St. Mary’s students are sticking to self-expression.

by Nora James Eikner

Aesthetic waves. Memes. 30A. You know them because you’ve seen them all around you on the place where teenage girls can perfectly exhibit their likes, dislikes, vacation spots, favorite characters and so much more: the back of her computer. 

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in front of the Panera fireplace studying when the seat next to me was taken by an old man I had never met. My computer was by my side as I was writing when I heard a kind voice ask, “So are you gonna get up and sing?” I turned to see the man looking at my computer sticker which reads “Warning: Subject to spontaneous outbursts of song and dance.” From there began a conversation with this man who had just come from choir practice to drink his afternoon tea and was curious both about my theatre life and where I got my stickers.

I have spent upwards of $50 on computer stickers as gifts for myself and friends. But cost is a small price to pay for how many of us show our individuality and start conversations.

Every other day I find myself subconsciously stumbling onto RedBubble, a website well known for its trendy and reliable stickers. Besides the obvious fact that online shopping is so accessible and fun, it is fulfilling to find something that fits your style perfectly but is also portable, inexpensive and cute. On a poll sent out to the SMS high school population, 74% of the responses replied “yes” to having computer stickers and over half of them were bought from RedBubble. Those stickers that were not bought at RedBubble were found, as one of the responses said, “MANY O’ PLACES,” but mostly on vacations, in shops or as keepsakes from everyday life. 

90% of the responses said that the stickers do or “sort of” represent their personalities accurately. The top three answers for the focus of their stickers were television and movie references, aesthetics and personality descriptors. The most popular fill-in answer was stickers focused on music and bands. You can see such examples in the pictures below.

You can easily learn more about someone, their hobbies and their passions by briefly glancing at their computer stickers. Even though you may not actually stand up and sing in the middle of a Panera, stickers can begin conversations with someone you have never met.