A look at current laptop sticker trend on campus.
In a world full of interesting people, it can be hard to stand out, especially on a college campus where one’s everyday outfit is often more an expression of convenience than of personality.
But when it comes to self-expression, laptops are a blank canvas, and students are covering them with stickers to say who they are.
Annamarie Atkinson ’18 said her favorite sticker on her laptop is a depiction of Vladimir Putin on a slice of toast. It represents two of her favorite things: Russia, where she studied abroad and learned the language, and bread.
“It’s a great conversation starter,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson’s laptop also features stickers from her favorite shows and movies as well as some that represent her political beliefs.
“It’s like how you wear an outfit every day,” Atkinson said. “It’s how I want to be seen.”
When Jenn Tague ’20 got a new laptop case, it presented an opportunity to make a statement.
Her once white, bare laptop now showcases stickers of her favorite band, The Head and the Heart, as well as Irish slang words.
“It’s a little bit of myself that I can show to other people,” Tague said.
Tague also has a sticker to show she is a member of The City Belles, the female a capella group on campus.
Other clubs and organizations on campus have started to pick up on the sticker trend to promote themselves.
In January, as the Writing Center was thinking of ideas for outreach, Megan Bevilacqua ’19, a tutor and the Center’s social media manager, immediately thought of using stickers.
“You see them all the time on everyone’s laptop,” Bevilacqua said. “I just thought that would be a really cool way to advertise in an informal setting.”
The Writing Center used a site called StickerYou to print its stickers, but for personal use, most students use a website called Redbubble to get stickers that cater to their interests. On Redbubble, independent artists can also upload their work for users to purchase.
Available in various sizes, the stickers are easily removable, making them perfect for the constantly changing minds of college students. Prices range anywhere from $2 to $15 depending on the size and content of the sticker. Shipping costs are around $4.
For Nathan King ’20, laptop stickers were a new idea when he saw other students with them his first year on campus.
King’s favorite color is pink, and his laptop reflects that, as it is filled with stickers in various dark and bright shades of pink.
Placing them “took a lot of trial and error,” King said. “I like to lay them out before I peel them off and stick them on to make sure I have room for everything.”
King said laptop stickers make using his laptop more fun.
“It showcases my personality a little bit,” King said. “It tells people who I am without having to talk to me.”
