as Zazzle and Printful that can create custom made mugs for you. My best friends and I have matching mugs and they are just the cutest!

Every time I drink out of it I think of them and how thankful I am to have them in my life. Also, this is a great gift to get your significant other as I gave my boyfriend this gift too. 

You should make sure to personalize the mug based on your friends interests. For example, if they love flowers then put some flowers on the mug, whereas if they like stars then add stars onto the mug!

The best part is, you can make just about any type of mug! For easy use, Amazon has their own personalized mug set so you can design it to your needs. 

Best Places To Get Personalized Mugs:

• Zazzle
• Printful
• Amazon

4. Vintage Record Player With Their Favorite Album

Do you and your friend share the same love for music? Get your friend a retro record player with their favorite album so they can listen to is while thinking of you.

After college, my friends and I have certain albums and songs that will always remind me of them. If you were to gift the albums that you and your friends hold dear to your heart, they will be so thankful. 

To modernize your gift, you could always contribute to a Spotify playlist or share one. This way, you and your friends can always see what you are listening to. However, if you like the more retro approach, then I recommend the retro record player.  

Best Places To Get Record Players:

• Best Buy
• Walmart
• Amazon

5. Airplane Ticket To Visit Each Other  

This graduation gift idea for friends is on the expensive side, however if you are able to afford flights to visit your friend then your friend will be so happy!

My best friend from high school moved to Texas after we graduated, and I miss her so much. About a year later, she flew back to visit me and we had the absolute best time together!! Trust me when I say your friend will be so honored. 

If flights are out of your budget (they were out of mine when I graduated college), then take a look at discounted flight sites such as Scotts Cheap Flights. They have deals that can have flights for super cheap!! 

Best Cheap Airlines:

• Frontier Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• JetBlue

6. Scrapbook

Scrapbooks are the perfect graduation gift for your friends. They highlight all of the memories you had together throughout your past four or so years.

A good way to organize the scrapbook is to go in chronological order, starting with your freshmen year and ending at senior year. This way, your friends can relive their college experience with you every time they open the scrapbook!

To make the scrapbook even more special, design the scrapbook based off your friends style. If they love pink and feminine designs then make it pink! In the opposite way, if your friend loves black and goth vibes then make it ominous!

I love pink and feminine aesthetics, so I love the Never Ever Land Scrapbook on Amazon, as it provides a clean and light aesthetic. 

Best Places To Get Scrapbook Supplies:

• Michales
• Hobby Lobby
• Staples

7. Painting

Do you love painting or another form of art? Making your friends a personalized painting for their birthday is a fantastic idea!

My sister gave me the painting above and I love it so much!! It’s hung in my room so I look at it every morning and night. Making a personalized gift like a painting is so meaningful and something your friend can keep forever to think about you.

Best Places To Get Painting Supplies:

• Michaels
• Hobby Lobby
• Walmart

8. Daily Inspiration Cards

Daily inspiration cards are another one of the clever graduation gift ideas for friends. If you and your friend always hyped each other up, then getting them daily inspiration cards to hype them up since you won’t be able to in-person anymore is genius.

To make it even more personable, you don’t have to buy the daily inspiration cards but you can create them yourself! Be your inner artist and write your friend wonderful artistic daily inspiration cards to help them get through their days when you aren’t there. 

When creating daily inspiration cards, make sure to make them in colors and designs that your friend will love. Although you should make the daily inspiration cards your friends aesthetic, you can also add some of your own aesthetics too.

Adding your own personal aesthetic will make them feel like you’re truly there giving them inspiration for the day. 

Best Places To Get Art Supplies:

• Michales
• Hobby Lobby
• Walmart

9. Gift Basket Filled With Inside Jokes

This item is very broad, however the broadness might actually make this the best gift yet. Get your friend a gift basket and fill it with all of your best inside jokes!

Did you always have to pick up your friend Starbucks when you went there? Then get them a Starbucks gift card. Does your best friend have a bad experience with Fireball shots? Then get them Fireball shots.

Adding inside joke items to the gift basket will guarantee you and your best friend to cry laughing before departing. I’ve given my friends many gift baskets in the past, and I love Amazon’s best selling Small Woven Basket for gifts.

Best Places To Get Gift Baskets:

• Amazon
• Target
• Walmart

10. Spa Day Together

If you and your bestie are into health, wellness, body care, and skin care then having a spa day together is essential! This graduation gift allows you and your friend to spend quality time together before you go your separate ways.

Also, you can purchase soaps, salts, and lotions together to share similar experiences while you are away. 

I absolutely love spa days as I love feeling zen. Even if you and your besties have never experienced a spa day together, this could be a new experience to have!

If you don’t want to go somewhere you can always create your own spa day with your friends or give them spa day supplies. 

Best Places To Get Spa Supplies

• Bath & Body Works 
• Revolve
• Sephora

11. Customized Stanley Cup

Stanley cups are so in right now! Besides being one of the most popular water bottles out there, they are also amazing for your health!

Stanley’s are very big and the amount of water it can carry promotes hydration. To add your touch, you can create a customizable Stanley cup by personalizing it.

There are many places to customize your Stanley cup, but the easiest way is to order it from Amazon and personalize based on your desires. 

Best Places To Get Stanley Cups:

• DICK’S Sporting Goods
• Walmart
• Amazon

This post was all about the best graduation gift ideas for friends.