Say Goodbye to Useless Gifts: 5 Engraved Gifts Your University Grad Will Actually Appreciate

Have you been scrolling the internet in search of the perfect gift for your university graduate? The scroll stops here. I am going to share the top 5 gifts I wish I had been given when I graduated university and why I would still be using them today. Keep reading to find my shopping list of perfect gifts and step out of “oh thank you, I will donate this as soon as you aren’t looking” gift cycle.

1. Personalized Clock

Engraved clocks are at the top of my list because every professional needs one on their desk. They are classy decor and with your degree engraved into them they are a timeless reminder of your hard work and dedication to your trade. There are many different styles out there, but only one fits with all décor: Crystal. Crystal clocks come in many different shapes to fit both the traditionalists office and the sleek modern office alike.

Shop my favourite engravable crystal clocks here

2. Custom Note Books

I had huge dreams when I graduated university of traveling the world and going on grand adventures. I have crossed a few things off my bucket list, but the list is long! A personalized journal is the perfect place to store all of those dreams and check them off! Are you noticing a trend? I love to write (you’re reading it ????), I love lists (I wrote this one for you!), and I love to check my goals off them! There is just something satisfying about being able to physically record your accomplishments, and graduating from university is just the first on a long list of goals. Goals and plans are not all really big, sometimes you simply need a place to write down a grocery list or declutter your brain so that you can make sense of what is going on in there. Inspiring your graduate with a personalized journal is easy, shop my favourites here

3. A funny mug

I know, we all worked really hard for our degrees. We spent hours in the library, we slaved over essays, and sweated over exams, all to be set free into the world and let our hair down. A punny mug that celebrates our accomplishments is the perfect comic relief in the hard knocks movie that was our university life.

I know that there are a million different people putting vinyl on mugs, but this is not one of those peel as soon as you put it in the dishwasher moments. I recommend a mug that is designed to go through life with you and works as hard as you did during your degree. Create the perfect engraved mug that says just the right thing here.

4. A Box full of real-life essentials.

For the girls, I love the idea of one that has a personalized mug (see funny mugs above), tea (or coffee for the coffee lovers out there. I know there are more of you than there are of me, I just don’t understand the hype!), a relaxing candle, a treat of some kind (because if there was one thing I developed during the late nights in the library was a sweet tooth), and a soft soap to ensure total relaxation.

Now, those ideas would have worked for me and are perfect for your female grad, but our male counter parts need a box that is a little different!

Fill theirs with a travel mug that can be tossed into the back seat of the car or into a bag, and dropped down a mountain because we all know they need a mug that can keep up with their busy lives. An item that meshes with their personality and a sweet treat!

I would give the adventurous man a water bottle to use alongside an engraved pocketknife or a decorative engraved compass for his desk to remind him of his true path and purpose, and a sweet treat to enjoy in the moment.

 For the less outdoorsy guys a catch all tray for their gadgets and a cord holder to keep them and their desk organized is at the top of the list. I would pair those with either a personalized stoneware coffee mug or a metal engraved travel mug depending on their preference. Don’t forge that sweet treat!

Shop here for the perfect graduation Giving Box by Van Horlick’s.

5. High Quality Wall Art

The greatest way to commemorate a prestigious post-secondary graduation is with a piece of art that reflects the commitment required to obtain a university degree (I know, too many big words. That’s what they taught us at university, use all the big words to confuse people into thinking you know what you’re talking about. In this case though, I do not want you to be confused and I do know what I’m talking about, so keep reading!).

Many of us university graduates had to move away from home to go to school, either because our hometown didn’t have a university or because that is where we received acceptance letters from. Most of these places have an iconic place or body of water that your grad would have used to relax and unwind or would view as the perfect way to remember the town they went to school in. A high quality piece of wall art that commemorates that time and their accomplishment will be hung with pride.

My personal favourite are the wood lake art and they can be found here.

These pieces of art are all designed by me, and I be you didn’t know that during my degree I spent hours bent over maps and glued to a computer screen building Geographical Information Systems. I then went on to be a consulting Archaeologist and read maps and used GPS every single day. It is pretty safe to say that I am a map expert and you will not find a higher quality piece of art anywhere!

Any post secondary graduation is a huge accomplishment that should be celebrated accordingly. At Van Horlick’s you will find a large selection of engraved gifts that your graduate will use and value as they continue to grow and build their lives after school. Give them a gift that will fuel their desire to continue to succeed no matter what life throws their way. An engraved gift commemorates their accomplishment and inspires them to continue to reach for new heights.