People express themselves through the brand of clothes they wear, what music they listen to, and now even with their water bottles. In the past few years, an expanding number of student water bottles covered in stickers has been seen here on campus. “I think it’s a neat--almost like a storybook in the shape of a water bottle that tells the events that are important to them,” English teacher Joi Keen said. Sticker personalization might be closely related to using bumper stickers on cars for some students, but because they can be carried around, shows a person’s likes to more people throughout the day. Freshman Caroline Nguyen said she likes the fact that personalizing her water bottle means that nobody will have the same one. Nguyen said she got the idea from her friends who started putting stickers on their bottles, so she put some on as well this summer. Another freshman, Catherine Rand, said that she got the idea from her sister, Roberson alumna Anne Rand, gave her the idea. Rand said her water bottle highlights places she has hiked to and visited. For example, stickers from Lookout Mountain in Montreat decorate her bottle. At Seattle Pacific University, an article was published in March of 2006 on Nalgene water bottles. Author Marc Ramirez argued that “you are what you drink from” and that “even in the silence of study hall, what you put on (your bottle) screams volumes about you…” Ramirez's story shows that he understands the power of decorative stickers. Ramirez went on to say in the article the water bottle became a campus staple wielded by students. Rand said the sticker with the most meaning to her represents a special place. A sticker from the Presbyterian conference center at Montreat reminds her of one of the most frequently visited places in her life. Sophomore Ethan Ide said his favorite sticker was from Crooked Creek, a Christian Young Life summer camp. He went there a week this summer and said it was “awesome.” Nguyen’s most meaningful decal is a sticker from the company Eno, which makes outdoor accessories such as chairs and hammocks. She got the sticker right after a 5k that she ran and recalled that it was a fun race that has held true in her memory. Keen recalled many trends that were popular when she was in middle and high school and believes that this one is not uncommon across the nation now. “When I was in junior high, Members Only jackets were really popular. I can remember that in the late 80s and early 90s,people wearing the MC Hammer pants. And of course, the great hairstyles like the big puffy ones,” Keen said. Although other trends might have been more about clothing and hairstyles, some fads where the old sticker on water bottle style that was going around. Bottles can be used as a snapshot into hobbies and interests of the owner. Both Barber and Nyguyen said that their bottles tell others a little piece of who they are. “I wear a lot of vineyard vines, I own Chacos, and I like running,” Nyguyen said. She has a sticker to represent each of these parts of her story. Ethan Ide said his water bottle shows he is a part of Young Life and that he enjoys the outdoors. “I think each generation finds a new way to express who they are, clothes, hair, even things like water bottles. I think it’s a way of saying who you are, without having to shout it,” Keen said.