Graduation season is here again, and a brand new group of college grads will soon head off for what has been dubbed the "real world." While internships, job offers, and basically figuring out what the next move is will be important aspects after graduating, many students will have a bit of time to unwind and party. With graduation parties and celebrations often comes the task of finding a great gift for that graduate. Here are five great gift ideas for college grads to help prepare them for that real-world experience.

Amazon Echo Dot or Spot

Its become one of the most popular gifts for all occasions and all sorts of people.

There's a good reason for that, as this simple interactive speaker packs a lot of features into it. One can use it to play music, listen to audiobooks, set up reminders, timers, alarms, and then there are the vast amount of "Skills." With these special add-ons that are mostly free, the Amazon Echo Dot owner can use it to gain knowledge, play games, or just have fun.

At $50 or less, this makes an affordable gift that is a great addition to the grad's apartment, condo, or home. Alternatively, there's the newer Echo Spot device which costs $150 or less and features a digital alarm clock screen capable of displaying information, pictures, and videos.

Fire TV Stick

In keeping with the inexpensive theme for Amazon gifts, the Fire Tv Stick is also a great gift idea. Device owners have found that this small tech gadget also packs quite a bit into it. It allows for watching vast amounts of content, whether free, or via a subscription service. Owners can install the Firefox web app to use YouTube or other websites for information, videos, or research.

The newest Fire TV Stick runs for about $50 or less, depending on any deals, and is well worth it for those college grads heading to a new place.

Apple Airpods (or BeatsX Wireless)

While these tend to be on the more expensive side at $150, they also are highly recommended for those iPhone owners, or music enthusiasts. Both provide great features and sound, but the Airpods involve a bit less clutter based on their new hi-tech design.

They also will help answer phone calls, similar to a Bluetooth earpiece.

The BeatsX are also great for those who love that morning run or heading to the gym with their music, or even a graduate who will be making long commutes. Both versions can be found for $150 or less.

The Apple Watch

A wristwatch which can run apps, answer calls, send email or text messages, play music, track health (including heart rate or steps), and even tell time? That's what the Apple Watch can do. While these can cost up to $300 or more depending on the series and if it features an LTE service connection, they could be among the most helpful gifts for a college graduate.

The Apple Watch Series 1 costs just $149 or less at Walmart, but will require an iPhone pairing to perform some tasks, including playing music or answering calls. However, the pricier and newer models can rely on a hi-speed connection and do things without needing an Apple iPhone nearby.

Virtual reality headset

Why not allow that college graduate to escape reality, at least for a bit? With the real world throwing plenty of stress toward graduates, a Virtual Reality Headset allows for just that escape. One of the newer headsets receiving rave reviews is the Oculus Go which checks in with a price tag of $199. While the newest headset offers the ability to participate in virtual worlds and games, its been praised by Polygon for its integration of social media.

There's no denying that social media platforms will continue to exist and college graduates will know that pretty well. While this is probably one of the cooler gifts on the list, the gift giver might want to provide a disclaimer to prevent that college graduate from overdosing on virtual reality!
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