Graduating 🎓  from high school takes a lot of hard work, grit, humor, and creativity.

Teens, and the adults in their lives, have lots to celebrate! 🎈

They also have lots to prepare for whether college or work is in their future. The next step for teens graduating from high school may be college. The Best Graduation Gift is Knowing How to Play the Game.

As I looked through Oprah's graduation gift list I realized that, as a former dorm director and mother of 3 college grads, gifts are often what adults wish they would have had, or think will be useful.

College is not a harder version of high school. The first months are exciting! Teens need to know how to adjust and plan. They're dealing with the new playing field of harder academics, lots of extracurricular opportunities, and the stark realization that they're in charge of everything (like waking up, eating, laundry, and making decisions.)

Grads get games and puzzles for gifts--OPTION PLAY Conquer College is a card game that feels familiar, and is relevant to the moment.  Playing it with high school friends before going to college creates conversations.  With new college acquaintances, it's one more way of knowing how to play the game.
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Every college campus has a counseling center where students go for emotional support.

This coaching session is support of a different kind.  A teen can use it before going to college to review the list of what they need to bring and prepare for.  After the first week, they can use it because the whole situation feels overwhelming and they need to figure out how to manage the transition they're in.   Midterms or finals may be in the future and they can work with me to prepare so they'll make it through without not sleeping for a week.  They schedule the session--an important step in planning and self-care.

Give the teen in your life a gift that's social and practical (and their RA won't confiscate it!)