Not everything a geek does has a practical reason behind it. Geeks like to have fun too – in their own way. So in this post I will be presenting some fun geeky gifts that are a little silly but a lot of fun. Click on the link in each description to get more info!

Star Trek Electronic Door Chime

Lets start off with the Star Trek Electronic Door Chime. This gadget would make a great gift for the Trekkie in your life and  non-Trekkies will enjoy it too. Anyone who has their own room, really! This door chime can be set to respond with a door opening sound or a Red Alert sound from Star Trek which will add some character to your geek’s room at warp speed.

Schrödinger’s Cat Executive Decision Maker

As your geek journeys through his/her college career there will certainly be many decisions that he/she will have to make. Some of these decisions will be ones that need time and effort, while others will be much less crucial (“should I eat tacos today?” falls into the less crucial category). For these less important decisions get your geek the Schrödinger’s Cat Executive Decision Maker. Ask a “yes” or “no” question, open the door of this gadget, and let Schrödinger’s cat make that decision for you. Your physics fans will absolutely appreciate this gift.

Mason Jar Speaker Amplifier

College is usually a place where your musical tastes will probably go through a major revamping for better or worse. A great gift for a freshman geek is a way to play all their music in the  geekiest way possible. Enter the Mason Jar Speaker Amplifier!  This completely self contained speaker/amplifier will allow your geek to take their music anywhere with them and look pretty cool while doing so.

Floppy Disk Drink Coasters

Looking for a cheap gift that is both a fun and useful gift? Check out these Floppy Disk Drink Coasters. Not only will this soft cushion prevent your drink from leaving residue on tables but it also a really cool geeky accessory.

Featured image from HJ Media Studios.

Nothing says more about your personality in college than the music you listen to,whether it’s AC/DC or the Jonas Brothers.  The ideal speakers for college student are active/powered speakers, which means they have built-in amplifiers and don’t require a bulky and expensive receiver. You can also connect these speakers to iPods or laptops directly. Here are some ideas:

Hands Down Best Value – Cyber Acoustics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This three-piece speaker system comes with two satellite speakers and a subwoofer. It also has desktop control pod which controls power, volume, and bass, with headphone jack and auxiliary input. It simply doesn’t get better than this for a system under $50.

Cute Look – Leading Edge Water Dancing Speakers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These speakers might not have the most robust build or sound quality, but they are sooooo cool! Your melody will be perfectly matched with dancing water and multicolor LED lights. Perfect for the freshman that loves to entertain in their dorm room.

Best Quality –  Bose Companion 5 Multimedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A virtual 5.1 sound system with only 3 speakers, these Bose speakers produce so much bass that they’re almost as powerful as PA speakers. It uses simple USB connectivity, so no sound card upgrade, no extra software, adapters or wiring needed.  With these speakers, your freshman can easily turn his dorm room into a club. The only downside is that these may lead to noise complaints…

Best Quality for a Lot Less – Harman Kardon Soundsticks III

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These Harman Kardon speakers offer pretty much everything that the Bose set does, except for the surround sound effects, for less than half the price. If not for the sound quality, the space age jelly fish look will certainly put a smile on your favorite freshman’s face.

“Do you like music?”

“Do you like breathing?” was Emma Roberts’ (or any other typical teenagers’) response in movie It’s Kind of a Funny Story. Very few things are more important to young adults than enjoying music on-the-go. Why not help them do so in style?

Headphones have become more of a fashion accessory these days. Not only do they need to deliver superb sound, they also need to look good too. If your freshman listens mainly rock and hip-pop, these headphones will make great gifts.

Beats by Dr Dre is famous for their powerful lows and stylish design, although they are pretty pricey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bose headphones are known for their Noise Cancelling® features. If your freshman will travel a lot in college, such as athletes, then these Bose QuietComfort® 15 headphones are the right choice for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your freshman is more of a classical music lover and enjoys sound quality more than the looks, then consider these brands:

Sennheiser offers a wide range from consumer to high-fidelity (hifi) products. The German company was established short after WWII and is known for their accurate yet smooth delivery of all ranges. The PX 200 II is a classic model for portable on-ear headphones and they are also significantly cheaper than many other options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio-Technica, in my opinion, is the best option for classical and human voice listening experiences. If your freshman enjoys listening to Norah Jones in the sun, then check out these ATHESW9A wooden headphones. I particularly like the comment from Ethan. B., on Amazon, “I can now hear EVERYTHING in any given song. Kind of crazy how many noises and counter-melodies can be super quiet and sometimes unnoticeable in lower quality headphones than these”. Wooden housings made of African Padauk also gives these headphones a super classic look:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feature image from Nickolai Kashirin.

After all the fun I had finding the geeky gifts for the first post, I couldn’t resist creating an Episode II for it. With that said, here are some cool and practical gifts for your slightly geeky freshman.

Star Wars R2-D2 Folding Armchair

I definitely wish someone had told me to bring an extra chair to my dorm room my freshman year since it is always nice to be able to offer your guests somewhere to sit down. This geeky gift is one any geek, especially a Star Wars geek, will appreciate. With the Star Wars R2-D2 Folding Armchair, your freshman will not only have an easy to move chair in his room for guests but also a cool decoration that testifies to his/her geekiness.

Charging Tools

With the large role technology plays in our lives nowadays, chances are your freshman owns a phone and laptop and as a geek he/she probably owns many other gadgets that need will need to be charged.  Keeping all of our gadgets charged in the least bothersome way possible is a constant battle but it is one we can win… with the right gadgets. Sometimes more gadgets is the answer!

One of these tools is the Plug Hub. With this device, you can help to prevent the annoying occurrence of the mess of tangled up power cords under a desk.

To make your geek’s experience with charging his/her number of gadgets even better, check out the Tech Dock by Quirky. This device allows you to charge 4 of your your USB charged devices with only one power outlet. It also looks really slick, very much like an Apple device.

Organ Transport Lunch Cooler

Finally for that geeky freshman who enjoys bringing his/her own food to lunch, especially if living off campus, I’ve got the perfect lunch cooler for you. With the Organ Transport Lunch Cooler, your freshman will definitely spark some conversations at the lunch table. Lets be honest – bringing a cool lunch bag to school used to be one of the coolest things you could do and still kind of is.

Featured image by homard.net

Do you have that nephew who always brings “big questions” to the family diner table? Does he also have a huge sketch of Nietzsche hanging from his ceiling like Paul Dano in Little Miss Sunshine?  Let’s put a smile on his face before college.

First of all, never get him a book. Philosophers tend to be pretty selective about “presentable” books, so whatever book you give him will probably end up on the bottom shelf and  be known as “the stupid book my aunt gave me once”.

Now, let take a look at some better options:

Little Thinkers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your freshman philosopher might get lonely on a “shallow” college campus, so get him a doll to play with! This Socrates doll stands a mighty 11 inches tall and appears full of wisdom with his white hair, beard, and toga. It’s also a great conversation starter when people visit his room.

Harmless T-shirts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Nietzsche loved kitties. Thus Meowed Zarathustra.” Funny philosophy T shirts can also be a great gift for your freshman. Since an average college student won’t do laundry until he runs out of underwear, one can never have too many T-shirts, especially the ones can get his personality across.

Philosophy Magazines (Not Journals)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aren’t magazines for people who can’t read a real book? Absolutely! Think of these as People Magazine for your favorite philosophers. After all, everyone needs some light reading, even the brainiacs. Philosophy Now  “aims to corrupt innocent citizens by convincing them that philosophy can be exciting, worthwhile and comprehensible, and also to provide some light and enjoyable reading matter for those already ensnared by the muse, such as philosophy students and academics.” It comes out every two months and has an annual subscription fee of only $32! The Philosophers Magazine is another great choice, which is an “independent quarterly, devoted to presenting great philosophical work in an accessible and entertaining format”.

Feature image from J.D. Falk.