College Gift Book for Graduates
- Aug 10
- 2 min read
As students prepare to leave for college, many families look for a graduation gift that offers more than dorm essentials or gift cards. Florida native Michelle Douglas believes one of the most valuable gifts is guidance for navigating early adulthood.
Douglas is the author of Don’t Wear Shoes You Can’t Walk In: A Field Guide for Your Twenties, a book that combines personal advice with guided journaling to help young adults build confidence, make decisions, and reflect on the challenges that often define their twenties.
The book was inspired by a habit Douglas began in her early twenties of writing down one lesson she learned each day. Over time, those reflections evolved into a guide covering topics such as relationships, careers, resilience, confidence, and personal growth.
Unlike a traditional advice book, each chapter concludes with journal prompts designed to encourage readers to reflect on their own experiences and develop greater self-awareness.
“There are moments every young adult faces when no parent, teacher, or mentor can provide the answer,” Douglas says. “In my early twenties I had so many moments where I wished someone had given me a heads up or could tell me what would come next on my path.”
She hopes the book serves as “a trusted voice, a big sister or older friend,” reminding readers that they already possess much of the wisdom they need to move forward.
For parents sending a student off to college, the book offers a practical resource that extends beyond graduation day, encouraging young adults to trust their own judgment while navigating life’s next chapter.
Douglas, a Jacksonville, Florida native, is also a speaker and founder of the communications company Ladder. Don’t Wear Shoes You Can’t Walk In: A Field Guide for Your Twenties is available through major booksellers. Additional information is available at www.fieldguidefortwenties.com.