Show your grad how proud you are with a gift that embraces their next big adventure.

We love the customizable and stackable bracelets from Alex and Ani. Pictured are three of their good luck bangles (which start at $24 each); for a more personal touch, mix in one of the company's initial or zodiac bangles. Eco-conscious grads will appreciate that the bangles, which come in a variety of finishes, are made from recycled materials.

Send your scholar off to college with a stylish, BPA-free water bottle that will inspire her with a message that appears every time she takes a sip from the flip top. Choose from "Be the Change" or "Imagine," or customize it with a message of your own. $24, seejanework.com

With these peel-and-stick frames, your grad can display cherished snapshots on the wall without leaving behind any holes or marks. Available in pink or black, each pack comes with eight different whimsical frames. $20, spoonsisters.com

She may look back and cringe at some of her high-school outfits, but this accessory will never go out of style. The bespoke necklace is available in sterling silver, 14K gold, 14K rose gold, or 14K white gold. No matter what the finish, she'll feel she's inherited an heirloom she'll want to wear to her 10-year reunion. $105-$350, maxandchloe.com

Bedside lamps allow bookworms to keep reading after their roommates have gone to bed. This one lets off a soft glow through its frosted glass -- but we love it most for its clever, house-shaped design, which doubles as a book rest. It will lend a homey feel to your graduate's new dorm or apartment. $80, curiosityshoppe.com

Send her off to college in timeless style with these simply adorable earrings that go with everything. Available in metallic leather or copper. $20, handlesprout.com

College graduates are charting out their own course. You can make sure they don't lose their way with a compass, named after the year it was designed and set in sterling silver from the legendary jeweler. They'll treasure it no matter which direction they are headed. $295, tiffany.com

Perfect for the recent grad who could use a little help in the kitchen, this gadget works like a rice cooker (there's a nonstick pot under the lid) but also steams, slow-cooks, and reheats meals. It can be used to make oatmeal, stews, veggies, dumplings, and even steamed fish. Built-in sensors ensure even cooking, and all the removable parts are dishwasher safe. $100, cuisinart.com

We are longtime admirers of the clean design and sturdy functionality of Bodum products. Now they have improved on the mini charcoal grill with an array of cheerful colors and practical features, including a heat-resistant silicone handle and clamps to keep the lid on during transport. (The clips can double as utensil hangers when unfastened.)

A high school grad will love to take this compact grill along to college for tailgating parties and weekend outings. Likewise, college graduates moving into their first apartments will find this just the right size for balcony (or fire escape) cookouts. $60, bodumusa.com

A must for any young writer, "The Elements of Style Illustrated" (Penguin Press) will help your graduate construct concise, enlivened prose, whether it's a letter, a college essay, or a first novella. This artfully updated version of the renowned writing manual by Strunk and White features the witty and sophisticated drawings of illustrator Maira Kalman. $9, amazon.com

This stylish Thomas Paul-designed laptop case is silkscreened by hand with the image of a typewriter -- not only pre-digital, but pre-electric. (Be prepared to explain to your grad how a typewriter functioned: "Yes, we actually had to use the return arm every time we created a new line of text.") The quilted, unbleached cotton canvas case will protectively cradle the giftee's all-important laptop to class or to work. $68, anthropologie.com

This bamboo panel with a dry-erase surface is perfect for the grad on-the-go. With sliding hooks, a cup, a magnetic strip, a dry-erase pen, and a hidden pocket to hold papers or mail, this sustainable organizer makes it impossible for her to forget to do her homework, pay the bills, or call home. $70, seejanework.com

Send the student in your life off to college or into the real world with a set of the classics. Beautifully bound, the hardcover collection includes "Great Expectations," "Sense and Sensibility," "The Odyssey," and many more. $20 for each book, us.penguingroup.com

Bring high school or college graduates good luck with a chic wishbone bangle. Made by Elizabeth and James, this oxidized sterling silver accessory is one she'll cherish for years to come. $225, shopbop.com

Created by renowned brand Winsor & Newton, this oil painting kit -- which comes packed in a bamboo carrying case -- has all the essentials, including eight tubes of oil paint, bristle brushes, and a palette knife. Give your grad this artsy set and then insist he or she bring home a masterpiece or two. $81, dickblick.com

A chic and sustainable alternative to metal, this timepiece -- made from 100 percent wood -- is hypo-allergenic and free of toxic chemicals. It's just the sort of modern-yet-timeless statement piece that will help your grad stand out at an important job interview. $119, we-wood.com

You can't always be there to pick up his socks or make sure her refrigerator is clean, but you can equip your grads with all the tips and tricks they'll need to keep their new places clean and organized. Practical and approachable, this room-by-room guide will quickly become a go-to resource. $26, marthastewart.com

Liven up a dreary dorm room with this lovable, colorful XOXO organic pillow cover. Bonus, for every pillow cover that is purchased, $5 goes to the Boys and Girls Club of America. $19, pbteen.com

It's time for your college grad to upgrade to more sophisticated glassware. A subtle "cinched waist" design makes these highball and old-fashioned glasses both whimsical and graceful. $1.95 each, crateandbarrel.com

Those first early business meetings can be tough. Make the wake-up call a bit easier with this high-quality and smart-looking alarm clock. Your grad can program the gadget -- which boasts full-room sound -- to play his favorite radio station or iPod playlist. And the sleek hardwood design (shown here in the "ocean blue" finish) will make him feel as grown-up as his new suit. $199, tivoliaudio.com

Here's an adorably scruffy canine that's 100 percent dorm- and apartment-friendly. Made from shredded and rolled newspapers, this rascal is the perfect low-maintenance companion for your grad -- with no barking, biting, or accidents behind the couch. $129, vivaterra.com

This space-saving spice rack from the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's will fit nicely on any countertop and is perfect for a recent grad with a cramped kitchen. Its utilitarian design, inspired by the structure of a wine rack, provides easy access to 20 bottles filled with various dried herbs and spices. $80, macys.com

Remind her of how promising her post-grad life will be with this stylish and practical lambskin leather-bound pocket notebook. Perfectly sized for a purse, it will come in handy at interviews, at the market, or for taking down measurements for her first apartment. $75, smythson.com

Brighten up a dorm room or first apartment with a colorful mini windowsill garden. This thoughtful gift from Red Envelope has 12 packets of easy-to-grow seeds for an array of flowers, including petunias, marigolds, pansies, zinnias, and sweet peas. The set comes with a dozen earthenware pots, a bag of soil, and growing instructions -- water not included! $60, redenvelope.com

Perfect for dorm life, this rechargeable LED book light attaches to your books for studying in bed, or it can be placed in its stand and used as a desk lamp for pulling an all-nighter. $25, momastore.org

Give your college-bound grad more than 1,500 gilt-edged pages of indispensable knowledge, all attractively bound in embossed crocodile leather (choose from six colors). Monogramming for the dictionary is an option -- always a nice touch. $174, graphicimage.com

Teach your grad the value of saving with this see-through glass piggy bank. Cash and coins are easily visible inside the porker's hand-blown glass belly, but the removable cork snout makes it easy to dip into the stash for late-night trips to the vending machine. $39, vivaterra.com

Design-minded brainiacs will appreciate this "Think Hard" poster, which graphically illustrates the proverbial "thinking cap." Available in tan and black or burgundy, it matches just about any dorm decor. $18, orkposters.com

Reminiscent of college cafeteria sporks, these combination spoon/forks designed by Masami Takahashi for MoMA are a contemporary upgrade. Originally created to replace chopsticks at the popular Sugakiya ramen noodle restaurant chain in Japan, the stainless-steel utensils are fun to use at home or at the office. $28, momastore.org

Knotting a tie can be difficult for a novice. Instructing him over the phone five minutes before his first interview is even more so. Help your young man reach this adult milestone on his own with this clever HowTie, which serves as a fashion accessory and an instruction manual in one. $15, perpetualkid.com

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall..." Whether the recipient of this mirror hangs it in her dorm room or a first apartment, it is sure to leave her feeling like the fairest in the land time and time again. And she'll also love that it's made from recycled wood and non-toxic glue. $99, etsy.com/shop/Design360

Help your grad add humor to her housekeeping with Toast It Coasters, which are made of cork to protect surfaces from water and heat but look like you-know-what. $10, momastore.org

Science grads, aspiring chemists, and mixologists-in-training will flip for these laboratory-inspired flasks by Ferm Living, which can be used as decanters or flower vases. $20, $26, curiosityshoppeonline.com

Made from unused polypropylene shipping material, this weekender bag from Bagabones is eco-friendly and roomy enough for a road trip with friends (or for packing your dirty laundry to take home to mom). It features one main compartment, two outside Velcro pockets, and snap-down sides to make the bag smaller. $60, flight001.com

This stylish FinePix XP30 camera was built to withstand harsh outdoor conditions. That means it's waterproof and can survive being dropped from nearly 5 feet. Gift it to your favorite grad, confident in the knowledge that it will probably survive freshman year. Available in green, orange, and black, $240, fujifilmusa.com

Fun enough to take out shopping yet sophisticated enough for the big interview, this creamy, geometric-patterned case makes the perfect foil to the sleek Apple tablet. $29, murvalparis.com

Whether your new grad is looking for an internship or that first big job, this kit has all the tools she'll need to create the perfect resume. Pair it with a nice pen or portfolio for one smart gift. $22, craneandco.com

Here's a mug grads won't have to wash. Available in pink, green, blue, and white, these ceramic holders are equipped with tiny speakers and a cord that fits right into the earphone jack of iPods and iPhones. Loud enough to entertain, but quiet enough to not disturb the entire dorm, these darling speakers fit perfectly on nightstands, desks, or countertops. $48, seejanework.com