The 14 Gift Cards You Should Give to the Newly College Freshman in Your Life

School is starting back up and with the beginning of school comes the beginning of a new year and new possibilities. Each school year is a new opportunity to make new memories, better yourself, and to learn all you can. Particularly, when you begin college for the first time as a freshman, it is a time of self discovery and new adventures. 

College can be fun, but it can also be stressful and a little hard, so having the right tools for success is important. Knowing you have people there for you as you begin this next journey is just as helpful and can make a college freshman’s life easier and better that first year away from home. If you know someone who is starting back to school and is beginning college for the first time, then you might be looking for the perfect gift to give them that they will appreciate and actually use. 

This is where a gift card can come in handy and make the perfect gift for the incoming college freshman in your life. Not only are gift cards useful and can be used for so many different fun thighs and places, but being a college freshman almost always means you’ll struggle with having extra money to do fun things. 

Having a gift card can help out that college freshman who might not be able to handle a job and their school work. So if you’re in need of a unique gift to give the person in your life who is about to start college, then look no further because we’ve got the gift cards for you! 

When shopping for gift cards for the newly college freshman in your life, consider using Gift card Granny for all of your gift card buying needs. Gift Card Granny is a gift card buying site that helps you to save money when you buy your gift cards through their website. How it works is when you go onto Gift Card Granny you can search thousands of gift cards from different retailers and pick out the gift cards that are perfect for the person you are shopping for (or yourself, we don’t blame you!). 

Then, when you buy these gift cards from Gift Card Granny’s website you will save money by earning cash back on your gift card purchases on Gift Card Granny’s site. So whether you’re shopping for someone in your life who is headed off to college or you’re looking to get yourself something nice, you can be sure that you are getting the best deal on your purchase by earning cash back when you purchase your gift cards on Gift Card Granny. 

So now that you know where to get these gift cards, let’s look at the gift cards to get a new college freshman. Here’s a list of the gift cards we are going to be talking about in this article. Feel free to read them all or skip to one that catches your interest!

*All of the gift cards we are going to discuss below in this article are available on Gift Card Granny’s website as of the day this article is published. Just don’t wait too long before heading over to the site to check out these deals because they won’t last long.

1. Walmart 

For all your last minute dorm and grocery needs

Get a Walmart gift card 

Buy Walmart Gift Cards

Walmart is a one-stop-shop for almost anything and everything you could need. From dorm room necessities, to groceries, to even clothing, and so much more, Walmart has so much to buy that you can’t go wrong getting your college freshman a Walmart gift card. 

Get a Walmart gift card 

2. DoorDash 

A gift card perfect for a late night study pick-me-up 

Buy a DoorDash gift card  

Buy DoorDash Gift Cards

DoorDash is almost an essential app at college because at some point or another your college freshman is going to get tired of the school’s cafeteria food and yes, even pizza won’t sound good. With a DoorDash gift card they can order food from their favorite food places and have it delivered right to their dorm.  

Buy a DoorDash gift card  

3. Old Navy 

Send your college freshman off to school in style

Snag an Old Navy gift card 

Buy Old Navy Gift Cards

Old Navy has tons of different fashion styles and clothing options to choose from and is known for their stylish pieces and affordable prices. WIth an Old Navy gift card you can send your college freshman to school looking good and feeling confident in their new clothes this school year! 

Snag an Old Navy gift card 

4. Customized Mastercard 

A gift card that can be used anywhere and everywhere 

Buy a Customized Mastercard gift card 

Buy Mastercard Gift Cards

With a Mastercard gift card your college freshman can use it pretty much anywhere and everywhere a normal Mastercard credit card can be used. Plus, with a Customized Mastercard, you can put a photo of you and your freshman so they’ll think of you each and every time they use it. 

Buy a Customized Mastercard gift card 

5. Dunkin’ Donuts

Because every college student needs a little coffee every now and then

Snag a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card 

Buy Dunkin Donuts Gift Cards

It’s almost a rule that every college student will need coffee at some point in time during their college career. A Dunkin’ Donuts is the perfect gift card for any college student going back to school because coffee is almost a necessity to get through tests and studying. Dunkin’ Donuts has a large menu too, so if they don’t like coffee there are other caffeine options available! 

Snag a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card 

6. Uber 

The perfect gift to give that college freshman that doesn’t have a car on campus

Buy an Uber gift card

Buy Uber Gift Cards 

Uber is a great ride sharing app that you can use to get a ride to and from pretty much anywhere. So whether your college freshman just doesn't have a car on campus and needs a ride to work, or they need a ride back to the dorm after hanging out at a friend’s house all night, an Uber gift card can help them catch a ride back! 

Buy an Uber gift card 

7. Staples 

For all of your college freshman’s school supplies and last minute needs

Get a Staples gift card 

Buy Staples Gift Cards

Staples is a great gift card to get any incoming college freshman to help pay for their many school supplies that they will need for the year. Freshman year is when you have to essentially buy everything from scratch that you can reuse for all four years, so a Staples gift card can help pay for all of these supplies to help alleviate some of the costs! 

Get a Staples gift card 

8. Sam’s Club

Buy your college freshman’s groceries in bulk this semester 

Buy a Sam’s Club gift card 

Buy Sam's Club Gift Cards 

Sam’s Club is a wholesale grocery store that not only sells groceries but also other products necessary for a dorm room, like mini fridges and futons. But, a Sam’s Club gift card is great for any college freshman because they can use it to get groceries in bulk, which means less time spent shopping and more time spent with friends or studying. Plus, who doesn’t want a giant box of fruit roll ups in their room? 

Buy a Sam’s Club gift card 

9. Hulu 

Take dorm room movie night to the next level with a Hulu gift card 

Get a Hulu gift card 

Buy Hulu Gift Cards

Movie nights with everyone in your dorm hall are a college right of passage. With a Hulu gift card your college freshman can have access to a large selection of movies and TV shows that they and their new friends can all binge together instead of doing school work! It’s all about work and social life balance, of course! 

Get a Hulu gift card 

10. Barnes and Noble 

A gift card for all your book and school supply needs

Buy a Barnes and Noble gift card

Buy Barnes and Noble Gift Cards 

Every college freshman will need to get books for their first semester, and books can be one of the pricier parts about going to college. With a Barnes and Noble gift card you can show your support by helping relieve some of the stress of buying all of their books on their own this school year. 

Buy a Barnes and Noble gift card 

11. Home Chef

For the college freshman who wants to cook their own meals but doesn’t know where to start

Buy a Home Chef gift card 

Buy Home Chef Gift Cards 

Not many freshmen will be living in an apartment or have access to a stove, but some might. If your college freshman is lucky enough to have an apartment their first year or has access to a kitchen and they love to cook, then a Home Chef gift card is perfect. Home Chef makes cooking easy, so whether they’re an experienced cook or just a beginner, they’ll be able to make a tasty and easy meal with Home Chef. 

Buy a Home Chef gift card 

12. Vans 

Send your college freshman off to school with some fresh new kicks 

Snag a Vans gift card 

Buy Gift Cards Online

Before you send your college freshman off to school, send them off with some stylish new shoes with a Vans gift card. Shoes are a great way to express your style and Vans has tons of different shoe styles to choose from so they’re sure to find a pair they love! If they can’t find one in store, a Vans gift card is also redeemable online!

Snag a Vans gift card 

13. Domino’s Pizza 

Give the gift of a well deserved pizza night for your starting freshman 

Buy a Domino’s Pizza gift card 

Buy Domino's Pizza Gift Cards

Who doesn’t love a pizza night? With a Domino’s Pizza gift card you can treat the newly incoming freshman to a pizza night with friends and give them a break from eating school cafeteria food for the night. Plus, pizza makes the ultimate study snack and tastes just as good reheated a day later, so it’s a gift card that just keeps on giving! 

Buy a Domino’s Pizza gift card 

14. Sheetz 

For all of your incoming freshman’s late night food cravings and more

Buy a Sheetz gift card 

Buy Gift Cards Online 

Sheetz is one of those gas stations that is so much more than a gas station. From hot food, late night study snacks, some medicines, and so much more, Sheetz really is the perfect gift card for any college student who might be up all night. Treat your college freshman to a late night treat on you with a Sheetz gift card. 

Buy a Sheetz gift card 

Going off to college for the first time as a freshman can be scary, but it can also be very exciting. WIth the right support system, college can be an exciting and fun experience. It helps to know you have people who support you, so show your support for the person in your life who is about to start college by giving them a gift they’ll really use. 

If you think we missed a gift card on this list, head over to Gift Card Granny and see if we have it on our site! Then, let us know in the comments below! Or, if you think we missed a gift card that you know a new college freshman would enjoy, tell us about it in the comments- we love hearing from you!