18 Back-to-School Gifts for High Schoolers

Looking for unique back-to-school gifts for students? Help your high schooler ring in the new year with a little box of happy. Aptly named, Happy Box is a curated gift box filled with goodies from chocolate to candles and self-care essentials. Build your high schooler’s box or choose from pre-made gift boxes. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on their face while getting them excited for the year ahead. This makes for a great college student care package, too.

The best back-to-school gifts for students are ones that combine practicality with style, like this trendy Hydro Flask water bottle. Not only is a Hydro Flask one of the best water bottles for everyday use, it’s available in tons of fun colors (you can even design your own based on your teen’s favorite colors!) This bottle keeps beverages at the optimal temperature for hours.

Saturday mornings are for sleeping in—and making a delicious breakfast. This DIY rainbow bagel kit will give your teen a fun morning project and help build valuable kitchen skills. Each kit includes bagel mix, yeast and food coloring. 

Trust us—your high schooler will use these noise-canceling Apple AirPods Pro 2 every chance they get. Between study hall sessions and after-school practices, they’re a practical way for your teen to listen to their favorite songs—and maybe cram in an audiobook or podcast. And, since these buds are Bluetooth enabled, there’s no pesky cord to get in their way!

Reading the classics just got more fun. This literary insults chart has blink-and-you’ll-miss-it roasts from Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, Shakespeare and more. It’s a funny teacher gift, too.

A daily gratitude notebook, the five-minute journal works to improve mental wellness by encouraging users to reflect on what they’re grateful for, set daily affirmations and reflect on the highlights—and it only takes five minutes to fill out. It contains six months worth of pages for everyday use, and the guided sections help teens develop healthy habits and manifest their dreams.

This set of assorted highlighters feature a range of calming colors to help students jot down assignments and notes. They’re an elegant upgrade to neon highlighters, and they’re a back-to-school essential for expert note-taking.

Not only are these colorful sticky notes reusable and eco-friendly, they stick on any smooth surface—desks, the fridge, dry erase boards, binders, notebooks, you name it. It’s one of the best back-to-school gifts for students for helping them keep track of important deadlines, reminders and shower thoughts.

If that sweaty gym bag hasn’t been updated since middle school, it’s time for a replacement. Gift your student athlete a durable Nike training bag that fits all of their gear. Plus, they can use it as a plain ol’ gym bag during the offseason.

Fend off headaches and eye strain with a pair of blue light-blocking glasses. These chic frames protect your teen’s eyes from screen glare whether they’re writing a paper on their laptop or scrolling through TikTok on their phone. This pair is available in two colors, and there are several more frame styles to choose from. As one of the best long lasting back-to-school gifts for students, your high schooler will thank you every time they gear up for long nights of studying and looking at their computer.

Skip the single-use plastic at lunchtime and stock up on Stasher bags. This eco-friendly option makes it easy to pack a nutritious lunch for your high schooler in a bag that’s safe for them and the environment.

High school starts early. And an engaging alarm clock is a back-to-school essential. We love that this clock simulates the sun rising to make mornings a bit more bearable, and that it doubles as a sound machine to help them wind down. They can control sounds, night light colors and set their sleep routine via the Hatch Restore companion app.

A stylish locker? Check! This cute letter board is perfect for displaying an inspirational quote, fun message or class schedule. Or they can use it as a decoration for their at-home workspace.

While their interests might change throughout high school, this timeless backpack from Herschel Supply Co. never goes out of style. Plus, it’s a blank canvas for patches, pins and other personalizations.

The best back-to-school gifts for students are ones that keep on giving, like this snack box from Universal Yums. It quite literally feeds their tastebuds with global goodies, allowing them to experience different cultures and inspire their travel. Trust us—we’ve tried it! Sign up for a subscription and enjoy watching them experience a different country via their tastebuds each month. We love these other snack subscriptions, too.